ancient egypt

• What is the civilization of Ancient Egypt known for?

  An insular civilization of 2500 years
• What river is central to Ancient Egypt's geography?

  The Nile River
• Why are deserts significant to Ancient Egypt?

  They served as natural barriers against invaders
• What are the three kingdoms of Ancient Egypt?

  • Old Kingdom
  • Middle Kingdom
  • New Kingdom
• Who referred to Egypt as the "gift of the Nile"?

  Herodotus
• What are the primary functions of the Nile River in Ancient Egypt?

  Transportation and source of irrigation
• What is the religious belief system of Ancient Egypt?

  Polytheistic
• Who is considered the chief god of Ancient Egypt?

  Amon-Re
• What role did Osiris play in Ancient Egyptian religion?

  He was the ruler of the Nile and spirit of the dead
• What is the significance of the heart weighing lighter than a feather in Ancient Egyptian belief?

  It determines if a person can live in paradise after death
• What is mummification in Ancient Egypt?

  The preservation of the body for the soul to inhabit in the afterlife
• What is the process of embalming in mummification called?

  Ut
• What happens to the organs during mummification?


  They are placed in canopic jars
• How long is the body soaked in natron during mummification?

  40 days
• What are pyramids a symbol of in Ancient Egypt?

  They symbolize the grandeur of Ancient Egypt and serve as tombs
• What replaced pyramids as tombs for royals due to costs?

  The Valley of the Kings
• What is a theocracy?

  A system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god
• Who was the ruler of Ancient Egypt worshipped as the god Horus?

  The Pharaoh
• What is hieroglyphics?

  A system of writing that used pictures/symbols standing for sounds
• Who were the specially educated people who mastered hieroglyphics?

  Scribes
• What is the Rosetta Stone?

  A stone inscribed with three types of writing: Greek, Demotic Egyptian, and Hieroglyphics
• Why is the Rosetta Stone significant?

  It was the key to deciphering hieroglyphics
• What are the two regions of Ancient Egypt?

  • Upper Egypt: in the South near Sudan, centered in Thebes
  • Lower Egypt: in the North near the Mediterranean Sea, centered in Memphis
• What characterized the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt?

  It was known as the Age of Pyramids
• What materials were used in the construction of pyramids?

  Limestone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each
• Who designed the Step Pyramid in Saqqara?

  Imhotep
• What was the First Intermediate Period characterized by?

  A time of civil wars due to the fall of central authority
• What marked the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt?

  Reestablishment of central authority in Thebes and irrigation projects
• Which regions did the military campaigns of the Middle Kingdom target?

  Nubia, Libya, Sinai, Palestine, and Syria
• What change occurred regarding mummification during the Middle Kingdom?

  Ordinary people were allowed to be mummified
• Who defeated the Hyksos during the New Kingdom?

  Ahmose I
• What was the Age of Empire in the New Kingdom characterized by?

  Expansion of territory through military conquest
• Who ruled and captured Nubia and North Sudan during the New Kingdom?

  Thutmose III
• What was Hatshepsut's significance in the New Kingdom?

  She proclaimed herself as pharaoh and was later forced out
• What was the zenith of Egyptian rule marked by?

  Amenhotep III receiving gifts from Babylonia
• Who was the heretic pharaoh during the New Kingdom?

  Akhenaton
• Who succeeded Akhenaton as pharaoh?

  King Tutankhamen
• What did Rameses II accomplish during his reign?

  He reclaimed Palestine and engaged with the Hittites
• What happened to the Hebrews during the New Kingdom?

  They were set free to go to their promised land
• Which empire conquered Egypt after the New Kingdom?

  The Persians