Grade 7 · Social Studies · Unit 6 of 6
Inventions & Timelines
Writing, wheels and BCE/CE
What your child practises
Writing systems, the wheel, aqueducts, paper, concrete and other innovations, plus timeline skills: ordering BCE and CE dates, finding the years between BCE dates, and naming centuries.
BC Curriculum learning standard: Technologies and innovations of ancient civilizations; chronology using BCE and CE
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Put these events on a timeline, earliest first.
- 🔤about 1050 BCE: The Phoenician alphabet develops
- 🌽about 250 CE: The Maya Classic period begins
- ⚖️about 1754 BCE: Hammurabi's laws are carved in stone
- 🐂about 3500 BCE: Wheels are used in Mesopotamia
Show answer
about 3500 BCE: Wheels are used in Mesopotamia → about 1754 BCE: Hammurabi's laws are carved in stone → about 1050 BCE: The Phoenician alphabet develops → about 250 CE: The Maya Classic period begins
Hint: BCE years count down toward year 1, so 3000 BCE is earlier than 500 BCE. After that, CE years count up: 100 CE is earlier than 600 CE.
Question 2
The Archimedes screw, named after a Greek inventor, was used to…
- send messages over long distances
- tell the time
- lift water uphill for irrigation
- carve stone statues
Show answer
lift water uphill for irrigation
Hint: Turning a screw inside a tube scoops water up from a river or ditch.
Question 3
What does BCE stand for?
- Beginning of Civilization Era
- Before the Common Era
- British Calendar Era
- Before Current Events
Show answer
Before the Common Era
Hint: BCE years count down toward year 1. CE (Common Era) years count up from year 1.
Question 4
Why did the Romans build aqueducts?
🏛️- To carry fresh water to cities from far away
- To defend cities from attacks
- To hold chariot races
- To store grain for the winter
Show answer
To carry fresh water to cities from far away
Hint: Aqueducts used a gentle downhill slope so gravity moved the water to fountains, baths and homes.
Question 5
The Maya developed an advanced number system. What did it include?
🌽- letters instead of numbers
- no numbers above ten
- only even numbers
- a symbol for zero
Show answer
a symbol for zero
Hint: The Maya were among the first peoples to use zero, which helped with their detailed calendars.
Question 6
A museum has a glass bead made in 2350 BCE and a copper coin made in 700 BCE. How many years older is the glass bead?
Museum labels Artifact Made in glass bead 2350 BCE copper coin 700 BCE answer boxyears
Show answer
1650 years
Hint: BCE years count down toward year 1, so the bigger BCE number is older. Subtract: 2350 − 700.