WESTERN CIVILIZATION I CLEP EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026
Hunter-gatherers - ANS Type of lifestyle before Neolithic Revolution. Nomadic lifestyle.
Neolithic Revolution - ANS Gradual shift from hunter-gatherer to farming lifestyle.
Fertile Crescent - ANS Area containing rivers, making the land fertile. First civilizations started
in this area.
Paleolithic Age - ANS "Old Stone Age" ~2 million-10,000 B.C.
Neolithic Age - ANS "New Stone Age" ~10,000-4,000 B.C.
Sumer - ANS Possibly first civilization in Mesopotamia.
ziggurat - ANS Terraced pyramids common for religious practices of Mesopotamian
civilizations.
cuneiform - ANS Wedge-shaped writing used in Mesopotamian civilizations, invented by
Sumerians.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Epic of Gilgamesh - ANS Early Sumerian epic.
Third Dynasty of Ur - ANS Last Sumerian dynasty, followed Akkadian Empire. (~2100-2000
B.C.)
Akkadian Empire - ANS Founded by Sargon of Akkad, one of the first major empires. (~2300-
2100 B.C.)
Paleo-Babylonian Empire - ANS Hammurabi ruled this empire. (~1800-1500 B.C.)
Code of Hammurabi - ANS Ancient Babylonian law code.
Hittite Empire - ANS Mesopotamian empire mentioned often in the Old Testament. (~1600-
1200 B.C.)
Assyrian Empire - ANS Empire notorious for intimidation and military strength, different
stages within rule.
Neo-Babylonian Empire - ANS A.K.A. Chaldean Empire, preceded Persian domination.
Nebuchadnezzar II ruled during this time, possibly creating the hanging gardens. (~600-500 B.C.)
the Levant - ANS Area of many early civilizations containing major religious sites.
Heiroglyphs - ANS Ancient Egypt writing system.
Old Kingdom - ANS Building of pyramids occurred. (~2700-2200 B.C.)
Middle Kingdom - ANS Characterized by stability of Egypt. (~2100-1700 B.C.)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, First Intermediate Period - ANS Caused by decline in centralized authority and some droughts
in the Nile. (~2200-2100 B.C.)
Second Intermediate Period - ANS Invasion by Hyksos disrupted Egypt. (~1700-1600 B.C.)
New Kingdom - ANS Final major kingdom of Egypt, Pharaohs such as Hatshepsut (female),
Tutankhamen, and Ramses the Great ruled during this time. Valley of the Kings built as major
burial site. (~1600-1100 B.C.)
Amarna Period - ANS Monotheism in Egypt (Aten), occurred during the New Kingdom.
Early Dynastic Age - ANS Time period consisting of settled city-states preceding the Akkadian
Empire. (~3100-2500 B.C.)
Sumerian City-States - ANS Famous cities include Ur, Uruk, and Eridu.
civilization - ANS Complex culture of many humans sharing common elements in nearby
areas.
Bronze Age - ANS Period during which many early civilizations were being formed. (~4100-
1200 B.C.)
Mesopotamia - ANS "Land between 2 rivers" (Tigris and Euphrates)
Early Civilization Rivers - ANS Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, Yellow, Indus rivers.
Nubia - ANS South of Egypt, current day Sudan
Kerma - ANS Early Nubian kingdom (~2500-1500 B.C.)
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026
Hunter-gatherers - ANS Type of lifestyle before Neolithic Revolution. Nomadic lifestyle.
Neolithic Revolution - ANS Gradual shift from hunter-gatherer to farming lifestyle.
Fertile Crescent - ANS Area containing rivers, making the land fertile. First civilizations started
in this area.
Paleolithic Age - ANS "Old Stone Age" ~2 million-10,000 B.C.
Neolithic Age - ANS "New Stone Age" ~10,000-4,000 B.C.
Sumer - ANS Possibly first civilization in Mesopotamia.
ziggurat - ANS Terraced pyramids common for religious practices of Mesopotamian
civilizations.
cuneiform - ANS Wedge-shaped writing used in Mesopotamian civilizations, invented by
Sumerians.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Epic of Gilgamesh - ANS Early Sumerian epic.
Third Dynasty of Ur - ANS Last Sumerian dynasty, followed Akkadian Empire. (~2100-2000
B.C.)
Akkadian Empire - ANS Founded by Sargon of Akkad, one of the first major empires. (~2300-
2100 B.C.)
Paleo-Babylonian Empire - ANS Hammurabi ruled this empire. (~1800-1500 B.C.)
Code of Hammurabi - ANS Ancient Babylonian law code.
Hittite Empire - ANS Mesopotamian empire mentioned often in the Old Testament. (~1600-
1200 B.C.)
Assyrian Empire - ANS Empire notorious for intimidation and military strength, different
stages within rule.
Neo-Babylonian Empire - ANS A.K.A. Chaldean Empire, preceded Persian domination.
Nebuchadnezzar II ruled during this time, possibly creating the hanging gardens. (~600-500 B.C.)
the Levant - ANS Area of many early civilizations containing major religious sites.
Heiroglyphs - ANS Ancient Egypt writing system.
Old Kingdom - ANS Building of pyramids occurred. (~2700-2200 B.C.)
Middle Kingdom - ANS Characterized by stability of Egypt. (~2100-1700 B.C.)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, First Intermediate Period - ANS Caused by decline in centralized authority and some droughts
in the Nile. (~2200-2100 B.C.)
Second Intermediate Period - ANS Invasion by Hyksos disrupted Egypt. (~1700-1600 B.C.)
New Kingdom - ANS Final major kingdom of Egypt, Pharaohs such as Hatshepsut (female),
Tutankhamen, and Ramses the Great ruled during this time. Valley of the Kings built as major
burial site. (~1600-1100 B.C.)
Amarna Period - ANS Monotheism in Egypt (Aten), occurred during the New Kingdom.
Early Dynastic Age - ANS Time period consisting of settled city-states preceding the Akkadian
Empire. (~3100-2500 B.C.)
Sumerian City-States - ANS Famous cities include Ur, Uruk, and Eridu.
civilization - ANS Complex culture of many humans sharing common elements in nearby
areas.
Bronze Age - ANS Period during which many early civilizations were being formed. (~4100-
1200 B.C.)
Mesopotamia - ANS "Land between 2 rivers" (Tigris and Euphrates)
Early Civilization Rivers - ANS Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, Yellow, Indus rivers.
Nubia - ANS South of Egypt, current day Sudan
Kerma - ANS Early Nubian kingdom (~2500-1500 B.C.)
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
