Which contribution did the Mesopotamians make to the evolution of writing?
A.
They created the Phoenician alphabet, which used pictures to represent individual sounds.
B.
They developed a system of script known as cuneiform, which involved making marks on clay tablets.
C.
They developed a system of hieroglyphics, which used pictures to represent objects, ideas, and sounds.
D.
They created cave paintings, which led to the development of a system of symbols that represented words.
B.
They developed a system of script known as cuneiform, which involved making marks on clay tablets.
The correct answer is B. The Mesopotamians developed a system of script known as cuneiform, which involved making marks on clay tablets.
The correct answer is B. The Mesopotamians contributed to the evolution of writing by developing a system of script known as cuneiform, which involved making marks on clay tablets.
To arrive at this answer, we can eliminate options A, C, and D as they are not accurate descriptions of the Mesopotamians' contribution to writing.
Option A, which mentions the creation of the Phoenician alphabet, is incorrect because the Phoenician alphabet did not originate from the Mesopotamians. The Phoenician alphabet developed later in the ancient Near East, influenced by earlier writing systems, including cuneiform.
Option C, which states that the Mesopotamians developed a system of hieroglyphics, is also incorrect. Hieroglyphics were actually developed by the ancient Egyptians, not the Mesopotamians.
Option D, suggesting that the Mesopotamians created cave paintings that led to the development of symbols representing words, is not accurate either. Cave paintings have been found in various parts of the world, but they do not directly connect to the development of writing systems such as cuneiform.
Therefore, the correct answer is B. The Mesopotamians' contribution to the evolution of writing was the development of a script known as cuneiform, which involved making marks on clay tablets. Cuneiform was one of the earliest known writing systems and played a significant role in recording economic, administrative, and literary texts in ancient Mesopotamia.