Vocabulary
What is a dynasty?
Succession of rulers who all come from the same family
Who united the Egyptian Kingdoms and became the first Pharaoh?
King Menes
What were "red" and "black" lands in Egypt?
Black land - river valley, called that because it was covered in black mud from the Nile
Red lands - dry desert
When did Mesopotamian civilization begin and end?
3000BC - 539BC
What does "Mesopotamia" mean?
Land between rivers
What is a ziggurat?
Stepped pyramid in Mesopotamia, temples were built on top
What was the Pharaoh's role in society?
Ruler with absolute power, seen as a god with powers
What were the kingdoms that the first Pharaoh united? Where were they?
The Upper Kingdom in the south and the Lower Kingdom in the north.
What are the dates that mark the beginning and end of Ancient Egypt?
3100BC - 31BC
Why is the Nile River important for Ancient Egypt?
The water from the river helped them grow food and it was a means of communication
What is a sphinx?
Mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human
Who is Gilgamesh?
Mesopotamian hero, god, ruler of the city-state Uruk. Historical and Mythical
Where were the Pyramids in Egypt built?
In Lower Egypt in Giza
During what period of Egyptian history were the pyramids built?
The Old Kingdom
What three forms of writing are on the Rosetta Stone? What languages?
Writing - Hieroglyphics, Demotic, Ancient Greek
Languages - Egyptian and Greek
What is a scribe?
Official who could read, write, and count
What were the groups of Mesopotamian society?
Kings and Nobles
Priests
Officials - Scribes
Merchants
Craftspeople and Peasants
Slaves
Where did the earliest civilizations develop? Which rivers were they near?
Mesopotamia - Tigris and Euphrates
Egypt - Nile
India - Indus
China - Yangtze
How many periods of Egyptian history are there?
5 - 3 Kingdoms: Old, Middle, and New
2 periods of crisis
What is the Mesopotamian writing system called? How long ago was it first used?
Cuneiform
5,000 years ago/4th millennium BCE/3000s BCE
What is polytheism?
Belief in more than one god
Name 1 female pharaoh
Hatshepsut
Cleopatra (VII)
Sobekneferu
What are the geographical borders of Ancient Egypt?
West, South - Desert
East - Red Sea
North - Mediterranean Sea
How many periods of Mesopotamian history are there? Name them
5 - Sumer, Akkadian Empire, Babylonian Empire, Assyrian Empire, Neo-Babylonian Empire
What is the Code of Hammurabi?
One of the oldest codes of law, written in Babylon 1800BCE. Based on the idea of 'and eye for an eye'.