Ancient Egypt

What is a Sphinx? What did it represent? What did it look like?

A Sphinx is a large stone statue carved to protect important buildings. They represented the greatness of pharaohs. A sphinx usually had the body of a lion and head of a human, hawk, or ram.

What is a nomarchy? Why did ancient Egypt have 42 nomarchs?

A nomarchy is like a governor of a district. There were 42 nomarchs because Egypt was divided into 42 districts.

How many seasons did ancient Egypt experience? When did the Egyptians calendar begin?

Ancient Egypt experienced three seasons, based on the yearly cycle of the Nile. The Egyptians year began in July.

How was ancient Egypt divided? What did ancient Egyptians call their home?

Ancient Egypt was originally divided into two kingdoms, Upper and Lower Egypt. Egyptians called their home "Two Lands."

What did Egyptians call their rulers? What did Egyptians believe their rulers to be?

Ancient Egyptians called their rulers pharaohs. They believed that pharaohs were living gods.

What was another capital city of ancient Egypt?

Another capital city of ancient Egypt was Thebes.

What was another name for ancient Egypt? What did it mean? Why did people give ancient Egypt that name?

Another name for ancient Egypt was Kemet, which means "black land." People gave Egypt this name because of the rich black soil along the Nile River.

Ancient Egyptian art was usually created for several reasons. What were they?

Art appeared on religious buildings and ceremonies to honor gods, goddesses, and pharaohs. Tomb walls were painted with historical events, and military victories. Some paintings were of real historical events while others were fictional.

What did boys attending temple schools study to become? What subjects did these young boys study in the temple schools? If they finished 7 years of this difficult school, what would happen?

Boys attending temple schools studied to become scribes or army officers. They studied math, law, history, and geography. When they finished, they would be rewarded with a good job at the temple or in the royal court.

How was Egypt divided? What were they called? What did each have?

Egypt was divided into smaller territories called nomes. Each nome had their own capital.

What type of fabric was used to make Egyptian clothing? What was it made from?

Egyptian clothing was made from linen. Linen was made from fibers of the flax plant.

What did Egyptians believe every pharaoh possessed?

Egyptians believed that every pharaoh had superhuman wisdom and power.

How did ancient Egyptians treat pharaohs?

Egyptians treated pharaohs as if they were all-powerful gods on Earth.

Why was the flooding of the Nile River so important?

Flooding of the Nile River was so important because flooding would cause rich soil to be deposited along the banks of the river, creating green grasslands where people could grow crops.

Which Queen became the first female pharaoh? What type of trade expeditions did she commission?

Hatshepsut became the first female pharaoh. She commissioned trade expeditions to bring exotic goods to Egypt.

What do historians believe the total population of ancient Egypt would have been?

Historians believe the total population was probably about 4 million.

Who was responsible for raising the children?

In lower class families, the mother was responsible for raising the children. However, in wealthier families, servants or slaves helped with child rearing.

What did men specifically wear? What did women specifically wear? What did they BOTH wear?

Men of ancient Egypt specifically wore a simple loincloth or wrapped kilt. Women usually wore a simple sleeveless shift dress. Both men and women wore sandals, only when necessary, and wigs made of either human hair or wool, jeweled collars, and other elaborate jewelry.

Who was considered to be ancient Egypt's first pharaoh? What two things was he credited with doing? Why did he wear a double crown?

Menes was considered to be the first pharaoh. He was known for starting the first dynasty and for uniting Upper and Lower Egypt. He wore a double crown to symbolize unification of Egypt.

At what age did most boys and girls get married in ancient Egypt?

Most boys and girls married between the ages of 12 and 14.

Where did most commoners of ancient Egypt live? Where did the wealthy live?

Most commoners lived in cramped villages, while the wealthy lived in estates.

Most men in ancient Egypt were part of what profession? What did most women do?

Most men in ancient Egypt were farmers. Most women worked at home, caring for the home and family.

Why did most people wear makeup in ancient Egypt?

Most people, men, women, and children, work makeup to protect their skin from the sun.

Ancient Egyptians were credited for giving us the first known __________?

National government

Who went to school in ancient Egypt? What did people study in school?

Only boys of wealthy families went to school. They would study religion, writing, reading, and arithmetic.

What was made from papyrus? Where did papyrus grow?

Paper was made from the papyrus plant. Papyrus grew in harshly areas along the Nile River.

If you did not attend school what would you be doing as a child?

Peasant children helped their parents in the field. If you were a son of a craftsman, you would learn your father's trade. Girls would stay home and learn about homemaking from their mothers.

If ancient Egyptians did not have a monetary system (coins & bills), how did they pay their taxes and for things they needed?

People paid in goods (usually crops) and services (such as serving in the military or helping to build a monument).

List the social classes of ancient Egypt in order from greatest power to least power.

Pharaoh, Viziers, Overseers, Nomarchs, Scribes, Craftworkers, Farmers

How did pharaohs get their leadership position?

Pharaohs inherited their leadership position.

What were the responsibilities of pharaohs?

Pharaohs were supreme rulers who issued laws, ran the army, managed the economy, and generally handled all other aspects of Egyptian society.

Which pharaoh was believed to have been one of the most powerful pharaohs ever? How long did he rule? How many children did he have?

Ramses II was believed to have been one of the most powerful pharaohs ever. He ruled fro 66 years and had over 100 children.

Why was the Nile River the main road in ancient Road?

Roads could not be built on sandy desert or in places that flooded every year, so the Nile River was the main road.

Why were scribes so important?

Scribes were so important because they were Egypt's writers and recordkeepers.

PRE-AP ONLY Explain why Egypt has been described as "the gift of the Nile." Use two details from our studies of ancient Egypt to support your answer.

The Egyptian civilization was shaped by its close proximity to a river. The Nile served as an avenue for transportation and irrigation. Almost all Egyptians lived in the narrow belt and the fan shaped delta of fertile land shaped by the Nile.

How did the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt grow enormously rich?

The New Kingdom grew very rich by trading in gold and controlling Asian mines.

Which direction does the Nile River flow? What does the Nile River flow in to?

The Nile River flows North and empties into the Mediterranean Sea.

What was the most significant source of recreation in ancient Egypt? What activities would people participate in?

The Nile River was the most significant source of recreation. People would fish, sail, swim, and play games along the Nile.

What is ancient Egyptian system of writing called?

The ancient Egyptians system of writing was called hieroglyphics.

How long did the kingdom of ancient Egypt last?

The kingdom of ancient Egypt lasted for 3,000 years.

Who was the last ruler of ancient Egypt? What happened to her?

The last rule of ancient Egypt was Cleopatra VII. She committed suicide by allowing herself to be bit by a poisonous snake.

The most familiar ancient Egyptian style of drawing was known as what? What did it symbolize?

The most familiar style of drawing in ancient Egypt was known as frontalism. Frontalism symbolized respect.

What was the original capital of ancient Egypt? What is the present day capital of Egypt?

The original capital of ancient Egypt was Memphis. This current capital is Cairo.

What does the word Pharaoh mean?

The word pharaoh mean "great house."

Young boys in ancient Egypt kept one lock of hair up until about the age of 12. What was this lock of hair called?

This lock of hair was called the lock of youth.

Regardless if you were rich or poor, what would you do to keep cool in ancient Egypt?

To keep cool in the summers, Egyptians would often sleep on their roofs.

Which pharaoh became the leader of Egypt at age 9 and died at age 18? How was his tomb found? Who was given credit for discovering his tomb?

Tutankamen became pharaoh at age 9. His tomb was found virtually undamaged. It was discovered by a man named Howard Carter in 1922.

What were the responsibilities of a vizier?

Viziers had to control reservoirs and the food supply, supervise the biannual census, control the collection of taxes, be the head of the court system, and much more.

papyrus

a plant that grew along the banks of the Nile River; was used for many things but is best known for being made into paper

obelisk

a tall, slender, four sided stone pillar shaped from a single stone with a small pyramid on top; hieroglyphics were usually carved on it

delta

a triangular shaped piece of rich land that forms at the mouth of a river

Artifact

an object made or modified by humans; items from ancient times

silt

fine particles of soil that helped make soil very fertile for growing crops; carried along and deposited by moving or running water

Egyptologist

person who studies the ancient language, history, customs, and building of Egypt

dynasty

rulers who are all members of the same family