Study Guide: The Rise of Sumerian City-States
Study Lesson five, section 1 -6 TCI interactive textbook.
Formative Test Dates: November 17th -21st 2024
Study dates: November 10th -17th
November 17th In class test (Periods A C and D)
November 18th in class test (Periods G and H)
Test Review Resources: Lesson Games, GIMKIT, Lesson Summary, Study Guide Questions in class
discussion, Home Room and ASA office hours.
Mastering the Content
1. The environment of Sumer was...
● a) low and flat, with little rain.
● b) hilly and dry, with many stones.
● c) thickly forested, with heavy storms.
● d) high and cold, with sharp mountain peaks.
2. . The name of Mesopotamia comes from its location, which was...
● a) between two rivers.
● b) in mountain foothills.
● c) near a region of many conflicts.
● d) at the site of the earliest cities.
3. . Why were Sumerian communities called city-states?
● a) Each of them kept written records.
● b) They were all part of one great empire.
● c) They all depended on each other for water.
● d) Each of them had its own ruler and farmland.
4. . Which fact allowed Neolithic people to farm in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains?
● a) Goats can live on dry grass.
● b) The region had plenty of rain.
● c) Shallow canals watered the fields.
● d) Harsh climates are good for grains.
5. . What development caused food shortages in the Zagros foothills?
● a) overuse of the soil
● b) change in the climate
● c) increase in population
● d) fighting between villages.
6. . What solution did people in the Zagros foothills find to fix the problem of food shortages?
● a) building terraces
● b) moving to the south
● c) constructing reservoirs
● d) joining villages together.
7. . One factor that made farming difficult in the area of Sumer was...
● a) rocky soil.
● b) steep hillsides.
● c) lack of rainfall.
● d) growth of weeds.
8. . Why did the rivers flood in the spring?
● a) Heavy rain fell throughout the area.
● b) Strong winds blew from the Persian Gulf.
● c) Ice that had formed on the rivers broke into bits.
● d) Snow melted in the mountains where the rivers began.
9. . What was the chief purpose of dams and reservoirs?
● a) to allow travel by boat
● b) to make it easier to fish
● c) to store water for later use
● d) to protect villages from attack.
10. . If you were in ancient Sumer, you might see a levee beside a river. Why was the levee built?
● a) to load barges
● b) to irrigate crops
● c) to prevent floods
● d) to control workers.
11. . Why was silt a problem for the people of Sumer?
● a) It dried up the rivers.
● b) It crumbled the city walls.
● c) It ruined the soil for planting.
● d) It clogged the irrigation canals.
12. Why did the villages of Sumer depend on each other?
● a) They formed caravans to safely visit the mountains.
● b) They cooperated to keep the water systems working.
● c) They exchanged different kinds of natural resources.
● d) They had to fight off attacks from empires to the east.
. Using natural resources found in the environment, Sumerians built strong walls with...
● a) bricks made of mud.
● b) logs with pointed tips.
● c) reeds cut near the rivers.
● d) rocks shaped into squares.
13. The people of Sumer constructed moats to...
● a) get crops to grow better.
● b) protect cities from attack.
● c) make villagers work together.
● d) bring drinking water into towns.
14. Which phrase belongs in the empty box?
● a) self-governing cities
● b) large-scale private estates
● c) bands of hunters and gatherers
● d) abandoned archaeological sites.
Applying Social Studies Skills
15. What two Mesopotamian city-states are shown on the map?
16. About how many miles long is the Euphrates River according to this map?
17. The Tigris and lower Euphrates rivers flow in a generally _______________ direction until they reach
the body of water called the _______________.
18. What major physical feature lies between the waters of the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf?
Essay Question: Why were levees, dams, and canals important for Sumerian farmers? Explain
how each of these helped farmers control water for their fields. How did levees stop floods? How
did dams and canals help store and direct water? In your answer, describe how these tools made
life better for the Sumerians and helped their farms and cities grow."
Canals and irrigation channels were very important for Sumerians because the canals helped
control the water. As well canals and irrigation helped them grow and plant crops, by having a
good amount of soil and water in the same area. This gave them a stable food supply, and
Sumerians could water the crops more frequently since they had reserves to store water.
Levees were also an important part of Sumerian's lives. Levees helped the Sumerians by
preventing floods, by making a wall, and then when they wanted to water the crops they poked
holes in the levees. This helps them accomplish watering their crops when while not causing a
big flood in the village.
Dams and reservoirs were also an important part of Sumerian's lives. Dams and reservoirs
helped the Sumerians to store water by creating big holes in the ground for later use. This
helped them accomplish keeping water in one place and always having a stable water supply.
