Early Man & Mesopotamia
Study Guide
Identify: Be able to define/identify all vocabulary words.
Early Man
1.) What is the definition of pre-history?
2.) What is the definition of history?
3.) For what does “AD” stand? What does “AD” mean in English?
4.) What is a primary resource? Provide some examples of a primary resource.
5.) What is a secondary resource? Provide some examples of a secondary resource.
6.) What word means human-like creatures?
7.) In 1974, Dr. Donald Johanson made a major discovery. What did he find?
8.) What are the only materials that can be dated using radiocarbon dating?
9.) Large brained hominids are classified by a Latin prefix. What is the Latin prefix that is
used when talking about large brained hominids?
10.) What does Homo erectus mean in English?
11.) What does Homo sapiens mean in English?
12.) During the ice ages, what happened to the earth’s oceans?
13.) What does Paleolithic mean? What are the characteristics of the Paleolithic Era?
14.) What does Neolithic mean? What are the characteristics of the Neolithic Era?
15.) What material was used by early humans to make tools?
16.) Describe the physical characteristics of Australapithecus.
17.) Describe the characteristics of Neanderthal. Why did they look different from us?
18.) Why was the Neolithic revolution so important to humanity?
19.) Where has the oldest prehistoric city been found?
20.) Where has the largest Neolithic city been found?
21.) What are some products that farmers used to fertilize their fields?
22.) Where did most ancient cities develop?
23.) What group is credited with creating the first writing?
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24.) Which two metals are combined to create bronze?
Mesopotamia/Fertile Crescent
1.) What does the word Mesopotamia mean in English?
2.) What are the 2 main rivers in the Fertile Crescent region?
3.) What did the Sumerians write on, and what did they write with?
4.) Describe Sumerian religion.
5.) What was the Epic of Gilgamesh?
6.) Why was Hammurabi so important?
7.) What were some of the Sumerians’ inventions?
8.) The Assyrians were the first to use what warfare techniques?
9.) How did the Assyrians treat people they had conquered?
10.) What two ancient wonders of the world were in the city of Babylon?
11.) Describe the Persian religion
12.) Describe the Persian way of governing.
13.) How did the Persians treat those they had conquered?
Discussion Questions
***What was the Neolithic Revolution? Why is it important? Describe the new inventions
and discoveries of the Neolithic Era.
***Describe the Neanderthals. Based on what you know about them, do you think they are
homo sapiens?
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