Ancient Civilizations: Cities, Monuments and Writing

Sumerians, Egyptians, Maya and Incas: explore the great ancient civilizations that invented writing, laws and monumental cities.

8 questions4 minMediumKnowledge

What's inside this quiz

8 questions in the Geography & History category, about 4 min. Here are the questions you'll answer — correct answers and explanations appear as you play.

See the questions

Which ancient people founded the city of Carthage in North Africa?
Which civilization built Machu Picchu in the Andes?
The Great Pyramid of Giza was built for which pharaoh?
Which ancient Greek city-state was famous for its strict military training?
Chichén Itzá, with its famous stepped pyramid, was a city of which civilization?
The Code of Hammurabi, one of the oldest written law codes, comes from which ancient city?
Mohenjo-daro was a major city of which civilization?
Which writing system did the ancient Egyptians use on monuments?

Instructions

Choose the correct answer for each question about the ancient world. Explanations follow every answer.

Ancient Civilizations: Cities, Monuments and Writing

Who founded Carthage, which civilization built Machu Picchu, and whose name belongs with the Great Pyramid of Giza? This quiz explores civilizations through the cities, monuments, laws and writing systems featured in eight questions. Its range stretches from Phoenician settlers and Egyptian pharaohs to Maya cities and the Inca, with stops in Sparta, Babylon and the Indus Valley. You will practise matching places to peoples, distinguishing rulers from civilizations, and recognizing the historical significance of a law code or a writing system. The questions also invite you to separate sites that can be confused, such as Machu Picchu and Chichén Itzá. Choose one answer for each question, then read the accompanying explanation for context. These explanations add details such as the approximate date of Hammurabi’s code, the drainage systems at Mohenjo-daro, and the role of the Rosetta Stone in deciphering hieroglyphs. The appeal lies in connecting familiar names with specific places and achievements, rather than simply recognizing them.

What you will learn

Match Carthage to the Phoenicians, Machu Picchu to the Inca, and Chichén Itzá to the Maya.
Connect the Great Pyramid of Giza with Khufu and the Code of Hammurabi with Babylon.
Identify Sparta’s military education and the advanced drainage systems of Mohenjo-daro in the Indus Valley civilization.
Recognize Egyptian hieroglyphs and the Rosetta Stone’s role in Champollion’s decipherment in 1822.

Frequently asked questions

How do Machu Picchu and Chichén Itzá differ in this quiz?: Machu Picchu is an Inca site in the Andes, built in the 15th century, probably for Emperor Pachacuti. Chichén Itzá was a major Maya city on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, known here for its stepped pyramid.
Which city is associated with the Code of Hammurabi?: Babylon. King Hammurabi issued the code around 1754 BC, and the quiz identifies it as one of the oldest written law codes.
What does the quiz explain about Egyptian hieroglyphs?: Hieroglyphs were used on ancient Egyptian monuments. The explanation adds that the Rosetta Stone helped Jean-François Champollion decipher them in 1822.