MCQs on Mesopotamia Civilization – Ancient World History
Q1. Mesopotamia was located between which two rivers?
a) Nile and Indus
b) Tigris and Euphrates
c) Ganges and Brahmaputra
d) Amazon and Orinoco
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Correct Answer: b) Tigris and Euphrates
Explanation: Mesopotamia, meaning “land between the rivers,” was situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq.
Q2. Which form of writing was developed in ancient Mesopotamia?
a) Hieroglyphics
b) Linear A
c) Cuneiform
d) Phoenician Alphabet
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Correct Answer: c) Cuneiform
Explanation: Cuneiform, a system of writing using wedge-shaped symbols, was developed by the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia.
Q3. Which ancient Mesopotamian city was known for its Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?
a) Ur
b) Babylon
c) Nineveh
d) Uruk
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Correct Answer: b) Babylon
Explanation: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, an ancient wonder, were built by King Nebuchadnezzar II in the city of Babylon.
Q4. Who was the ruler of Babylon responsible for creating the first known code of laws, the Code of Hammurabi?
a) Sargon of Akkad
b) Ashurbanipal
c) Hammurabi
d) Nebuchadnezzar II
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Correct Answer: c) Hammurabi
Explanation: Hammurabi, the sixth king of Babylon, created the Code of Hammurabi, a comprehensive set of 282 laws.
Q5. Which ancient Mesopotamian civilization was known for its powerful army and skilled warriors?
a) Sumerians
b) Babylonians
c) Assyrians
d) Hittites
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Correct Answer: c) Assyrians
Explanation: The Assyrians, who ruled Mesopotamia from their capital city of Nineveh, were known for their powerful army and skilled warriors.
Q6. Which Mesopotamian king is known for creating the world’s first empire?
a) Sargon of Akkad
b) Hammurabi
c) Ashurbanipal
d) Nebuchadnezzar II
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Correct Answer: a) Sargon of Akkad
Explanation: Sargon of Akkad, the founder of the Akkadian Empire, is credited with creating the world’s first empire by conquering Sumerian city-states.
Q7. What was the primary purpose of ziggurats in ancient Mesopotamia?
a) Royal palaces
b) Defensive structures
c) Tombs for kings
d) Temples for gods and goddesses
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Correct Answer: d) Temples for gods and goddesses
Explanation: Ziggurats were massive, stepped structures built as temples to honor the gods and goddesses in ancient Mesopotamia.
Q8. Which ancient Mesopotamian civilization invented the wheel?
a) Sumerians
b) Babylonians
c) Assyrians
d) Hittites
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Correct Answer: a) Sumerians
Explanation: The Sumerians, one of the earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia, invented the wheel around 3500 BCE.
Q9. What was the primary occupation of most people in ancient Mesopotamia?
a) Soldiers
b) Merchants
c) Farmers
d) Priests
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Correct Answer: c) Farmers
Explanation: Most people in ancient Mesopotamia were farmers, as the fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers was ideal for agriculture.
Q10. Which ancient Mesopotamian civilization was known for its extensive library in the city of Nineveh?
a) Sumerians
b) Babylonians
c) Assyrians
d) Hittites
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Correct Answer: c) Assyrians
Explanation: The Assyrians, under the rule of King Ashurbanipal, established an extensive library in their capital city of Nineveh.
Q11. What was the primary building material used in ancient Mesopotamia?
a) Stone
b) Wood
c) Mud-bricks
d) Marble
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Correct Answer: c) Mud-bricks
Explanation: Mud-bricks were the primary building material in ancient Mesopotamia due to the scarcity of stone and wood in the region.
Q12. Which ancient Mesopotamian civilization was the first to use iron weapons and tools?
a) Sumerians
b) Babylonians
c) Assyrians
d) Hittites
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Correct Answer: d) Hittites
Explanation: The Hittites, an ancient Mesopotamian civilization, were the first to use iron weapons and tools, giving them an advantage in warfare.
Q13. What was the primary purpose of the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian literary work?
a) A religious text
b) A historical account
c) A collection of laws
d) A heroic tale
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Correct Answer: d) A heroic tale
Explanation: The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient Mesopotamian literary work that tells the story of the hero Gilgamesh and his quest for immortality.
Q14. Which of the following was a significant achievement of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II?
a) The creation of the Code of Hammurabi
b) The construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
c) The establishment of the world’s first empire
d) The invention of the wheel
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Correct Answer: b) The construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Explanation: Nebuchadnezzar II, the king of Babylon, is credited with constructing the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Q15. What was the primary method of transportation in ancient Mesopotamia?
a) Chariots
b) Horses
c) Boats
d) Camels
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Correct Answer: c) Boats
Explanation: Boats were the primary method of transportation in ancient Mesopotamia due to the extensive network of rivers and canals in the region.
Q16. Which ancient Mesopotamian civilization was known for its advanced system of laws and justice?
a) Sumerians
b) Babylonians
c) Assyrians
d) Hittites
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Correct Answer: b) Babylonians
Explanation: The Babylonians, under the rule of Hammurabi, were known for their advanced system of laws and justice, as exemplified by the Code of Hamm
Q17. Which ancient Mesopotamian god was associated with the sun and justice?
a) Enlil
b) Anu
c) Ishtar
d) Shamash
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Correct Answer: d) Shamash
Explanation: Shamash was the ancient Mesopotamian god of the sun and justice, often depicted with a solar disk and a rod-and-ring symbol representing divine authority
Q18. What was the primary unit of currency in ancient Mesopotamia?
a) Gold coins
b) Silver coins
c) Barley
d) Shekels
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Correct Answer: d) Shekels
Explanation: Shekels, a unit of weight typically made of silver, were used as the primary currency in ancient Mesopotamia.
Q19. Which ancient Mesopotamian civilization was the first to develop a system of writing?
a) Sumerians
b) Babylonians
c) Assyrians
d) Hittites
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Correct Answer: a) Sumerians
Explanation: The Sumerians were the first civilization in Mesopotamia to develop a system of writing, known as cuneiform.
Q20. Which ancient Mesopotamian city was the capital of the Sumerian civilization?
a) Ur
b) Babylon
c) Nineveh
d) Uruk
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Correct Answer: d) Uruk
Explanation: Uruk, located in present-day Iraq, was the capital city of the Sumerian civilization and one of the first urban centers in the world.