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CLEP Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East

Subjects : clep, history
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Tombs of the Egyptian Pharaohs.






2. Migrated into Mesopotamia circa 4000 BC; created the first civilization within the region; organized area into city-states; established the first form of writing - cuneiform.






3. Period from 4 -000 BC to 1 -500 BC (3rd Millenium) when bronze tools were first introduced in the Middle East.






4. Unified all of Mesopotamia circa 1800 BC - collapsed due to foreign invasian.






5. The first civilizations - they created a basic set of tools - intellectual concepts such as writing and mathematics - and political forms that would persist and spread to other parts of Europe - Asia - and Africa. Most were in decline by 1000 BC.






6. This successfully diplomatic Pharaoh of the New Kingdom avoided continued warfare - commissioned the construction of two huge temples in Nubia that were unusually dedicated to the gods of ancient Egypt - Chiefly Amen-Re - rather than to the Pharaoh a






7. Ruler of Akkad - he established the first empire in Mesopotamian civilization conquering and uniting the Sumerian city-states under a centralized bureaucratic government. Installed himself as the mediator between the gods and man - above the priests.






8. As the most influential of the smaller Middle Eastern regional cultures - the Jews were characterized most by ______________.






9. The Greek leaders of Egypt after it was conquered by Alexander the Great. These leaders took on much of the Egyptian culture - even calling themselves Pharaoh.






10. Sumerian relationship with their gods was ___________. Humans were created to do the manual labor for the gods.






11. Cradle of Civilization located in the area between Mesopotamia and Syria.






12. First common language used for trading amongst people of different groups - replaced Hebrew in religious texts - and was probably spoken by Jesus and his disciples.






13. First Pharaoh of the Old Kingdom.






14. Ancient Sumerian king - ruled 2700 BC. Credited with having been a demigod of superhuman strength who built a great city wall to defend his people from external threats. Influence of his epic stories are seen in the Hebrew story of the Great Flood.






15. Early walled urban culture site based on sedentary agriculture; located in modern Israeli-occupied West Bank near Jordan River.






16. Homo Species that disappeared at the end of the Paleolithic period.






17. A nomadic agricultural lifestyle based on herding domesticated animals; tended to produce independent people capable of challenging sedentary agricultural societies.






18. Egyptian Pharaoh of the New Kingdom - attempted to reduce the power of the priests by establishing a monotheistic religion dedicated to Aten - the sun-god - replacing the tradition Egyptian pantheon of gods. He established himself as the sole priest






19. Egyptian civilization sprang up in northern Africa - along the ______________; this river played a crucial role in the ability of the Egyptians to produce an abundant harvest.






20. The term given to the development of agricultural societies. This revolution in economic - political - and social organization began in the Middle East as early as 10 -000 B.C.E. and gradually spread to other centers - including parts of India - Nort






21. The period from 12 -000 BC to 8 -000 BC characterized by the gradual shift from hunter-gather societies to sedentary agricultural societies.






22. The African state that developed along the upper reached of the Nile circa 1000 BC; conquered Egypt and ruled it for several centuries.






23. Egyptian gods were often represented by ____________.






24. Period of Ancient Egyptian history during which the Pharaohs regained powers over the priests but with somewhat less authority during which laws began to be written down.






25. Stepson of Hatshepsut - he lead the military expeditions during her reign. When he became Pharaoh - he enlisted thousands of men to help him capture more land than any other Pharaoh before him. At the time - he ruled the largest empire ever ruled by






26. Tapered pillars carved of a single piece of granite 70 - 100 feet tall symbolizing man's aspirations to immortality.






27. Wife of Akenhaten - died during his celebration. After which Akenhaten became intolerant of any other gods - obsessively erasing them from history and neglecting his kingdom in the process.






28. In contrast to the isolated Egyptians - these people were warriors and traders - they were highly unpredictable and abstract thinkers.






29. 'wedge-shaped.' A system of writing developed by the Sumerians that consisted of wedge-shaped impressions made by a reed stylus on clay tablets.






30. Intermediate form of ecological adaptation in which temporary forms of cultivation are carried out with little impact on the natural ecology; typical of rainforest cultivators.






31. First to develop money - weights and measures - and hours.






32. Three main rivers of the Fertile Crescent.






33. Cunning woman who became Pharaoh during the New Kingdom. She relied heavily on propoganda claimed to be the daughter of the God Amen - often presented herself with a male body and false beard in statues and imagery. Her stepson - whom she had usurped






34. During this young Pharaoh's reign - the priests and military leaders who has lost power during the reign of his predecessor - Akenhaten - seized the opportunity to use the boy as their puppet and return Egypt to its traditional religion.






35. Period of Ancient Egyptian history during which the great pyramids were built - Declined following the reign on Pepi II because of the rise in power of regional nomarchs and the dissolution of a centralized Egyptian government. This period was follow






36. Born a commoner - this Pharaoh rose to power at the age of 15 on the coat tails of his family's military prowess and reigned until his death at age 93. As one of Egypt's greatest kings - he relied heavily on propaganda and diplomacy - building temple






37. Located at the center of each Sumerian city-state - this was a massive stepped tower upon which a temple dedicated to the chief god or goddess of the city-state.






38. First foreigners to conquer and rule Egypt during the 15th and 16th dynasties. Later defeated by Egyptian Soldiers opening the door for the New Kingdom.






39. Capital of Ancient Egypt during most of the New Kingdom.






40. The two Hebrew kingdoms of Canaan.






41. Following the defeat of the foreign Hyksos rulers - this period was the most prosperous time of Ancient Egyptian history. It saw the expansion of the Egyptian Empire to Nubia in the south as well as to the near east through warfare gaining riches and






42. Monotheistic - Semitic-speaking people of Mesopotamia. Enslaved by the Egyptians - their leader Moses eventually led them out of captivity. Their religion opened the door for awareness of the self with moral autonomy - man had the choice between good






43. The practice of seeking to foretell future events by interpreting divine signs - which could appear in various forms - such as in entrails of animals - in patterns in smoke - or in dreams.






44. 'Soldiers of God'






45. The life of the _____________ was filled with anxiety and pessimism because the gods themselves were unstable and the idea of an afterlife was unknown






46. Part god and part king - the __________ was the leader of the Ancient of Egyptians. It was his job to raise the sun - the crops - and the coming of the Nile. He held absolute power over the Egyptians in the present life and in the hereafter.






47. Major contributor to the spread of culture.






48. Founded by Cyrus the Great who expanded the empire across vast lands using a system of local administrators to maintain control.






49. The Neolithic Revolution first occurred in the _____________.






50. Following the Bronze Age - in the 2nd Millenium - crafters began to smelt tools from _______.