CLEP WESTERN CIVILIZATION 1 EXAM
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ The Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age).
Answer: The age in which humans lived as nomads in small
communities, hunting and gathering fruits for food and using fire
and crude stone implements.
◉ The Neolithic Age (New Stone Age).
Answer: The age in which stone tools were refined, animals were
domesticated, and agriculture was developed as people transitioned
from a nomadic to a more settled way of life.
◉ The Bronze Age.
Answer: The age in which cities were developed, and tools were
increasingly made out of metal alloys rather than stone. Irrigation
and writing began to be developed during this time.
◉ Sumer (Mesopotamia).
Answer: The area within the Tigris-Euphrates river valley.
◉ Akkadians.
,Answer: A semi-nomadic people, who spoke a Semitic language.
Migrated from the deserts west of Mesopotamia and settled in the
Tigris-Euphrates valley during the 4th millennium B.C.E.
◉ King Sargon.
Answer: An Akkadian king (2371-2316 B.C.E., approximate) who led
the Akkadians in conquering Sumerian city-states. Established an
empire that unified Mesopotamia and reached beyond it into the
Iranian plateau and as far west as Lebanon. His dynasty ruled Akkad
and Sumer for about 200 years.
◉ The Third Dynasty of Ur.
Answer: Around 2100 B.C.E., the Sumerian city of Ur rose up in
revolt against the Akkadian rule. The attained control of
Mesopotamia and ruled for about 100 years.
◉ Amorites.
Answer: Re-unified Mesopotamia, and established their capital at
Babylon, on the Euphrates. The Amorites (Old Babylonian Dynasty)
ruled for about 300 years, from around 1900-1600 B.C.E.
◉ Hammurabi.
Answer: (1792-1750 B.C.E., approximate) The greatest king of the
Old Babylonian Dynasty. Famous for his law code. Claimed to be a
representative of the gods.
,◉ Hammurabi's Code.
Answer: A law code that attempted to stabilize the hierarchical
society. Presented like a pyramid: the slaves at the bottom, freemen
such as peasants and merchants next, warrior aristocracy and
priesthood, and the king at the top. Known for, "An eye for an eye,
and a tooth for a tooth." Dealt with legislation regarding the family,
ownership of land, and commercial transactions.
◉ Hittites.
Answer: From Anatolia (Asia Minor). Attacked the Old Babylonian
Empire around 1600 B.C.E. and plundered them.
◉ Kassites.
Answer: From the region that is now Iran. Attacked the Old
Babylonian Empire around 1600 B.C.E. and established themselves
as rulers for 300 years.
◉ Hurrians.
Answer: Established the kingdom of Mitanni in the upper Tigris-
Euphrates valley around 1500 B.C.E. which lasted for 100 years,
until they were conquered by the Hittites.
◉ Cuneiform.
, Answer: The earliest form of writing, made by wedge-shaped marks
impressed on clay tables using a stylus. Initially pictographs
(representing objects), but later included ideograms (representing
ideas). Began around 3000 B.C.E.
◉ Ziggurats.
Answer: Multi-level, pyramid-like constructions by the people of
Mesopotamia. Demonstrate practical engineering skills.
◉ Gilgamesh.
Answer: A Sumerian epic poem inscribed around 2000 B.C.E. on
twelve cuneiform tablets. Describes the quest of the hero Gilgamesh,
king of Uruk, in search of immortality. Includes an account of a great
flood.
◉ Enuma Elish.
Answer: A Sumerian epic poem describing the story of creation.
◉ The Egyptian Archaic Period.
Answer: The first two dynasties of Egypt governed from about 3100-
2700 B.C.E. Unified the Nile Valley. Under centralized government,
the economy was carefully planned and agriculture was efficient.
◉ The Old Kingdom.
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ The Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age).
Answer: The age in which humans lived as nomads in small
communities, hunting and gathering fruits for food and using fire
and crude stone implements.
◉ The Neolithic Age (New Stone Age).
Answer: The age in which stone tools were refined, animals were
domesticated, and agriculture was developed as people transitioned
from a nomadic to a more settled way of life.
◉ The Bronze Age.
Answer: The age in which cities were developed, and tools were
increasingly made out of metal alloys rather than stone. Irrigation
and writing began to be developed during this time.
◉ Sumer (Mesopotamia).
Answer: The area within the Tigris-Euphrates river valley.
◉ Akkadians.
,Answer: A semi-nomadic people, who spoke a Semitic language.
Migrated from the deserts west of Mesopotamia and settled in the
Tigris-Euphrates valley during the 4th millennium B.C.E.
◉ King Sargon.
Answer: An Akkadian king (2371-2316 B.C.E., approximate) who led
the Akkadians in conquering Sumerian city-states. Established an
empire that unified Mesopotamia and reached beyond it into the
Iranian plateau and as far west as Lebanon. His dynasty ruled Akkad
and Sumer for about 200 years.
◉ The Third Dynasty of Ur.
Answer: Around 2100 B.C.E., the Sumerian city of Ur rose up in
revolt against the Akkadian rule. The attained control of
Mesopotamia and ruled for about 100 years.
◉ Amorites.
Answer: Re-unified Mesopotamia, and established their capital at
Babylon, on the Euphrates. The Amorites (Old Babylonian Dynasty)
ruled for about 300 years, from around 1900-1600 B.C.E.
◉ Hammurabi.
Answer: (1792-1750 B.C.E., approximate) The greatest king of the
Old Babylonian Dynasty. Famous for his law code. Claimed to be a
representative of the gods.
,◉ Hammurabi's Code.
Answer: A law code that attempted to stabilize the hierarchical
society. Presented like a pyramid: the slaves at the bottom, freemen
such as peasants and merchants next, warrior aristocracy and
priesthood, and the king at the top. Known for, "An eye for an eye,
and a tooth for a tooth." Dealt with legislation regarding the family,
ownership of land, and commercial transactions.
◉ Hittites.
Answer: From Anatolia (Asia Minor). Attacked the Old Babylonian
Empire around 1600 B.C.E. and plundered them.
◉ Kassites.
Answer: From the region that is now Iran. Attacked the Old
Babylonian Empire around 1600 B.C.E. and established themselves
as rulers for 300 years.
◉ Hurrians.
Answer: Established the kingdom of Mitanni in the upper Tigris-
Euphrates valley around 1500 B.C.E. which lasted for 100 years,
until they were conquered by the Hittites.
◉ Cuneiform.
, Answer: The earliest form of writing, made by wedge-shaped marks
impressed on clay tables using a stylus. Initially pictographs
(representing objects), but later included ideograms (representing
ideas). Began around 3000 B.C.E.
◉ Ziggurats.
Answer: Multi-level, pyramid-like constructions by the people of
Mesopotamia. Demonstrate practical engineering skills.
◉ Gilgamesh.
Answer: A Sumerian epic poem inscribed around 2000 B.C.E. on
twelve cuneiform tablets. Describes the quest of the hero Gilgamesh,
king of Uruk, in search of immortality. Includes an account of a great
flood.
◉ Enuma Elish.
Answer: A Sumerian epic poem describing the story of creation.
◉ The Egyptian Archaic Period.
Answer: The first two dynasties of Egypt governed from about 3100-
2700 B.C.E. Unified the Nile Valley. Under centralized government,
the economy was carefully planned and agriculture was efficient.
◉ The Old Kingdom.
