Chapter 01
Prehistory and the Rise of Civilization in the Near East and Egypt

Multiple Choice Questions
 
1. The term for the largest unit in which a given person might feel comfortable, encompassing common institutions, economic systems, social structures, and values that extend over time and space, is 
A. civilization.
B. Neolithic.
C. culture.
D. community.
 
2. The earliest primate ancestors of present-day humans probably originated in 
A. Europe.
B. India.
C. Africa.
D. China.
 
3. The earliest defined period of human development, in which hominids used tools and developed rudimentary cultures, is called the 
A. Neolithic period.
B. Bronze Age.
C. Paleolithic period.
D. Iron Age.
 
4. Homo sapiens, or human beings, the immediate ancestor of modern humans, first appeared around 
A. 500,000 years ago.
B. 200,000 years ago.
C. 10,000 years ago.
D. 3000 years ago.

5. Surviving evidence from the Upper Paleolithic period shows paintings of 
A. human forms on canvas.
B. animals on the walls of caves.
C. scenes of everyday life on walls of houses.
D. abstract designs on rocks.
 
6. The figurine from Willendorf 
A. may have been used as a fertility symbol.
B. was typical of figures that appeared in other Paleolithic cultures.
C. emphasized features that were symbolic of creativity.
D. All these answers are correct.
 
7. During the "Neolithic Revolution", human beings first 
A. plowed the earth and sowed seeds.
B. began to write in earnest on rudimentary paper.
C. represented themselves artistically.
D. developed the smelting of metals.
 
8. As a consequence of the coming of the Neolithic period, 
A. the domestication of wild animals declined.
B. villages lost population.
C. communities grew and became more complex.
D. human beings stopped worshiping multiple deities.
 
9. The two geographical areas in which civilizations first arose in the Near East were located 
A. on the islands of the eastern Mediterranean and in Egypt.
B. in the Tigris-Euphrates valley and in Egypt.
C. in southern Greece and in Egypt.
D. in the Tigris-Euphrates valley and in southern Africa.

10. The arc of land that swings through some of the most productive land in the Near East is called 
A. the Womb of Civilization.
B. the Breadbasket of the World.
C. the Fertile Crescent.
D. the Bountiful Valley.
 
11. The economy of Mesopotamia was dominated by 
A. agriculture.
B. shipping.
C. industry.
D. fur trading.
 
12. What natural element shaped Mesopotamian agriculture most directly? 
A. recurrent violent storms and hurricanes
B. the unpredictable flooding of the great rivers
C. the coming of a new ice age
D. global warming
 
13. The lawgiver for the Babylonians was 
A. Moses.
B. Hammurabi.
C. Enlil.
D. Gilgamesh.
 
14. Which of the following is a technological advance of the Bronze Age? 
A. kiln-fired pottery
B. the use of the plow
C. the baking of bread in ovens
D. lighting with oil lamps

15. The Babylonian law code can be described as a 
A. humane code that took into consideration human mistakes.
B. relativistic code that was subject to many interpretations.
C. code created by a committee of lawyers.
D. code based on retaliation.
 
16. A famous literary episode in Sumer describes the generational conflict between a father and son over 
A. taking out the garbage.
B. studying in school.
C. disobeying one's mother.
D. drinking too much.
 
17. What is a prominent theme of The Epic of Gilgamesh? 
A. the dignity of human life
B. the power of the gods over mortals
C. that love conquers all
D. free will versus predestination
 
18. Gilgamesh can be described as 
A. a man full of self-confidence all of his life.
B. a person who learns that humans are mortal.
C. an individual who outwits the gods.
D. All these answers are correct.
 
19. Within The Epic of Gilgamesh is another tale that 
A. explains the origins of the deities.
B. tells about a great flood.
C. glorifies the power of human beings.
D. All these answers are correct.

20. Who was Enheduanna? 
A. the goddess who killed Enkidu in The Epic of Gilgamesh
B. the first queen of Sumer
C. the earliest known female literary figure
D. the patron goddess of Hammurabi
 
21. The Exaltation of Inanna recounts the 
A. elevation of Inanna to supremacy among the gods.
B. exploits of Inanna and Gilgamesh.
C. love affair between Inanna and Sargon.
D. crowning of Inanna as ruler of her people.
 
22. The central architectural feature of a Mesopotamian city was usually 
A. a temple.
B. the city hall.
C. the palace of the king.
D. the marketplace.
 
23. The most prominent structure in each Sumerian city was the 
A. pyramid.
B. pavilion.
C. mosque.
D. ziggurat.
 
24. Which of the following statements about Mesopotamian medicine is true? 
A. Doctors could be held accountable for unsuccessful treatments.
B. Diseases were often blamed on ghosts and spirits.
C. Treatments often involved sacrifices to gods.
D. All these statements are true.

25. The basic type of construction for buildings in Mesopotamia was 
A. vaulted ceiling and columns.
B. arches and columns.
C. post-and-lintel.
D. flying buttresses and arches.
 
26. In Mesopotamian religion, 
A. priests had very little power.
B. the people believed that the deities never interfered with human effort.
C. there was only one god.
D. people believed that deities behaved essentially like humans.
 
27. Which of the following were permanent features of Egyptian civilization? 
A. rulers who claimed to be divinities
B. the construction of elaborate royal tombs
C. the control of foreign trade by the rulers
D. All these answers are correct.
 
28. Scholars think that the appearance of a female ruler in Egypt 
A. represented a change in social attitudes toward women in society.
B. signaled a political crisis.
C. occurred during periods of prosperity and peace.
D. was a normal event, as men and women shared political power.
 
29. During the New Kingdom, Egypt 
A. permanently adopted the practice of henotheism.
B. underwent a short-lived revolution in the arts.
C. became a great power, dividing the Near East with the Hittites.
D. experimented with new economic policies.

30. Egyptian religion was characterized by all of the following EXCEPT 
A. the belief in immortality.
B. the worship of the ruler.
C. a single national deity for the state.
D. polytheism.
 
31. Which pharaoh brought about the Amarna revolution? 
A. Akhenaten
B. Menes
C. Hatshepsut
D. Amenemhat
 
32. Which of the following was an aspect of the Amarna revolution in Egypt? 
A. Egyptian art became more rigid and formalized.
B. Egyptian religion took a permanent new direction.
C. A polytheistic system of religion emerged.
D. Aten was raised to a new level above the other deities.
 
33. The most famous work of Egyptian literature is 
A. The Epic of Gilgamesh.
B. An Argument Between a Man Contemplating Suicide and His Soul.
C. the Story of Sinuhe.
D. the Hymn to Aten.
 
34. In the Egyptian societal hierarchy, what group would have been just above the peasants? 
A. large landowners
B. slaves
C. priests
D. artisans

35. The model for the step pyramid of King Djoser was 
A. an original Egyptian design.
B. borrowed from the Mesopotamian ziggurat.
C. a variation of the earlier, pure pyramid design.
D. adopted from a Chinese design.
 
36. In Egypt, the building of pyramids occurred 
A. throughout Egyptian history.
B. primarily in the Old Kingdom.
C. primarily in the New Kingdom.
D. only in the Middle Kingdom.
 
37. What was the cultural significance of the Egyptian pyramid? 
A. It was a representation of the God Re.
B. It was a merely decorative device for the rulers.
C. It seemed to embody a constant and eternal order.
D. It was used as an administrative center by the ruler and his advisors.
 
38. All of the following are aspects of Hatshepsut's temple EXCEPT that 
A. its central shrine is in the pure pyramid shape.
B. it is built with the post-and-lintel style of construction.
C. it uses both round columns and rectangular pillars.
D. it was carved into the face of a cliff
 
39. The classical Egyptian style of sculpture did NOT include which of the following? 
A. left leg forward
B. fists clenched
C. complete nudity
D. serene countenance

40. Which female pharaoh built a temple across the Nile from Luxor, one of the most splendid monuments that reflected Egypt's new imperial status? 
A. Hatshepsut
B. Nefertiti
C. Mykerinus
D. Akhenaten
 
41. Egypt's outstanding contribution in relief sculpture was the 
A. ability to depict figures facing straight ahead.
B. development of the principles of perspective.
C. invention of a canon of proportions for depicting the human figure.
D. creation of a vast repertory of poses for portraying human actions.
 
42. Which of the following was NOT a common characteristic of Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian religions? 
A. the belief that the gods had created humans to serve them
B. both human-like and inhuman, animal gods
C. the concept of a netherworld where the dead rested
D. the belief that everything, animate or inanimate, was infused with divinity
 
43. Persian art was characterized by 
A. violent and savage images.
B. abstract and nonfigurative shapes.
C. contemplative themes with little action.
D. All these answers are correct.
 
44. The Zoroastrian religion 
A. taught that the gods of light and darkness were engaged in a universal struggle between good and evil.
B. advocated a life of purity in order to gain entry into the afterlife.
C. had a profound impact on Western philosophy and religion.
D. All these answers are correct.

45. Egypt's legacy of cultural developments includes 
A. a calendar of 365 days, divided into twelve 30-day months, plus 5 holidays.
B. the novel.
C. methods for calculating the volume of solids.
D. medical learning and knowledge of drugs.

 

Essay Questions
 
46. Compare and contrast the Paleolithic and Neolithic cultures, focusing on material inventions, social structures, and the arts. 
Answers will vary
 
47. What were some of the changes occurring in social structures during the Bronze Age? 
Answers will vary
 
48. Discuss the development of civilization in Mesopotamia. What political structures developed there, and what values did the people of the region uphold? 
Answers will vary
 
49. Compare and contrast the religious beliefs and practices of Egypt and Mesopotamia. 
Answers will vary
 
50. Discuss the themes and characters in The Epic of Gilgamesh. What aspects of Mesopotamian life do you think the gods might symbolize? 
Answers will vary
 
51. How did the Egyptian New Kingdom come about, and how did its political stability and imperial reach compare to that of the Old Kingdom? 
Answers will vary

52. Describe the architectural and cultural significance and nature of the ziggurat. 
Answers will vary
 
53. Discuss the lives of women in Mesopotamia and the societal roles they played. 
Answers will vary
 
54. What was the significance of the Amarna revolution for Egyptian religion? 
Answers will vary
 
55. What were the most enduring achievements of Persian civilization? 
Answers will vary