Ancient Civilizations – Unit 1 and Unit 2
Test Study Guide and Practice Exercises
Name: _______________________
Period: _____
Overall description: The test will consist of 8 sections. Each section in this study guide
provides helpful information on each of the test sections.
Section 1: Chronology and chronological terms.
Part A: You will be asked to arrange four events that we’ve studied in a chronological order
on the timeline. Below, you will find a practice exercise:
Events:
(a) Neanderthal species perish
(b) Sargon establishes the first empire in Mesopotamia
(c) The Zhou overthrow the Shang in China
(d) Assyrian empire falls after the destruction of Nineveh by Chaldeans
30,000
2350 1027
612
BCE
BCE
Part B: You will be asked to indicate the range of years for each century and to identify
centuries of the dates given in years. Here is an example:
Year(s)
Century
2350 B.C.E.
1). __________
2). ____________________
1st Century A.D.
601-700 C.E.
3). __________
4). ____________________
8th Century B.C.E.
29 B.C.E.
5). ___________
Helpful handout to review: Historic Dates, Terms, and Definitions
Section 2 and Section 5: Map Skills:
Section 2: You will be asked to identify four river valley civilizations, major rivers, and their
geographic locations.
Section 5: You will also be asked to identify geographic locations of empires/societies
mentioned in your presentations. You will also be asked to match writing systems to their
geographic location. Finally, review major bodies of water shown on the second map.
Helpful handout to review: Warm Up #3: It is All About Geography
Section 3: Matching: Unit 1
Section 4: Matching: Unit 2
Out of the terms listed below, you will be asked to match 10 terms to their correct
definitions/explanations for each unit.
Agricultural
Revolution
Artifacts
Clan
Domestication
Hunter-Gatherer
Neolithic
Prehistory
Unit 1: Key Terms:
Agriculture
Ancestors
Carbon 14 Dating
Community
Fossil
Jericho
Nomad
Stone Henge
Catalhoyuk
Cro-Magnon
Hominid
Artisans
Paleolithic
Surplus
Archeology
Civilization
Culture
Homo Sapiens
Neanderthal
Pastoralism
Technology
Helpful handout to review: Your notes on Ch.1, sec.1, 2, and 3 + Warm Ups #1 and #2
Abraham
Theocracy
Cuneiform
Moses
Dynastic Cycle
Papyrus
Nubia
Ramses II
Assyrians
Unit 2: Key Terms:
Alphabet
Animism
City-States
Empire
Exile
Fertile Crescent
Polytheism
Monotheism
Mandate of Heaven
Torah
Jerusalem
Hieroglyphs
Pictograms
Sumer
Phoenicians
Hebrews
Delta
Meroe
Cultural Diffusion
Diaspora
Silt
Ten Commandments
Hammurabi
Huang He Valley
Hatshepsut
Mummification
Ziggurat
Here is how it will look like on the test (EXAMPLE)
Key Term/Vocabulary
Definition:
_____ Hammurabi
A. Process of Taming
_____ Domestication
B. Lifestyle that specifically refers to wandering herders
who moved their animals to new pastures and
watering places
_____ Pastoralism
C. Part of the Code of Laws delivered to Moses that
included rules regulating social and religious behavior
_____ Ten Commandments
D. Famous Babylonian king famous for issuing uniform
set of laws for his diverse subjects
Helpful handouts to review: Your notes on Ch.2, sec.1-4 + pp. on all empire for Unit 2
project.
Important Note: Many of the terms that will not be used in the matching sections of the
test will appear in questions or as possible answers in the multiple choice section of the
test.
Section 6: Multiple Choice.
Besides the key terms mentioned above, for the multiple choice section of the test, consider
reviewing:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Location of early civilizations
Features of a civilization
Meaning of Mesopotamia
Common religious characteristics of
ancient societies
5. Difference between the status of rulers
(kings/pharaohs) in ancient civilizations
6. Societies famous for ancient Codes of
Laws
7. The way slavery was perceived by
ancient peoples
8. Great accomplishments of the
Phoenicians
9. Religious beliefs of the Hebrews
10. Babylonian captivity
11. Features of physical geography and
climate of Indian subcontinent
12. Chinese dynasties and their
chronological order
13. Flooding patterns of major rivers
14. Mandate of Heaven
15. Interactions between Egypt and Nubia
(including Meroe)
16. Important religious figures of Judaism
17. Important Pharaohs
Helpful Handouts to Review: All notes!!!
Section 7: Primary Source Analysis:
You will be asked to read a primary source and answer several questions related to it. If you would
like to practice, here is one:
The Code of Hammurabi [18th Century BCE] – excerpts: Read the excerpt and answer
questions based on your interpretation of the source.
…197: If he breaks another noble-man's bone, his bone shall be broken.
198: If he put out the eye of a commoner, or break the bone of a commoner, he shall pay one silver
mina.
199: If he put out the eye of a man's slave, or break the bone of a man's slave, he shall pay one-half of
its value.
200: If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out.
201: If he knocks out the teeth of a commoner, he shall pay one-third of a silver mina.
Questions:
1. What region/empire did Hammurabi rule? _______________( not based on this source!!!)
2. Is this a formal/legal document or informal document? Explain.
3. What can be concluded about social classes in this ancient society?
Helpful handouts to review: Primary Source Analysis: Ancient Civilizations of
Mesopotamia and Egypt
Section 8: Thesis writing (Review your thesis writing assignments (Egalitarian vs.
Hierarchical lifestyles as well as impact of Cuneiform.)
Grading Rubric on the test: Thesis addresses the question
Argumentative (presents a position/statement on the topic) – 1
Includes more than 1 idea - 1
Grammar/sentence structure accurate - 1