Gift of the Nile
People in Ancient Egypt
The Afterlife
Culture in Ancient Egypt
Vocabulary
100
The Nile River _______ is an area of fertile soil at the mouth of the river.
What is delta?
100
What is a system in a structured society where power is ranked?
What is a social hierarchy?
100
What is a deity?
What is a god or goddess believed to control nature and humans.
100
A pharoah's __________ would be placed in a ___________, a stone coffin decorated with engravings and sculptures.
What is mummy and sarcophagus?
100
Ancient Egypt is an example of an ancient ________________, a complex society with a form of government, religion, art, writing system, and organized social structure.
What is a civilization?
200
Because of these steep rapids formed by cliffs and boulders in the Nile River, large ships can only use the last 650 miles where it flows through Egypt.
What are cataracts?
200
Pharaohs in ancient Egypt were an example of a _________, where a single ruler had supreme power. Rulers would pass the ruling power from father to son to grandson. This would create a __________ meaning a line of rulers from one family.
What is a monarch and dynasty?
200
Mummies were placed in a _____________, a stone coffin decorated with engravings and artwork.
What is a sarcophagus?
200
Explain at least three things that led to the development of government in ancient Egypt.
What is advances in farming, crafts, and trade led to the development of government in ancient Egypt.
200
This is a salt like substance used to preserve bodies in the mummification process.
What is natron?
300
This resource grew on the banks of the Nile. It known primarily for its use in making paper, but Egyptians also used it to make items like baskets, sandals, and rafts.
What is papyrus?
300
What rights did women have in ancient Egypt?
What is...women in Egypt had more rights than females in most other early civilizations. Egyptian women could own and pass on property. They could also obtain divorces and buy and sell goods. Noble women were often in charge of temples and could perform certain ceremonies. Notable Egyptian women include Nefertiti, Hatshepsut and Cleopatra.
300
Who and why did the Egyptians mummify?
What is...Only pharaohs or nobles would receive the process of mummification. Egyptians believed that a dead persons ka or spirit would follow them into the afterlife. The pharaohs ka needed a body to make it to the afterlife. In order to protect the pharaohs body from decay, Egyptians preserved the body through embalming and mummification.
300
Describe the Egyptian writing system.
What is the Egyptians developed their own system of writing called hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics are made up of hundreds of picture symbols. Symbols stood for sounds, letters, objects and ideas. Hieroglyphics were carved onto tombs and walls or written on papyrus.
300
What are amulets and what was their use?
What is small objects or jewelry people believed would offer protection or power. These tokens were placed over a mummy in the sarcophagus or worn daily.
400
Compare the geography of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.
What is...Mesopotamian civilization depended on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The flooding of these rivers was unpredictable and posed a constant threat to the people. They had few natural defenses because the surrounding land was flat mud plains. Ancient Egyptian civilization depended on the Nile River. Floods in the Nile were predictable and not feared. Egypt had many natural defenses including the Nile delta, deserts and river cataracts.
400
Describe the structure of Egyptian society.
What is Egyptian society was highly structured. The social hierarchy made a pyramid. At the top of the pyramid were the pharaoh and his family. Below that were the priests, nobles, and military commanders. Below this were middle class Egyptians like traders, artisans, and scribes. Farmers and unskilled workers made up the largest group at the bottom. Slaves were also at the bottom of the social hierarchy.
400
Explain the process of embalming and mummification.
What is the process of preserving a dead body for the afterlife. Organs would be removed from the body and stored in canopic jars. Natron, a salt like substance used as a preservative, would be applied to dry it out. Then the body would be filled with spices and perfumes and be stitched closed. The body would be washed with oils and wrapped in long strips of linen.
400
What is the legacy of King Tut?
What is King Tut's legacy is known from the discovery of his tomb. Tut was a boy king who was not well known and played a small role in Egyptian history is now the most famous Egyptian pharaoh. The discovery of his intact tomb and the mystery surrounding the curse and his early death create an interesting historical legacy.
400
What is a scarab and what is its importance to Egyptians?
What is a dung beetle sacred to Egyptians. It represented the creator god.
500
Why is Egyptian civilization often called "The Gift of the Nile"?
What is...Egyptian civilization is often called "The Gift of the Nile" because of the many resources it provided. The ancient Egyptians used the Nile for trade and transportation. Egyptians used the Nile to transport goods and people from village to village and enjoyed friendly relations with one another. The Nile also provided fertile soil for farming. The Egyptians also used a system of irrigation to water their crops using the Nile's flood waters. Resources from the Nile helped Egyptian civilization grow.
500
Describe the roles and responsibilities of the pharaoh. Also, explain how the pharaoh obtained his power.
What is...the pharaoh was an all powerful ruler. Pharaoh means "great house" and the pharaohs word was law and was to be obeyed without question. Pharaohs were considered to be a god on earth. Because of this belief, Egyptians worshiped and respected pharaohs. He performed religious rituals, was the head of the Egyptian army, and ruled over the kingdom.
500
What was the purpose of the pyramids? What did the usually contain and how were they built?
What is the purpose of the pyramids was to provide a tomb for dead pharaohs. The tombs were huge stone structures built to protect the pharaohs bodies from grave robbers, floods, and animals. The pyramid contained items pharaohs would need for the afterlife including food, clothing, jewelry, furniture, and and other supplies. Pyramids were built by thousands of people over many years. They are made of limestone and granite.
500
The pharaoh _________ tried to upset Egyptian religion. How and why did he do this, and what was the result?
Who is Amenhotep/Akhenaton. This pharaoh tried to introduce a new religion that would do away with the different Egyptian gods and goddesses. Instead, only one god, Aton would be worshiped. Akhenaton was attempting to take away power from the priests. Egyptians refused to accept Aton as the only god.
500
Identify three symbols of the pharaohs power and explain the meaning of each.
What is...uraeus, a decorative coiled cobra worn on the crown of a pharaoh; crook, curved staff used by sheperds, represents how the pharaoh guides the Egyptian people; flail, used to represent the punishments that are necessary to keep order. All three symbols represent royal power.
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