Name: ____________________________ Test 1 Study Guide

Date: _________________ Class Period: ___________

Use this only as a guide when you are studying because it does not include everything that will be on the test! It just has the basics. I will collect your study guide on the test day for a homework grade!
I.

Be sure to know the following vocabulary terms!

Prehistory:
Anthropologist Artifact Hominid Homo erectus Homo sapiens Migrate Archaeologist Australopithecus Homo habilis Neanderthals Hunter-gatherer Domesticate

Mesopotamia and

EGYPT:

City-State Delta

Cuneiform Empire

Euphrates & Tigris Rivers Fertile Crescent Hammurabi Nile River Pyramid Hieroglyphics Pharaoh Theocracy Mummification

Neolithic Revolution Paleolithic Age Nomad Culture

Ziggurat

II. Complete the following information:

1. Prehistory refers to the time before written records, so what are some ways we can learn information about that time period? Explain your answer(s); give examples.
Scientists learn about prehistory by studying fossils and artifacts

2.

List the order in which the early hominids (in the vocab list) appeared on Earth, and write at least 2 facts about each.

Australopithecine Fact 1: Found in Africa Fact 2: Erect posture and bipedal Homo Habilis Fact 1: Man of skill Fact 2: Existed between 2.3 to 1.4 million years ago Homo Erectus Fact 1: Probably used fire, and more sophisticated stone tools Fact 2: Possessed human-like traits Homo Sapiens Fact 1: Mix of Homo Erectus and modern-day human Fact 2: 1.6 million years old Neanderthals: Fact 1: Thick and heavy bones, but looked A LOT like modern day humans Fact 2: Did not do as well in Ice Age as Homo Sapiens

3.

Why do you think Homo sapiens sapiens (thats us!) are the only species of hominid left? Explain!
I think that Homo sapiens sapiens are the only ones left for many reasons. Firstly, our brains are more complex. We have the ability of language and social learning that makes us intellectually superior to all other animal species. Also, we survived the Ice Age, which was like a test on human beings. The Neanderthals, on the other hand did not survive. Finally, we developed better tools that helped us survive easier than other species of hominid.

4.

Describe the Neolithic Revolution. Why was it important? How did it change the lives of humans? Be specific!
The Neolithic Revolution was the first agricultral revolution. Because of

agriculture people could now farm instead of hunting and gathering. This allowed people to settle down and live in one place. This led to settlements and the development of group living. Following this it led to government, social classes, and other aspects of advanced civilizations.

5. Which hominids migrated from Africa? When and why did they likely do so?

Homo Erectus migrated out of Africa. They did this about 1.8 million years ago because of climate and scarcity. They were simply looking for better living conditions.

5. List the five characteristics of civilization. Give one example of each

from the civilizations we have covered.
1)

Complex Institutions: Government; cities in Sumer they believed every city had a god) Improved Technology: Sumerians melted together copper and tin to make bronze Specialized Workers: Scribes in Egypt Record Keeping: Egyptians kept track of tax collections on papyrus

2)

3) 4)

5) Advanced Cities: Mesopotamia

7. List each river valley civilization (from your map, its corresponding river(s), and the modern day country in about the same location.
a. b. c. d. 8. Why were the rivers so important to the development of each of

the civilizations? Be specific!

9. When people believe in more than one god, it is called polytheism. When a government is tied to religion somehow, than is called a theocracy. 10. Describe the difference between a city-state and an empire

In a group of city-states, each city-state is independent and rules by its own king. In an empire, consisting of a nation and the

city-states and nations it has conquered, one ruler is in control.

11. Describe Egyptian religion and how it led to the construction of the pyramids as well as the practice of mummification (hint: why was that different than Mesopotamia?).

the people of ancient Egypt were polytheistic. This means they believed in many gods. They would give sacrifices to the gods. People believed that all of Egypt belonged to the gods, and that the Pharaoh was the representative on earth of the gods, or maybe a kind of god himself, and so everything in Egypt sort of belonged to the Pharaoh.

The Egyptians also believed in after-life. This means they thought that when you died, Anubis would weigh your soul against a feather, and if your soul was heavier than the feather (with bad deeds), you would be punished.

Also, be prepared for: a) a short answer paragraph based on your chart comparing Mesopotamia and Egypt, and b) a map that looks exactly like the map we worked on in class!