GACE Practice Exam Questions 034 /
035 and Answers
Which of the following most likely led to the shift in human societies from hunting and
gathering to agriculture beginning circa 8,000 B.C.E. ?
A. Development of metallurgy
B. Larger-capacity braincases
C. Climate change
D. Spread of language - ANS-C
Which of the following regions was the first to develop settled agriculture?
A. Middle East
B. North America
C. West Africa
D. Western Europe - ANS-A
"There were two forms of marriage in the Mesopotamian region, one more characteristic
of nomadic tribes, the other of plow agriculture. The older form was marriage without
joint residence. It allowed the woman greater autonomy and made divorce easier for
her. The Code of Hammurabi formalized the other form, which gradually became
predominant. In this marriage system the wife resides in the husband's house and is
dependent on his support. Divorce is, for the wife, unobtainable. The marriage is a
marriage by purchase even when the result is not ownership of the wife but legal power
of the husband over the wife. It defines a new power relationship between husband and
wife, for which there was no equivalent in earlier society."
In the above passage, the historian argues that the Code of Hammurabi illustrates
which of the following developments in Mesopotamia?
A. Matriarchy
B. Patriarchy
C. Polygyny
D. Polyandry - ANS-B
Which of the following was a direct result of the Neolithic Revolution?
A. The establishment of long-distance trade networks
B. The growth of agricultural communities
C. The use of cave paintings
D. The development of metal tools and weapons - ANS-B
Which of the following was most significant in allowing river valley civilizations to
flourish?
,A. Agricultural production from relatively enriched soils
B. Religious traditions that provided regional stability
C. Protection from warring groups provided by hills and mountains
D. Use of waterways for long-distance trade with other civilizations - ANS-A
Which of the following statements best describes the importance of Nubia from 3100
B.C.E. to350 C.E.?
A. Nubia marks the border below which the culture of the Middle East had no influence.
B. Nubian civilization dominated that of Egypt, and the Nubians spread their writing
system to Mesopotamia.
C. Egyptian royalty was almost entirely descended from royalty of Nubian ancestry.
D. Nubia was the only consistently inhabited territory that connected sub-Saharan Africa
and North Africa. - ANS-D
Which of the following peoples created the first civilizations in Mesopotamia?
A. Babylonians
B. Nubians
C. Sumerians
D. Persians - ANS-C
Which of the following significantly contributed to the decline of both the Western
Roman Empire and the Han dynasty?
A. Climate change
B. The spread of epidemic disease
C. The collapse of major trade networks
D. Nomadic invasions and internal unrest - ANS-D
The spread of Greek culture into North Africa and Southwest Asia during the fourth
century B.C.E. was the result of the
A. invasion of Greece by the Persian army
B. growth of maritime trade networks
C. establishment of Greek settler colonies
D. conquests of Alexander the Great - ANS-D
Which of the following best characterizes the political structures of the Greek city-states
of Sparta and Athens in the classical period (510 B.C.E. - 323 B.C.E.) ?
A. Sparta granted citizenship to women, banished slavery, and developed an early form
of democracy; Athens granted women citizenship but kept the majority of its population
as slaves and lacked institutions for citizen participation in government.
B. Sparta was a military encampment that required citizens to serve as soldiers most of
their lives; Athens was a limited democracy in which citizens participated in government,
including the military, but performed other work too.
C. Both Sparta and Athens were peaceful democracies that had wide participation in the
polis (city-state) by all men who were property owners.
D. Both Sparta and Athens were military dictatorships that lacked political structures
through which citizens could participate in running the - ANS-B
, Which of the following resulted from the Bantu migrations in sub-Saharan Africa from
circa 500 B.C.E. to 1000 C.E.?
A. The northward spread of Indo-European languages and culture
B. The northward spread of gold mining to Nubia and North Africa
C. The southward spread of agricultural cultivation and the domestication of animals
D. The southward spread of nomadic settlement patterns and hunting and gathering -
ANS-C
The failure of the Roman Republic's system of government in the first century B.C.E. led
to the establishment of the Roman Empire in the first and second centuries C.E. In the
period described, the empire experienced
A. a plague that afflicted Roman citizens and the territories of the Empire
B. the conversion to Christianity by the majority of Roman citizens
C. a strong Senate that saved Rome from authoritarian rule
D. growing commerce as the territory commanded by Rome enjoyed peace - ANS-D
Which of the following best describes the cause of suffering according to the Four Noble
Truths of Buddhism?
A. Social injustice and oppression
B. Craving and desire
C. Sin and impurity
D. Death and impermanence - ANS-B
Confucianism developed as a system of thought in China primarily in response to
A. social and economic dislocation brought about by rapid urbanization and
industrialization
B. the introduction of European ideas and Christian missionary activity that challenged
Chinese traditions
C. the instability and political crises brought about by frequent regional conflict during
the Warring States period
D. the cultural shock caused by military reversals in the wake of nomadic invasions by
the Xiongnu - ANS-C
Which of the following best describes the relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism
in India?
A. Hinduism superseded Buddhism in India by the twelfth century C.E. but incorporated
elements of Mahayana Buddhism, including the representation of the Buddha as an
incarnation of the deity Vishnu.
B. Hinduism spread with Buddhism into Central, Southeast, and East Asia after the
fourth century C.E., and both remain important religions in those regions today.
C. Buddhism originated in India in the fifth century B.C.E. but never gained a following
there, because Hinduism was already well established.
D. Buddhism superseded Hinduism in India after the fourth century C.E. and remains
the predominant religion on the Indian subcontinent today. - ANS-A
035 and Answers
Which of the following most likely led to the shift in human societies from hunting and
gathering to agriculture beginning circa 8,000 B.C.E. ?
A. Development of metallurgy
B. Larger-capacity braincases
C. Climate change
D. Spread of language - ANS-C
Which of the following regions was the first to develop settled agriculture?
A. Middle East
B. North America
C. West Africa
D. Western Europe - ANS-A
"There were two forms of marriage in the Mesopotamian region, one more characteristic
of nomadic tribes, the other of plow agriculture. The older form was marriage without
joint residence. It allowed the woman greater autonomy and made divorce easier for
her. The Code of Hammurabi formalized the other form, which gradually became
predominant. In this marriage system the wife resides in the husband's house and is
dependent on his support. Divorce is, for the wife, unobtainable. The marriage is a
marriage by purchase even when the result is not ownership of the wife but legal power
of the husband over the wife. It defines a new power relationship between husband and
wife, for which there was no equivalent in earlier society."
In the above passage, the historian argues that the Code of Hammurabi illustrates
which of the following developments in Mesopotamia?
A. Matriarchy
B. Patriarchy
C. Polygyny
D. Polyandry - ANS-B
Which of the following was a direct result of the Neolithic Revolution?
A. The establishment of long-distance trade networks
B. The growth of agricultural communities
C. The use of cave paintings
D. The development of metal tools and weapons - ANS-B
Which of the following was most significant in allowing river valley civilizations to
flourish?
,A. Agricultural production from relatively enriched soils
B. Religious traditions that provided regional stability
C. Protection from warring groups provided by hills and mountains
D. Use of waterways for long-distance trade with other civilizations - ANS-A
Which of the following statements best describes the importance of Nubia from 3100
B.C.E. to350 C.E.?
A. Nubia marks the border below which the culture of the Middle East had no influence.
B. Nubian civilization dominated that of Egypt, and the Nubians spread their writing
system to Mesopotamia.
C. Egyptian royalty was almost entirely descended from royalty of Nubian ancestry.
D. Nubia was the only consistently inhabited territory that connected sub-Saharan Africa
and North Africa. - ANS-D
Which of the following peoples created the first civilizations in Mesopotamia?
A. Babylonians
B. Nubians
C. Sumerians
D. Persians - ANS-C
Which of the following significantly contributed to the decline of both the Western
Roman Empire and the Han dynasty?
A. Climate change
B. The spread of epidemic disease
C. The collapse of major trade networks
D. Nomadic invasions and internal unrest - ANS-D
The spread of Greek culture into North Africa and Southwest Asia during the fourth
century B.C.E. was the result of the
A. invasion of Greece by the Persian army
B. growth of maritime trade networks
C. establishment of Greek settler colonies
D. conquests of Alexander the Great - ANS-D
Which of the following best characterizes the political structures of the Greek city-states
of Sparta and Athens in the classical period (510 B.C.E. - 323 B.C.E.) ?
A. Sparta granted citizenship to women, banished slavery, and developed an early form
of democracy; Athens granted women citizenship but kept the majority of its population
as slaves and lacked institutions for citizen participation in government.
B. Sparta was a military encampment that required citizens to serve as soldiers most of
their lives; Athens was a limited democracy in which citizens participated in government,
including the military, but performed other work too.
C. Both Sparta and Athens were peaceful democracies that had wide participation in the
polis (city-state) by all men who were property owners.
D. Both Sparta and Athens were military dictatorships that lacked political structures
through which citizens could participate in running the - ANS-B
, Which of the following resulted from the Bantu migrations in sub-Saharan Africa from
circa 500 B.C.E. to 1000 C.E.?
A. The northward spread of Indo-European languages and culture
B. The northward spread of gold mining to Nubia and North Africa
C. The southward spread of agricultural cultivation and the domestication of animals
D. The southward spread of nomadic settlement patterns and hunting and gathering -
ANS-C
The failure of the Roman Republic's system of government in the first century B.C.E. led
to the establishment of the Roman Empire in the first and second centuries C.E. In the
period described, the empire experienced
A. a plague that afflicted Roman citizens and the territories of the Empire
B. the conversion to Christianity by the majority of Roman citizens
C. a strong Senate that saved Rome from authoritarian rule
D. growing commerce as the territory commanded by Rome enjoyed peace - ANS-D
Which of the following best describes the cause of suffering according to the Four Noble
Truths of Buddhism?
A. Social injustice and oppression
B. Craving and desire
C. Sin and impurity
D. Death and impermanence - ANS-B
Confucianism developed as a system of thought in China primarily in response to
A. social and economic dislocation brought about by rapid urbanization and
industrialization
B. the introduction of European ideas and Christian missionary activity that challenged
Chinese traditions
C. the instability and political crises brought about by frequent regional conflict during
the Warring States period
D. the cultural shock caused by military reversals in the wake of nomadic invasions by
the Xiongnu - ANS-C
Which of the following best describes the relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism
in India?
A. Hinduism superseded Buddhism in India by the twelfth century C.E. but incorporated
elements of Mahayana Buddhism, including the representation of the Buddha as an
incarnation of the deity Vishnu.
B. Hinduism spread with Buddhism into Central, Southeast, and East Asia after the
fourth century C.E., and both remain important religions in those regions today.
C. Buddhism originated in India in the fifth century B.C.E. but never gained a following
there, because Hinduism was already well established.
D. Buddhism superseded Hinduism in India after the fourth century C.E. and remains
the predominant religion on the Indian subcontinent today. - ANS-A
