Africa culture Flashcards
Egypts ancient name
Misr
When was Egypt first settled
5000 B.C.
Why did Egyptian civilization develop?
Because of the Nile
Where is Egypt located?
Northeast of Africa, surrounded by natural barriers like deserts, mountains, the Mediterranean Sea.
What was the Nile used for?
- Drinking and bathing, they depended on annual flooding of the Nile.
- Agriculture, the nile provided rich soil, water, and helped invent new things like terrace farming, the plow
- Transportation, they used the river to transport items using boats, this also encouraged trade throughout Africa.
What was the role of a Pharaoh?
Pharaoh appointed governors.
Governors collected taxes and served as judges, made sure water was shared equally, etc.
What did Egyptians believe the Pharaoh was
The child of Ra, the sun god. They believed the Pharaoh gave life to them and worshipped the Pharaoh. One of the earliest forms of theocracy
What did scribes do?
- Pharaoh’s record keepers
- Very educated in writing, reading, and math
- Highly respected
- Only boys
- Only the scribes used hieroglyphics.
What was the social pyramid?
Where a person’s position in society was ranked off by their gender, profession, wealth. Slaves being the lowest, the Pharaoh being the highest.
What was slavery like in Egypt?
Slaves came from Nubia and Syria, they did the hard labor like mining gold, planting crops, working as servants, etc.
Slaves had the right to be treated properly and could even own property.
What was Kush?
Kingdom that had cultural impact on Egypt before 3200 BC. Located between modern day Egypt and Ethiopia, upper Nile. Much influenced by the Egyptians, the name “Kush” is the word for “gold”
How important is religion in Africa?
Explains what food to eat, ceremonies to celebrate, clothes to wear, work to do. Following these religions and traditions are very important. Ex, the Dama
Why is religion followed?
To keep the community safe
Belief in a spirit world in which the dead and spirits live.
Ancestral Worship.
Animism - religious beliefs that everything on earth contains a spirit or soul.
What do religious leaders do for the community?
Priests - Talk to the spirits and ancestors explaining the cause of problems in your life.
Diviners/Fortune Tellers - Help finding a solution to your physical and emotional problems.
Dancers - link between the spiritual and secular; the wearer becomes the spirit when they put on the mask.