Kush: the kingdom south of Egypt that traded gold and worked iron
Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
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Iron at Meroë, capital of Kush from about 590 BCE to the 300s CE
Factor What the sources say Iron ore the area was rich in iron ore Wood hardwood trees gave fuel for iron working Rain Meroë lay on the edge of the summer rain belt Trade Meroë had access to trade routes to the Red Sea; Kush traded iron goods and gold with the Romans What was left the Butana plain was stripped of its forests, leaving piles of slag, the waste from smelting How big was the industry? Meroë's wealth centered on iron, but the scale of its iron trade is debated What does the chart say about iron ore near Meroë, Noah asks?
- Ore had to be shipped in from Rome
- The forests were cut down
- Hardwood trees gave fuel
- The area was rich in iron ore
The cell marked ? is blank. Pia's chart has a blank: what does it say about trade?
- Kush traded with no one
- Routes to the Red Sea; iron and gold traded with Rome
- The edge of the summer rain belt
- Rich iron ore was nearby
Iron at Meroë, capital of Kush from about 590 BCE to the 300s CE
Factor What the sources say Iron ore the area was rich in iron ore Wood hardwood trees gave fuel for iron working Rain Meroë lay on the edge of the summer rain belt Trade Meroë had access to trade routes to the Red Sea; Kush traded iron goods and gold with the Romans What was left the Butana plain was stripped of its forests, leaving piles of slag, the waste from smelting How big was the industry? Meroë's wealth centered on iron, but the scale of its iron trade is debated Meroë was the capital from about 590 BCE to the 300s CE. About how long is that, Ren asks?
- About 300 years
- About 8,000 years
- About 290 years from start to end
- More than 800 years
Why could Meroë's iron goods reach faraway buyers, Zee asks?
- Because buyers came to dig the ore
- Just because iron is heavy
- Because Rome had no iron of its own
- It had routes to the Red Sea and trade with Rome
Meroë lay on the edge of the summer rain belt. Why might that help a city, Ari asks?
- Summer rain helped crops and trees
- Rain made iron ore
- Rain kept traders away
- Rain filled the cataracts
The Butana plain was stripped of its forests. What was a cause, Bo asks?
- Floods washed the trees away from the plain
- Wood was cut as fuel for iron working
- The forests caused the iron
- Traders carried the trees to Rome
What are the slag piles near Meroë, Esme asks?
- Piles of gold for trade
- Waste left over from smelting iron
- Iron ore, before it was smelted down
- Hills made by floods
Scholars debate how big Meroë's iron trade was. Which claim is careful, Kira asks?
- Meroë made more iron than anywhere on Earth
- Meroë made no iron
- We know the exact amount of iron
- Iron mattered, but its scale is debated
Which claim does the chart support best, Luz asks?
- Iron was unknown in Kush
- Meroë's iron ruined Rome
- Iron was the one thing Meroë traded
- Iron was central to Meroë's wealth
Milo's friend says Meroë's iron industry was the biggest in the ancient world. What is the best reply?
- Agree: the big slag piles clearly show it
- Agree: Rome said so
- We can't say: the scale is debated
- Disagree: Kush made no iron