Geography of Ancient Egypt
What is the name of the river that was the lifeline of ancient Egyptian civilization, flooding annually to enrich the soil?
The Nile River
What did ancient Egyptians build to control water from the Nile to their crops?
Irrigation systems/irrigation canals.
The king of ancient Egypt, considered both a ruler and a god, was known as the _____.
Pharaoh
Egyptians believed in many gods--what is the name of their religion?
Polytheistic
Who is the female pharaoh who used trade and building projects to strengthen Egypt’s economy?
Queen Hatshepsut
The triangular area where the Nile meets the Mediterranean Sea is called the _____.
Nile Delta
Because of the Nile’s predictable flooding, Egyptians developed this kind of time-keeping tool to plan planting & harvest.
365 day calendar
Which social class did soldiers belong in?
Middle class
What is the process of preserving the body that Egyptians developed called?
Mummification
What pharaoh is often called “the Great” because of his military conquests and long rule?
Ramses the Great/Ramses II
What were the two broad regions of Ancient Egypt known as?
Hint: How was Egypt divided?
Upper and Lower Egypt
Name one way geography (flooding, fertile soil) impacted economic growth in ancient Egypt.
fertile soil allowed more crops → surpluses, trade
What was different about the social classes in Ancient Egypt compared to Mesopotamia?
You could rise or fall in the social class system in Ancient Egypt.
What massive stone structures served as tombs for pharaohs and as a symbol of eternal power?
Pyramids
What young king’s tomb discovery in modern times greatly increased our knowledge of ancient Egypt?
King Tutankhamun (King Tut)
This sea lies to the east of ancient Egypt and was one of the boundaries of the civilization.
The Red Sea
The desert and seas acted as natural barriers. Why was that helpful to ancient Egypt’s economy and security?
They helped protect Egypt from many invasions and allowed stable growth of trade.
Unlike many ancient civilizations, Egypt allowed certain individuals to rise in social status through education or skill. Give one example of a role or job that allowed a person to improve their social standing and explain how.
Becoming a scribe, priest, or skilled artisan could allow someone to rise in status. By gaining literacy or specialized skills, an individual could serve the government or temples, earn respect, and move into a higher social class.
Name two achievements of ancient Egypt that are still admired today (from Chapter 7).
hieroglyphics, papyrus, the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx, monumental architecture
The process by which cultural ideas and goods move from one civilization to another is called _____.
Cultural Diffusion
Egypt’s location connected Africa, the Mediterranean world, and the Middle East. How did this benefit Egyptian society and culture?
Egypt became wealthy because it was trading with neighboring civilizations on different continents. They imported goods from neighboring civilizations that they could not get from their own civilization.
How did the invention of the shaduf improve Egyptian agriculture?
It allowed Egyptians to water their crops by lowering it into the river and pouring the collected water into the irrigation canals to water their crops.
Explain how the scribes’ role helped maintain Egypt’s government and culture.
Scribes kept records of taxes, laws, trade, and religious rituals. Their writing preserved history and kept the government organized, helping Egypt stay strong and united.
Why were tombs filled with possessions, food, and treasures, and what does this tell us about Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife?
Egyptians believed the dead would need their belongings in the afterlife. This shows they viewed life after death as a continuation of earthly life and deeply valued preparation for it.
Ancient Egyptian ideas and inventions spread to other civilizations through trade and conquest. Name one Egyptian achievement that influenced other cultures and explain how it was used or adapted elsewhere.
Embalming, Calendar, Irrigation, Medicine, Surgery, Funeral Processes