First Civilization

What was one purpose that writing served in the First Civilizations? a. To record the stories of ordinary commoners b. To entertain an increasingly literate population c. To keep track of who paid their taxes to the state d. To confine women to the home

c

Which of the following First Civilizations did not rely on grain-based agriculture? a. Egypt b. Indus Valley c. Norte Chico d. China

c

Kingship in the First Civilizations often a. weakened state and religious institutions. b. depended on the authority of a written constitution. c. linked the position of the ruler to the divine. d. relied exclusively on physical force and coercion.

c

Refer to Map 2.1, "First Civilizations," in the textbook. Which of the following civilizations had limited contact with other First Civilizations? a. Indus Valley b. Mesopotamia c. Olmec d. Nile Valley

c

As a descriptive term, "civilization" refers to a. a particular and distinctive type of human society organized into cities and states. b. a trend toward greater equality between classes and between men and women. c. the organization of human communities based on kinship and class. d. the development of political institutions that form the basis for democracy.

a

In the First Civilizations, slaves were drawn from which pool of people? a. Prisoners of war b. Female peasants c. Artisans d. Merchants

a

Which of the following First Civilizations is sometimes referred to as the "mother civilization" of Mesoamerica? a. Olmec b. Norte Chico c. Mesopotamia d. Aztec

a

Which of the following best describes the Mesopotamian outlook on life and death? a. People are caught in an inherently disorderly world without much hope of a blessed life beyond. b. Life is full of pain and suffering, but the afterlife will offer eternal happiness and tranquility. c. The afterlife was accessible to all who followed proper procedures and lived a morally upright life. d. God has already determined those who will go to heaven, and nothing people do during their lifetime can change their divinely ordained fate.

a

Which of the following contributed to the declining power of the Egyptian pharaohs by 2400 B.C.E.? a. Local officials and nobles assumed greater authority. b. Egypt was defeated in a series of wars with invaders from the east. c. Egyptian pharaohs adopted a policy of seclusion. d. Rivalry over land and water created a number of warring city-states.

a

Which of the following describes gender relations in the First Civilizations? a. Women were defined by their relationship to a man. b. Men were considered inferior to women. c. Women enjoyed the same rights and privileges as men. d. Men operated in roles defined as feminine.

a

Which of the following is an example of a way that rulers in the First Civilizations displayed their power? a. Constructing temples b. Engaging in farm work c. Writing poetry d. Freeing slaves

a

Which of the following is an example of the way that patriarchy was expressed in the First Civilizations? a. Laws that regulated female sexuality b. Symbols of kingship linked to the divine c. The state's exclusive right to use violence d. The use of gifts to reinforce political authority

a

Which of the following represents a way that class distinctions were displayed in the First Civilizations? a. Manner of a person's burial b. Women's submission to men c. Naming practices d. Kinship relations

a

Which of the following was a feature of Egyptian rather than Mesopotamian civilization? a. A more cheerful and hopeful outlook on the world, as expressed in part through religious beliefs b. Frequent and devastating invasions by outsiders because of a lack of physical barriers c. Salinization of the soil, which led to a collapse in the production of wheat d. A long tradition of written law codes based on the notion of natural rights

a

In which First Civilization were women recognized as legal equals to men? a. China b. Egypt c. Mesoamerica d. Mesopotamia

b

The rulers of the First Civilizations often drew their power from their roles as a. scribes. b. high priests. c. traders. d. clan elders.

b

The rulers of which First Civilization based their authority on the Mandate of Heaven? a. Egypt b. China c. Norte Chico d. Olmec

b

The territory of ancient Mesopotamia is presently occupied by which country? a. Iran b. Iraq c. India d. Afghanistan

b

Which of the following First Civilizations experienced the greatest cultural continuity from its earliest formation to modern times? a. Indus Valley b. China c. Harappa d. Norte Chico

b

Which of the following is a feature found in some cities in the First Civilizations? a. Theaters b. Sewage systems c. Libraries d. Large farms

b

Which of the following provided the primary economic foundation for civilization? a. Slavery b. Agriculture c. Writing d. Warfare

b

Which of the following has been advanced as a possible explanation for the origins of the First Civilizations? a. The emergence of regions where no military elite took shape b. The absence of limits on the amount of land that could be cultivated c. The need to organize large-scale irrigation projects d. The end of the practice of slavery in a region

c

Which of the following is usually considered a feature of "civilization"? a. The use of deliberately set fires for human purposes b. Absence of class and gender hierarchies c. States that use force to compel obedience from subjects d. The domestication of plants and animals

c

Which of the following provides evidence of interaction and exchange among the First Civilizations and surrounding regions in the ancient world? a. Tea b. The abacus c. Horse-drawn chariots d. Gunpowder

c

Which of the following have scholars advanced as a possible explanation for the emergence of patriarchy in the First Civilizations? a. Increased role of women outside the home b. Participation of women in animal-drawn, plow-based agriculture c. Decline in birthrates that accompanied civilization d. Emergence of large-scale warfare with professionally led armies

d

Which of the following human accomplishments emerged with the First Civilizations? a. Agriculture b. Art c. Village life d. Writing

d

Which of the following is an example of how social class affected gender roles? a. Only women from the upper classes worshipped Inanna, a goddess of love, sexuality, and war. b. Women married to wealthy men were forbidden to wear veils, while slaves and prostitutes were required to veil themselves when they went out in public. c. Female rulers who came from the lower classes were portrayed dressed in male clothing and wearing false beards. d. Women from the upper classes were expected to stay at home, while women from the lower classes had to go out in public to work.

d

Which of the following shows the relationship between religion and government in the First Civilizations? a. The Hebrew scriptures attributed the act of creation to a single male deity, Yahweh. b. Farmers were required to turn over a portion of their crops to support city-dwellers. c. The demotion of the goddess resulted from the extension of the power of creation and fertility to male gods. d. Hammurabi claimed that his law code was inspired by Marduk, the chief god of Babylon.

d

Which of the following statements about ancient Egypt is true? a. Women in Egypt were afforded fewer opportunities than in Mesopotamia. b. Cities were more important in Egypt than in Mesopotamia. c. The erratic floods caused by the Nile regularly destroyed crops. d. The state was ruled by pharaohs who were believed to be gods in human form.

d

Which of the following was a reason for instability in ancient Mesopotamia? a. The failure of Mesopotamia to develop written law codes b. The collapse of fisheries in the Persian Gulf on which the population relied c. The failure of a patriarchal system to emerge in Mesopotamia d. The rivalries between independent city-states that led to warfare

d