Sumer and Babylon: city-states, irrigation, cuneiform and written law

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

Read this first

Land between two rivers

Feature	What it is	Why it mattered
Tigris and Euphrates rivers	two rivers that run through Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq	?
Irrigation canals	channels dug from the rivers to the fields	carried water to crops in a dry land
City-states	cities, each with its own government and farmland	farm towns grew into busy trading cities

The cell marked ? is blank.

1.
Esme's chart has a blank: why did the Tigris and Euphrates matter?
- Rain falling on the farms for the whole year
- Water for farms and a route for boats
- Channels dug to the fields
- Cities with their own government
2.
Jun's chart has a blank: what are irrigation canals?
- Walls of mud brick built around the city
- Channels dug from the rivers to fields
- Clouds that bring rain to fields
- Two rivers in modern Iraq
3.
Kira's chart has a blank: what were city-states?
- Two rivers
- Cities, each with its own government
- Channels to the fields
- One country with one ruler

Land between two rivers

Feature	What it is	Why it mattered
Tigris and Euphrates rivers	two rivers that run through Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq	water for farms and a route for boats
Irrigation canals	channels dug from the rivers to the fields	carried water to crops in a dry land
City-states	cities, each with its own government and farmland	farm towns grew into busy trading cities

4.
Luz reads that Mesopotamia is a Greek name. What does it mean?
- Land between rivers
- Land of high mountains
- Land of deserts
- Land of the sea
5.
Milo reads the word irrigation. What does it mean?
- Storing grain for winter
- Bringing water to crops through channels
- Waiting for rain to water crops
- Planting seeds in rows
6.
Noah reads that Sumer was divided into city-states. What is a city-state?
- A river between two cities
- A street inside a city
- A state with no cities
- A city that governs itself and its land
7.
Southern Mesopotamia has a dry climate. Why did farmers dig canals, Pia asks?
- To drain the rivers dry
- Because rain flooded the fields daily
- To keep boats away from farms
- To carry river water to dry fields
8.
Canals brought water to more fields. What was one effect, Ren asks?
- The rivers moved to the canals
- Farmers needed fewer fields
- Farmers could grow more crops
- Rain began to fall more often
9.
Most of Mesopotamia lies in which modern country, Ari asks?
- Egypt
- Italy
- India
- Iraq
10.
Where do the Tigris and Euphrates have their headwaters, Bo asks?
- In the desert, far west
- In highlands to the north
- In the Gulf, to the south
- In the city-states

Sumer and Babylon: city-states, irrigation, cuneiform and written law

Answer Key - Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

Read this first

Land between two rivers

Feature	What it is	Why it mattered
Tigris and Euphrates rivers	two rivers that run through Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq	?
Irrigation canals	channels dug from the rivers to the fields	carried water to crops in a dry land
City-states	cities, each with its own government and farmland	farm towns grew into busy trading cities

The cell marked ? is blank.

1.
Esme's chart has a blank: why did the Tigris and Euphrates matter?
- Rain falling on the farms for the whole year
- Water for farms and a route for boats
- Channels dug to the fields
- Cities with their own government
2.
Jun's chart has a blank: what are irrigation canals?
- Walls of mud brick built around the city
- Channels dug from the rivers to fields
- Clouds that bring rain to fields
- Two rivers in modern Iraq
3.
Kira's chart has a blank: what were city-states?
- Two rivers
- Cities, each with its own government
- Channels to the fields
- One country with one ruler

Land between two rivers

Feature	What it is	Why it mattered
Tigris and Euphrates rivers	two rivers that run through Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq	water for farms and a route for boats
Irrigation canals	channels dug from the rivers to the fields	carried water to crops in a dry land
City-states	cities, each with its own government and farmland	farm towns grew into busy trading cities

4.
Luz reads that Mesopotamia is a Greek name. What does it mean?
- Land between rivers
- Land of high mountains
- Land of deserts
- Land of the sea
5.
Milo reads the word irrigation. What does it mean?
- Storing grain for winter
- Bringing water to crops through channels
- Waiting for rain to water crops
- Planting seeds in rows
6.
Noah reads that Sumer was divided into city-states. What is a city-state?
- A river between two cities
- A street inside a city
- A state with no cities
- A city that governs itself and its land
7.
Southern Mesopotamia has a dry climate. Why did farmers dig canals, Pia asks?
- To drain the rivers dry
- Because rain flooded the fields daily
- To keep boats away from farms
- To carry river water to dry fields
8.
Canals brought water to more fields. What was one effect, Ren asks?
- The rivers moved to the canals
- Farmers needed fewer fields
- Farmers could grow more crops
- Rain began to fall more often
9.
Most of Mesopotamia lies in which modern country, Ari asks?
- Egypt
- Italy
- India
- Iraq
10.
Where do the Tigris and Euphrates have their headwaters, Bo asks?
- In the desert, far west
- In highlands to the north
- In the Gulf, to the south
- In the city-states