Part 2 — Answer key

Compare your answers after you have finished Part 1.

1. Which river was most important to the growth of ancient Egyptian civilization?
   Nile River
2. The Great Wall was built in parts over many years to help protect China from invasions.
   True
3. In your 6th grade history class, you learn about a document that announced the American colonies were free from British rule. Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?
   Thomas Jefferson
4. In ancient Athens, all adult residents, including women and enslaved people, could vote in the assembly.
   False
5. A group of students is studying early sea exploration. Which invention helped sailors navigate and explore new ocean routes more safely?
   Magnetic compass
6. The Bill of Rights is the name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution.
   True
7. Your class is drawing a map of the Silk Road. What was one important effect of trade along this route?
   Goods, ideas, and religions were exchanged between regions
8. A student is planning a model of life in ancient Mesopotamia. Which geographic feature best explains why this region was good for early farming communities?
   Two major rivers that flooded and left rich soil
9. Your class is comparing the Articles of Confederation with the United States Constitution. What major problem did the Constitution fix about the earlier Articles?
   The national government was too weak to enforce laws
10. A diary written by a person who lived through a battle is considered a primary source.
    True
11. Your class is studying European exploration. Which explorer tried to reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean and instead landed in the Americas?
    Christopher Columbus
12. Johannes Gutenberg's printing press made books harder to produce and slowed the spread of ideas in Europe.
    False
13. An article claims, "All people in the Middle Ages were poor and uneducated." Which question would best help you evaluate whether this claim is accurate?
    What evidence does the author use from different groups in society?
14. Arrange these stages in the typical rise and fall of an ancient empire from earliest to latest:
    Correct order: Small farming villages grow into cities → A strong ruler unites the region → The empire reaches peak size and builds roads → Rebellions and invasions weaken the empire
15. You visit a museum exhibit on ancient Maya civilization. Which achievement would most likely be highlighted to show their scientific and writing skills?
    Developing a complex calendar and writing system
16. A 6th grader is creating a poster about the causes of the American Revolution. Which situation best illustrates what colonists meant by the phrase "no taxation without representation"?
    Having to pay taxes to a government where they had no elected representatives
17. Imagine you are studying trade across the Sahara Desert in Africa. Which development most helped merchants move goods such as salt and gold across this harsh environment?
    Use of camels that could carry goods across dry deserts
18. You are analyzing the Code of Hammurabi for a 6th grade history project. What does this ancient Babylonian law code show about their society?
    They created written laws with specific punishments for various actions
19. You read two history textbooks that describe the same event but focus on different causes. What is the best explanation for why they tell the story in different ways?
    Authors can focus on different evidence and viewpoints
20. Early civilizations usually began in dry deserts far from rivers because farmers did not need much water.
    False