ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS 25-26

Passage 1: Features of Ancient Civilizations Ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia, the Indus River Valley, China, and Greece shared certain key features. These included organized governments, cities, social hierarchies, specialized labor, and systems of writing. Mesopotamia had city-states ruled by kings, who established laws and led armies. The Indus River Valley had well-planned cities with strong governance and uniform building designs. China developed dynasties with centralized power, and Greece had city-states called poleis, each with their own governments. Social hierarchies often determined a person’s occupation and status. Specialized labor allowed artisans, priests, and merchants to develop particular skills, while writing systems enabled the recording of laws, trade, and history. Which feature allowed Mesopotamians to record laws and trade?

• A) Social hierarchy

• B) Specialized labor

• C) Writing system

• D) Trade networks

What type of government existed in Greek city-states?

• A) Dynasties

• B) City-states (poleis) with local governments

• C) Empire

• D) Priest-led theocracy

Why was specialized labor important in ancient civilizations?

• A) It limited trade

• B) It allowed focus on particular skills

• C) It reduced city size

• D) It eliminated social hierarchies

Social hierarchies in these civilizations determined:

• A) A person’s status and occupation

• B) River flooding patterns

• C) Trade routes

• D) Writing systems

Which Indus Valley feature showed advanced urban planning?

• Monumental pyramids

• Drainage systems and uniform city grids

• Temple complexes

• Warrior kings

Greek poleis were:

• A) Small villages with no government

• B) Independent city-states with their own governments

Passage 2: Geography and its Impact Geography influenced the development of civilizations. Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, used irrigation to manage unpredictable floods. The Indus River Valley relied on the Indus River for farming, while monsoon rains affected agriculture. China’s early civilizations developed along the Yellow River, which provided fertile soil but also flooding challenges. Greece had mountains and coastlines that limited farmland but encouraged trade and the creation of independent city-states. Geography affected trade, settlement patterns, and defense strategies. How did Mesopotamians deal with unpredictable flooding?

• A) Built mountains

• B) Created irrigation systems

• C) Built temples

• D) Moved to deserts

Which river provided fertile soil in early China?

• Tigris

• Nile

• Yellow River

• Indus

How did geography affect Greek city-states?

• It encouraged a centralized empire

• Mountains and coastlines limited farmland and promoted independent polis

• Floods allowed large population centers

• Deserts protected the cities

Natural barriers like mountains and deserts:

• Made trade easier

• Served as protection against invasions

• Reduced the need for writing

• Eliminated governments