and slaves. Whereas Egypt enjoyed natural defense barriers, Sumer did not (A). Sumer was
governed by kings of local city-states, whereas the Egyptian pharaoh was the supreme ruler (C).
Although the Egyptians largely developed themselves culturally, Sumerian culture was widely
diffused by later conquerors (D).2 . D All the earliest agricultural civilizations worshipped many gods. They were located in
different latitudes (A) and enjoyed different levels of technology (B). The civilizations of the
Western Hemisphere did not rely on the flooding of rivers (C).
3 . A The presence of granaries and well-planned street grids in the cities of the Harappan
civilization of the Indus valley is evidence of considerable community planning. The writing of
the Harappan civilization is so far undecipherable (B). Indus valley peoples bypassed mountain
barriers and traded by sea (C). Their civilization had already declined markedly before the arrival
of the Aryans (D).
4 . A Early Mesoamerican civilizations did not even have the knowledge of the wheel, whereas the
other civilizations mentioned did not have to rely only on human muscle for construction or
irrigation projects.
5 . D The traditions of the Vedas became an integral part of Indian society. Sanskrit, the language of
the Aryans, was originally an oral language only (A). Aryan society consisted of a number of
classes based on skin color, which would become the foundation of the Hindu caste system (B).
Aryans were nomadic peoples who learned of agriculture from the Dravidian people of India (C).
6 . C The Shang brought the settlements of northern China under the control of a centralized
government. The Shang were the first Chinese dynasty to leave written records (A). Although
natural barriers lessened trade, the Shang carried out some trade with South Asia and Southwest
Asia (B). A number of cities arose in China under the Shang (D).
7 . A The rugged Andean terrain hindered political unity. Early South American societies were
organized into local governments (A) and knew the use of copper (B). Trade with the north was
limited because of geographical barriers (C), preventing South American societies from building
upon the traditions of Mesoamerica (D).
8 . B The legend of Quetzalcóatl diffused throughout early Mesoamerican cultures and
civilizations. The invention of the wheel (A) was an independent contribution of the Sumerians.
The cultivation of potatoes (C) was limited to the early Andean societies and civilizations.
Harappan sewage systems (D) were unique to the people of the Indus valley civilization.