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Ancient Greece Practice Test

Multiple ChoiceIdentify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____ 1. Which of the following best summarizes the geography of Greece?a. a land of flat, fertile plains c. a rocky, mountainous landb. a land of small hills and dense forests d. a cold, barren land

____ 2. In geographical terms, the land of Greece is a largea. island. c. isthmus.b. peninsula. d. continent.

____ 3. Because traveling by land in Greece was difficult, the Greeksa. became expert shipbuilders. c. gave up trying to travel.b. learned how to climb mountains. d. took up farming.

____ 4. Which of the following groups built an advanced society on the island of Crete?a. the Minoans c. the Mycenaeansb. the Aegeans d. the Mediterraneans

____ 5. In what way were the Mycenaeans different from the Minoans?a. The Mycenaeans lived on Greek islands.b. The Mycenaeans did not speak Greek.c. The Mycenaeans lived on the Greek mainland.d. The Mycenaeans were not traders.

____ 6. Which of the following led to the end of the Minoan civilization?a. They were attacked by Europeans.b. A volcanic eruption ruined their cities.c. Earthquakes destroyed many of their cities.d. Other cultures refused to trade with them.

____ 7. Which of the following was not a reason the Greeks traded with other cultures?a. to obtain food c. to find products they neededb. to conquer other cultures d. to learn new ideas from other cultures

____ 8. The period of warfare and disorder in Greece is referred to as thea. Classical Age. c. Dark Age.b. Golden Era. d. Era of Despair.

____ 9. Which of the following best defines a polis?a. a marketplace where goods were tradedb. a high hill on which a fortress was often builtc. a period of great achievementsd. a small city-state

____ 10. Which of the following best describes how a Greek colony was similar to a polis?a. Both were independent.b. Both were built on the Greek mainland.c. Both were started by Minoans.d. Both were set up to make someone wealthy.

____ 11. All of the following cities began as Greek colonies excepta. Marseille, France. c. Naples, Italy.b. Alexandria, Egypt. d. Istanbul, Turkey.

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____ 12. Over time, the Greek people living in city-statesa. became bored and developed the desire to travel.b. disliked their city-states and began to rebel against them.c. thought of themselves as residents of the city-state, not as Greeks.d. fled their city-states in fear and set up their own colonies.

____ 13. Which of the following activities did not take place in the agora?a. Greeks held political meetings. c. Greeks bought and sold goods.b. Greeks had religious gatherings. d. Greeks hid from invading armies.

____ 14. Under which leader did democracy in Athens work best?a. Peisistratus c. Periclesb. Draco d. Solon

____ 15. Which of the following best describes a representative democracy?a. Citizens elect officials to make the laws.b. All citizens help make the laws.c. All men, women, and children can vote.d. Citizens act as judges and lawmakers.

____ 16. Why were juries in Athens designed to have an odd number of members?a. to ensure that each citizen had a voteb. to prevent aristocrats from being unfairc. so there would always be discussiond. to prevent ties

____ 17. A government in which only a few people have power is calleda. a monarchy. c. a democracy.b. an oligarchy. d. a tyrant.

____ 18. Which best describes how the people of Athens responded to Draco’s laws?a. They liked the freedom that the laws gave them.b. They believed that the laws helped tyrants.c. They felt that the laws were too strict.d. They believed that the laws produced more crime.

____ 19. After Greek city-states were ruled by kings, they were ruled bya. dictators. c. aristocrats.b. armies. d. citizens.

____ 20. During the early democracy in Greece, why did people have meetings outdoors?a. to allow visitors to watch the meetings c. to make it easier to hear speakersb. to make it easier to vote d. to make sure everyone could attend

____ 21. Which best describes the difference between Cleisthenes and Peisistratus?a. Cleisthenes supported an oligarchy. c. Cleisthenes favored the aristocrats.b. Cleisthenes was a tyrant. d. Cleisthenes believed in democracy.

____ 22. Which of the following does not describe the first democracy in Athens?a. Aristocrats had more power than citizens.b. All citizens had the right to participate in the assembly.c. Every citizen had the right to speak.d. Citizens could serve on smaller councils.

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____ 23. All of the following Greek leaders probably would have approved of the type of democracy found in the United States excepta. Cleisthenes. c. Pericles.b. Draco. d. Solon.

____ 24. What does democracy mean?a. “rule of the few” c. “rule of the people”b. “rule of the leaders” d. “rule of the powerful”

____ 25. Greek myths were stories that explaineda. what things the Greek people most valued.b. why natural or historical events happened.c. why humans should worship the gods.d. why humans or animals behaved like they did.

____ 26. How did the Greeks apply the Iliad and the Odyssey in everyday life?a. by trying to follow the examples of the great heroes in the storiesb. by building great temples for their godsc. by holding sporting contests in honor of their godsd. by following the writing style of famous poets

____ 27. Which of the following best defines a lyric poem?a. a poem set to music c. a poem that teaches life’s lessonsb. a poem about Greek heroes d. a poem that explains natural events

____ 28. The myth about the god Hephaestus working in his fiery forge explaineda. earthquakes. c. volcanic eruptions.b. thunderstorms. d. the seasons.

____ 29. Why did many ancient Greeks visit the oracle at Delphi?a. to see where Hercules battled the hydra c. to worship Zeus and the other godsb. to ask the god Apollo questions d. to see the birthplace of Aphrodite

____ 30. According to Greek mythology, why are there different seasons?a. Hera is punishing humans for not worshipping the gods.b. Hephaestus is making weapons for the gods in his forge.c. Demeter is separated from her daughter during the winter.d. Apollo goes away for part of each year to rest.

____ 31. Which of the following shows that Greek mythology is part of today’s popular culture?a. Some sports teams are named after figures from Greek mythology.b. Students learn about Greek mythology in school.c. Many people worship Greek gods and goddesses.d. People travel to Greece to hear lyric poems.

____ 32. Who was the Greek god or goddess of war?a. Artemis c. Zeusb. Ares d. Hermes

____ 33. Which Greek hero has been the subject of dozens of films?a. Hercules c. Poseidonb. Zeus d. Dionysus

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____ 34. Which of the following shows that Greeks strongly influenced our language?a. English words are spelled using the Greek rules of spelling.b. The English language is based on the letters of the Greek alphabet.c. The English language was first spoken in ancient Greece.d. Many English words and expressions come from Greek mythology.

PRACTICING SOCIAL STUDIES SKILLSStudy the picture and information below and answer the question that follows.

____ 35.

How was the form of democracy in ancient Greece different from our current democratic government?a. People debated issues.b. Citizens voted on issues.c. Voting took place on broken pieces of pottery.d. Officials counted collected and counted the votes.

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____ 36. What was the most important aspect of life in Sparta?a. learning about philosophy c. playing musicb. preparing for battles d. learning to lead people

____ 37. Who did Persia defeat to win its independence?a. Athens c. Lydiab. Medes d. Macedonia

____ 38. Which of the following events took place before Darius ruled Persia?a. Cyrus’s son died in a rebellion in

Persia.c. The capital city of Persepolis was built.

b. Roads were built throughout the empire.

d. Persians invaded southeastern Europe.

____ 39. The religion called Zoroastrianism was popular in Persia for many centuries. What conclusion can you draw from this fact?a. Zoroastrianism was illogical and confusing.b. People were forced to follow Zoroastrianism.c. The religion made sense to many Persians.d. Only Persians followed Zoroastrianism.

____ 40. Make an inference: As ruler of Persia, what do you think Darius was most interested in doing?a. developing a powerful army c. building many roads in Persiab. defeating the Greeks in battle d. making Persia’s empire strong

____ 41. What caused Darius to first become angry with the Greeks?a. Some Greeks gave aid to other Greeks who rebelled against Persia.b. Greek city-states refused to help Persia in its war with Turkey.c. Many Greeks stated that Greece was more advanced than Persia.d. Greek city-states would not allow people to practice Zoroastrianism.

____ 42. Compare Xerxes I to Darius. In what way were they similar?a. Both men defeated the Greeks. c. Both men killed rivals to become king.b. Both men wanted to conquer Greece. d. Both men weakened the Persian

Empire.

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____ 43. Which two battles show Greece’s power and cleverness in defeating Xerxes I?a. Salamis and Marathon c. Thermopylae and Salamisb. Marathon and Plataea d. Salamis and Plataea

____ 44. Why did Darius fill Persia’s capital city with gold, silver, and beautiful artwork?a. He wanted the city to reflect the glory of the empire.b. He believed the Greeks would be invading Persia.c. He wanted travelers to see that he was rich and powerful.d. He was following the teachings of Zoroastrianism.

____ 45. Which of the following best describes the Persian army?a. weak and ineffective c. brave but disloyalb. powerful but cowardly d. strong and well organized

____ 46. From an early age, Spartan boys were trained to bea. writers. c. leaders.b. teachers. d. soldiers.

____ 47. Spartan women also received physical training. Like the men, they learned how to run, jump, wrestle, and throw javelins.

What conclusion can you draw about Spartan women?a. They disliked sports and exercise. c. They did not enjoy their lives.b. They were strong and healthy. d. They mainly ran the households.

____ 48. At what age were Spartan men done serving in the army?a. 40 c. 60b. 50 d. 70

____ 49. Which of the following is the best prediction of what might have happened in Sparta if its army had become weak?a. Slaves would have staged a rebellion.b. Spartan women would have joined the army.c. Soldiers would have lost their self-confidence.d. Boys would have lost their courage and strength.

____ 50. In Athens, most of the boys from poor familiesa. learned how to sing and play musical instruments.b. studied warfare and were placed in the army.c. became farmers and grew food for the wealthy.d. were taught astronomy, geometry, and science.

____ 51. After comparing the lives of boys in Sparta and Athens, which of the following inferences can you make?a. Athenian boys probably had more interesting lives than Spartan boys.b. Spartan boys were probably happier than Athenian boys.c. Athenian boys were probably more bored with life than Spartan boys.d. Spartan boys probably learned more things than Athenian boys.

____ 52. What caused the Peloponnesian War to begin?a. Sparta refused to join Athens in the Delian League.b. Athens quit the Peloponnesian League.c. Greek cities feared Athens would control Greece.d. Athens joined forces with the Persians.

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____ 53. What was the result of the Peloponnesian War?a. Sparta became the most powerful city-state in Greece.b. Athens and Sparta agreed to a truce.c. Athens became the most powerful city-state in Greece.d. Athens and Sparta merged their cultures into one.

____ 54. What allowed Philip of Macedonia to easily conquer the Greeks?a. The Greeks did not unite to fight Philip.b. The Spartans joined with Philip.c. Athens refused to send its navy to fight.d. The Greeks were at war with other invaders.

____ 55. What was the relationship between Philip of Macedonia and Alexander the Great?a. Philip was Alexander’s cousin. c. Philip was Alexander’s uncle.b. Philip was Alexander’s father. d. Philip was Alexander’s son.

____ 56. Which place did Alexander conquer without fighting a battle?a. Gaugemela c. Persiab. Thebes d. Egypt

____ 57. What inference can you make about Alexander?a. He lacked both wisdom and confidence.b. He enjoyed being a military commander.c. He did not feel comfortable leading an empire.d. He disliked violence but knew he had to use it.

____ 58. Which of the following predictions would most likely be true if Alexander had not died at a young age?a. Alexander will give back all of his conquered lands.b. The Persians will find a way to defeat Alexander.c. Alexander’s empire will grow even larger.d. The Greeks will anoint Alexander to be their king.

____ 59. Alexander died at the age of 33 aftera. he got sick in Babylon. c. he was betrayed by a friend.b. he was attacked in battle. d. he was captured by Persians.

____ 60. What happened after Alexander and his army crossed the Indus River in India?a. His exhausted troops refused to fight anymore.b. The people of the area crowned Alexander king.c. Alexander defeated the Persian army for the last timed. The Greeks agreed to not rebel against Alexander.

____ 61. Alexander worked to spread Greek culture throughout his empire. What conclusion can you draw from this?a. Alexander thought that all other cultures were weak.b. Alexander was trying to build a friendship with the Greeks.c. Alexander was trying to make the Persian Empire angry.d. Alexander admired and enjoyed Greek culture and ideas.

____ 62. What happened to Alexander’s empire after he died?a. It was conquered by Rome. c. It was divided into three kingdoms.b. It was taken over by the Syrians. d. It was ruled by Alexander’s son.

____ 63. In terms of importance to Alexander, which of the following would you rank first?a. spreading Greek culture c. defeating the Persiansb. expanding his empire d. caring for his sons

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____ 64. Which of the following was not part of Alexander’s empire?a. Egypt c. Macedoniab. Syria d. Rome

____ 65. What can you infer about the ancient Greeks based upon their achievements?a. The ancient Greeks most valued warfare and battle.b. The ancient Greeks valued philosophy and art.c. The ancient Greeks were most interested in farmingd. The ancient Greeks felt that literature was pointless.

____ 66. Most Greek temples were surrounded bya. tall columns. c. detailed paintings.b. pretty trees. d. golden railings.

____ 67. The Parthenon is a famous Greeka. painting. c. poem.b. vase. d. building.

____ 68. Early Greek philosophers were important because they were the first people toa. think about the mysteries and problems of life in Greece.b. consider explanations for events other than that they were the work of the gods.c. describe why the Greek gods and goddesses were to be worshipped.d. help the rest of the Greek people make good decisions in daily life.

____ 69. Greek philosophers believed that one thing was more important than anything else in life. What was it?a. using the human mind to think and understandb. helping others to be happy and comfortablec. encouraging people to worship the godsd. understanding how the human body works

____ 70. The many achievements of ancient Greece were important becausea. they helped Greece become a military power.b. they showed the curiosity of the Greek mind.c. they strongly shaped Western civilization.d. they encouraged people to use reason.

Short Answer

71. How did Greece's geography influence the city-states and their trade? 72. How was the Athenian government ruled prior to democracy? 73. How have the great myths created in Ancient Greece influenced the way we live today? 74. Why did the Greeks feel the need to create city-states? 75. Who was Theseus? 76. How did Darius restore order to the Persian Empire? 77. Compare and contrast the cultures of Sparta and Athens. 78. What made Philip such a successful military leader? 79. Why was Thucydides important?

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80. What do you think Aristotle would have said about the Spartan way of life? Why?

CompletionComplete each statement.

81. The Minoans and the ____________________ helped shape later Greek cultures. (Creteans/Mycenaeans)

82. Democracy in Greece started in the city of ____________________. (Athens/Delphi) 83. The ____________________ Sea lies to the east of the Greek mainland. (Ionian/Aegean) 84. The name of the Aegean Sea comes from Aegeus, who was a legendary Greek

____________________. (god/king) 85. The ancient Greeks believed that their ____________________ caused events like thunder and

earthquakes. (gods/actions) 86. The Greeks of the ____________________ Age left no written records. (Stone/Dark) 87. Apollo was the god of the ____________________. (sun/moon) 88. Under the rule of ____________________, all citizens in Athens had the right to participate in the

assembly. (Draco/Cleisthenes) 89. The ____________________ tells the story of the last years of the Trojan War. (Iliad/Odyssey) 90. The form of government in which all citizens can participate directly in the government is called

____________________ democracy. (direct/representative) 91. Cyrus the Great is considered the founder of the ____________________ Empire.

(Persian/Athenian) 92. After the son of Cyrus the Great died, ____________________ seized power. (Xerxes/Darius) 93. The first Persian invasion of Greece failed when the Greeks won the Battle of

____________________. (Thermopylae/Marathon) 94. One improvement that Darius made to the Persian Empire was the creation of

____________________. (roads/cavalries) 95. In 480 BC, ____________________ tried to conquer Greece again. (Darius/Xerxes) 96. Helots were an important part of ____________________ society. (Spartan/Athenian) 97. Spartans did not place much value in ____________________. (self-reliance/creativity) 98. Women in ____________________ had certain freedoms because of the way their society was

structured. (Athens/Sparta) 99. Athenians believed that studying ____________________ made people better citizens. (the

arts/famous battles) 100. Athenian domination of the ____________________ League caused Sparta to declare war on

Athens. (Peloponnesian/Delian) 101. In 359 BC, ____________________ became king of Macedonia. (Philip/Alexander)

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102. ____________________ destroyed Thebes and enslaved its people. (Philip/Alexander) 103. In 334 BC, Alexander attacked the ____________________. (Athenians/Persians) 104. After he died, Alexander was buried in ____________________. (Egypt/Persia) 105. The spread of ____________________ culture brought Greek customs to new parts of the world.

(Spartan/Hellenistic) 106. Greek painters created detailed scenes in red and black on ____________________. (paper/vases) 107. The Greeks created new kinds of writing, such as drama and ____________________.

(history/poetry) 108. Because people were upset by his ideas, ____________________ was arrested and sentenced to

death. (Plato/Socrates) 109. ____________________ taught that people should live lives of moderation. (Socrates/Aristotle) 110. Many of the geometry rules from the writings of ____________________ are still used today.

(Hippocrates/Euclid)

True/FalseIndicate whether the statement is true or false.

____ 111. The Minoans are considered the first Greek society.____ 112. Because they lived on an island, the Mycenaeans spent much of their time at sea.____ 113. The Minoans and the Mycenaeans spoke the Greek language.____ 114. An agora is another name for a fortress.____ 115. Trade between the colonies and Greece included items such as metals, wine, and olive oil.____ 116. Everyone who lived in a city-state lived inside the city walls.____ 117. Peisistratus, a tyrant, brought peace and prosperity to the city of Athens.____ 118. Although Greek city-states did not start out as democracies, all of them became democratic.____ 119. The first democracy in Athens ended because the Macedonians conquered Athens.____ 120. The citizens in the early democracy of Athens voted by writing on paper.____ 121. Sappho developed the world’s first democracy.____ 122. Another name for a representative democracy is a republic.____ 123. Democracy in the United States has already lasted longer than it did in Athens.____ 124. Hera is the king of the gods.____ 125. The Iliad and the Odyssey are still considered among the most important works in Western literature.____ 126. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love.____ 127. Aesop wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey.

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____ 128. It was natural for the ancient Greeks to produce great works of literature because they had always enjoyed telling myths and stories.

____ 129. Fables are different from myths because fables teach lessons about life.____ 130. Europe was named after King Europa.____ 131. Early in their history, the Persians were nomadic.____ 132. Cyrus the Great’s treatment of conquered people helped him successfully rule a large empire.____ 133. Zoroaster was a famous architect who built the city of Persepolis.____ 134. The Spartans were able to defeat the Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae.____ 135. The Battle of Plataea ended the Persian Wars.____ 136. For Spartan boys training to be soldiers, the penalty for stealing food was death.____ 137. The Dead Sea Scrolls were found by a young boy exploring a small cave near the Dead Sea.____ 138. Only the wealthiest Spartans had luxuries like soft furniture and fine food.____ 139. Athenian boys were taught both military skills and about art and culture.____ 140. The democratic society of Athens allowed women to have more rights than in other cities.____ 141. After defeating Athens in the Peloponnesian War, Sparta became the most powerful city-state in

Greece.____ 142. Greece and Macedonia were both members of the Delian League.____ 143. In 336 BC, Philip marched into Persia to conquer the Persian Empire.____ 144. Alexander the Great defeated the Persians for the last time near Gaugamela.____ 145. Hellenistic culture influenced the building of the world’s largest library in Alexandria, Egypt.____ 146. Greek statues of people were usually not very realistic.____ 147. Plays were first created to be included in religious ceremonies.____ 148. Socrates taught by answering the questions his students asked.____ 149. Aristotle taught that people should use reason to govern their lives.____ 150. Greek doctors relied on the help of the gods to heal patients.

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Matching

Match each item with the correct statement.a. tyrant h. classicalb. polis i. Aesopc. mythology j. acropolisd. aristocrats k. citizense. fables l. Homerf. democracy m. oligarchyg. Pericles

____ 151. A Greek famous for his fables____ 152. A leader who used force to hold power____ 153. An age marked by great achievements____ 154. Rich landowners____ 155. Short stories that teach the reader lessons about life or give advice on how to live____ 156. Brilliant elected leader who led the Athens government from about 460 BC until 429 BC____ 157. A body of stories about gods and heroes that try to explain how the world work____ 158. People who had the right to participate in government____ 159. A high hill that often had a fortress on its top____ 160. A famous poet who wrote some of the earliest Greek writings

Match each item with the correct statement.a. phalanx h. reasonb. Hippocrates i. Zoroastrianc. Sophocles j. Parthenond. cavalry k. alliancee. Hypatia l. Xerxesf. satraps m. Platog. Thucydides

____ 161. A unit of soldiers mounted on horses____ 162. A religion based on the battle between good and evil____ 163. An agreement to work together____ 164. Governors of Persian provinces____ 165. A group of warriors standing close together in a square____ 166. A building constructed in Athens in the 400s BC____ 167. A famous Greek playwright____ 168. A Greek philosopher____ 169. Clear and ordered thinking____ 170. The greatest Greek doctor