Lesson 4 Quiz: The Rise of Sumerian City-States

What was the environment of Sumer?

• low and flat, with little rain.

• hilly and dry, with many stones.

• thickly forested, with heavy storms.

• high and cold, with sharp mountain peaks.

The name Mesopotamia comes from its location, which was

• between two rivers.

• in mountain foothills.

• near a region of many conflicts.

• at the site of the earliest cities.

Why were Sumerian communities called city-states?

• They kept written records.

• They were part of one empire.

• They depended on each other for water.

• Each had its own ruler and farmland.

What allowed Neolithic people to farm in the Zagros Mountains?

• Goats can live on dry grass.

• The region had plenty of rain.

• Shallow canals watered the fields.

• Harsh climates are good for grains.

What caused food shortages in the Zagros foothills?

• overuse of the soil

• change in the climate

• increase in population

• fighting between villages

How did people in the Zagros foothills solve food shortages?

• building terraces

• moving south

• constructing reservoirs

• joining villages

What made farming hard in Sumer?

• rocky soil.

• steep hillsides.

• lack of rainfall.

• growth of weeds.

Why did the rivers flood in spring?

• Heavy rain fell.

• Strong winds blew from the Persian Gulf.

• Ice on the rivers broke up.

• Snow melted in the mountains.

What was the main purpose of dams and reservoirs?

• to allow travel by boat

• to make it easier to fish

• to store water for later use

• to protect villages from attack

Why was a levee built beside a river in ancient Sumer?

• to load barges

• to irrigate crops

• to prevent floods

• to control workers