Random Mode Keyboard shortcut: Command/Ctrl + Shift + R
thumbnail

The 3rd Millennium BC

Descend deep into the mists of time. Can you guess these facts about the years 2001 BC–3000 BC?
The first one is apocryphal
Quiz by Quizmaster
Rate:
Last updated: September 7, 2023
You have not attempted this quiz yet.
First submittedSeptember 7, 2023
Times taken8,896
Average score66.7%
Rating4.66
5:00
Enter your answer here:
0
 / 15 guessed
The quiz is paused. You have remaining.
Scoring
You scored / = %
This beats or equals % of test takers also scored 100%
The average score is
Your high score is
Your fastest time is
Keep scrolling down for answers and more stats ...
Year
Description
Answer
c. 2070 BC
Yu the Great establishes the Xia dynasty, the first dynasty of this country
China
c. 2100 BC
The earliest poems from this Sumerian epic are written
Epic of Gilgamesh
c. 2100 BC
The ancient Mesopotamians invent this subdivision of time
Week
c. 2100 BC
This city in modern-day Iraq may be the first in history to achieve
a population of 100,000 (hint: two letters)
Ur
c. 2100 BC
The above city starts building this massive, terraced building thought
to serve a religious purpose (hint: starts with Z)
Great Ziggurat
c. 2150 BC
This city, also known as Thebes, becomes the capital of Egypt
Luxor
before
2200 BC
This civilization on the island of Crete begins maritime
trade with Egypt and Syria
Minoan
c. 2200 BC
The first Austronesian people depart from this island country near
mainland Asia. In the next 3500 years they would settle much of Oceania.
Taiwan
c. 2300s
This ruler conquers the Sumerian city-states, creating history's first empire
Sargon of Akkad
2500s BC
This Ancient Wonder of the World is constructed in Giza
Great Pyramid
2500s BC
This 73 meter long statue of a mythical creature is built near the above
The Great Sphinx
c. 2600 BC
Caral, the oldest city in the Americas, is constructed in this modern-day country
Peru
before
2600 BC
Large urban settlements develop in this river valley in modern-day Pakistan
Indus Valley
c. 2700 BC
The tomb of Seth-Peribsen is constructed. It contains the earliest
known complete sentence using this Egyptian writing system.
Hieroglyphics
c. 3000 BC
Construction of this famous British monument begins
Stonehenge
+4
Level 80
Sep 7, 2023
This one was tough. Not much of this I learned in school.
+4
Level 77
Sep 7, 2023
Love the series. It makes me happy to use my ancient history knowledge for the first time in year!
+3
Level 79
Sep 7, 2023
Agree, thank you for these.

Avebury was also built in the 3rd millennium BC though, it's the largest megalithic stone circle in the world and a World Heritage Site so shld be an acceptable answer.

+2
Level 74
Sep 7, 2023
Thank you for the quiz. Newgrange in Ireland/Eire is also I think of this era. If adding to the quiz that could be included.
+2
Level 83
Jan 3, 2024
4th Millennium BC I think!
+4
Level 88
Sep 7, 2023
The ancient Mesopotamians also invented hours, minutes, weeks, months ... That question is too vague (in my opinion).
+4
Level ∞
Sep 7, 2023
I just did some research.

* Minutes were invented by al-Biruni around 1000 AD.

* A 24 hour day was first used in the 2nd century BC, possibly introduced by Hipparchus. An earlier version of hours was introduced in the Near East in the 2nd millennium BC that divided the day and night into 12 segments, the length of which changed with the seasons.

* The month, on the other hand, dates to the earliest calendars as far back as 8000 BC, such as the Warren Field calendar which tracks lunar months.

So the week is clearly the best answer. That said, I'm willing to consider other answers if evidence is provided. Any historians want to chime in?

+1
Level 83
Sep 8, 2023
Not an historian, but agree with QM. It seems that although a sexagesimal system dates back to the Babylonians, they didn't base it on the hour and therefore didn't have anything approximating a modern minute.
+2
Level 70
Sep 8, 2023
Was kinda hoping the ruler of the first empire would be a name like "Dave," "Gary," or maybe even "Cheryl". Sargon sounds like he came about becoming emperor via a magical ring of power.
+2
Level 69
Jan 4, 2024
Unfortunately, Gary of Kish did not rise to power until a few years later.
+1
Level 87
Sep 8, 2023
Yay, more ancient history!
+6
Level 79
Sep 10, 2023
Please accept Waset for Thebes, because that's what the Egyptians called their city. Luxor is the modern city near the ancient city's location. The question would be better worded to ask for the name of the modern city which was the ancient capital of Egypt.
+1
Level 67
Sep 13, 2023
Tried everything like day, hour, minute, year, month, etc. except for week 😑
+1
Level 79
Oct 17, 2023
How do 69% of people know 'Gilgamesh' 😂
+1
Level 68
Dec 1, 2023
13/15, I only did not know “Ziggurat” and “Sargon”.
+4
Level 52
Jan 3, 2024
Love these quizzes about history per era, is it an idea to combine these in a badge? Would also help to easily locate all these quizzes in a central location
+1
Level 60
Jan 7, 2024
I think it would be better suited to a series than a badge.
+1
Level 49
Jan 4, 2024
I typed in sphinx multiple times and it somehow didn't register lol...
+1
Level 68
Jan 4, 2024
Amusing to think that the British discovered stacking rocks on each other was cool in the same millennium as literal empires were being created.
+4
Level 56
Jan 4, 2024
Well, seven centuries before! And Stonehenge wasn't the first stone circle by any means. I suppose it's only because these things are so long ago we ignore the intervening centuries. It's like someone in the year 7024 looking back and saying "amusing to think how the Germans were inventing the printing press in the same millennium that people were literally sending emails"... (and that's only a 550-year gap)
+2
Level 22
Jan 5, 2024
I only knew of Sargon of Akkad because of that insufferable youtube guy who goes by the same name.
+1
Level 64
Jan 22, 2024
Sadly same. As soon as I see "of Akkad", I instantly know the name.
+1
Level 33
Jan 7, 2024
i can't believe my daufher and i were able to beat 42$ of people when we barely knew any of it. really it was me doin the quiz but my daughter has to type it since the font of this sight is so small... yu the great.... no, YOU The great LOL...;)

laos, cant believ the stonehenge is now 3k tousand years old... we use to play on it when we were young, healthy... fit... free.... oh sweet, and we were youth... wasted on the young...... but im still hyougn haha!

+1
Level 69
Jan 19, 2024
Now waiting for the 4th millennium BC quiz - I hope it will contain Maltese neolithic temple complex of Ggantija - long considered to be the oldest free-standing structure in the world. Or the Hypogeum Hal Saflieni - megalithic temple built... underground. Both are really impressive