Ancient Egypt Flashcards
Why was the NIle so important to the Egyptians?
- provided fertile land to grow crops
- sustainable food source
- plants and animas to thrive
What were the stages of the inundation ?
- It rose in June with green coloured water
- In June the waters were thick and muddy
- In September the flood peaked
- By may the river had dropped to its lowest level
Why was the Pharoah the most important and powerful person in Egyptian society?
- he had rule over all people
- had the duty of looking after all of Egypt and protecting them from things like invaders
- He made all decisions and maintained order
What is the difference between a cult temple and a funerary temple?
Cult temples have images of gods/goddesses
Funerary temples were shrines for pharaohs
What is the order of the Egyptian social class?
Pharaohs Nobels-Officials-Preists Merchants and scribes Craft workers and scribes Peasants Slaves
Why was the afterlife referred to as the field of reeds?
-an area located along the Nile called the Busiris. It was a part of the Nile filed with waterfalls wide meadows and plenty of birds and plant life. The afterlife was suppose to be effortless and relaxing.
What are the reasons for holding a funerals procession?
So the deceased could make it to the afterlife.
Why did tombs go under ground in the New kingdom period?
Went underground as pyramids were easy targets for tomb robbers.
Name three points about Hatshepsut.
- she wore male regalia for example a ceremonial face beard
- she ruled for 22 years
- longest rule of any female pharaoh
Name three points about Ramses II .
- He ruled for 67 years
- He had many building projects e.g Ramesseum
- He is well kwon for the battle he fought against Kadesh and signed the first peace treaty in HIstory
Define the term Egyptomania.
The fascination with Ancient Egypt and its appearance .
Why was Egypt a popular tourist destination?
-as mummy movies and it’s sequels demonstrated that Ancient Egypt still has a mysterious and romantic appeal.
What are the two main rivers in china?
- Yangtzi
- Huang He
What where the natural borders of China?
- Gobi desert ,Mongolian plains (north)
- Mountain ranges, dense jungles of south east Asia (south)
- Pacific ocean (east)
- Himalayan mountains (west)
What is the climate in the north of china like and what do they grow?
- In summer its mild and in winter its very cold
- They grow millet and wheat
What was the climate like in the South of China and what did they grow?
- It was wet and warm
- They grew rice and mulberry trees ( which were a food source for silk worms from which silk was made)
Which was the lowest social class in china and what did they usually work as?
It was slaves and they. Worked on construction sites , were household servants and the women often worked in the imperial palace.
What was the government officials job?
- inforce the emperors laws
- collected taxes
- managed public works
- reputed information to the emperor ( natural disasters and needs of the people)
What was the Mandate of Heaven?
When The emperor was chosen by haven and had the Mandate of Heaven.
Why were the rivers so important for china but also deadly at the same time?
- main channels of communication and transport
- flood left behind fertile silt that helped crops grow
- location of the first settlements
- deadly for the ones that lived along it
- millions died from the flood and from the famines that followed
What was kowtowing?
People had to kneel and touch the ground with their head as an action to show obedience and respect.
How much of the population did peasants make up of the Chinese population?
90%
Which philosophy taught the yin and yang and what did it stand for and what was the idea behind it?
- Laozi ( daoism)
- the two sides of nature-light and dark
- the idea was that people needed to have balance in their lives
Why were artisans highly respected?
They made things by hand like pottery and jewellery
How could the emperor lose the Mandate of Heaven?
- If there was a series of natural disasters
- If a series of wars didn’t go well
What were government officials in China also known as?
Scholar gentry
which was the least respected class in china and why?
It was merchants and traders as they didnt make things by hand they just sold other peoples products.
Where women regarded equal to men in China?
No
What are five facts about women Ancient China?
- rich men had multiple wives and this was called polygamy
- having more than wife was a sign of wealth
- the first wife was the most important had was in charge of the other wives
- the women lived in a special part of the house protected by eunuchs (these men were very trusted)
- The emperor had multiple wives and concubines
What did Confucianism teach?
- to preserve harmonious relationships with family members
- you must be loyal and obedient to your elders or betters
- emperor should care for his people in the same way that a father cares for his children
- government officials should be chosen on merit and ability
How long was Confucianism a major philosophy for?
200 years
How much did peasents have to pay tax of their produce?
20%
What does daoism teach?
-living in harmony with nature was important and would lead to happiness (called Dao the ‘way’)
what teachings were daoism based on ?
Laozi
Name three key points about women in Ancient Egypt.
- they had the same legal status as men
- they were more respected when they were married
- they stood in for their husbands if they were absent
What were the staples of a peasents diet?
Rice, noodles and veggies
What did legalism teach?
- to achieve peace the government needed a Clear set of rules or laws with strict punishment for wrong doers
- emperor needed to treat his people like a father would his children but not to kind in case he spoilt his people
What was the basis of the beliefs of legalism?
That people were bad ,selfish , greedy and full of fear and if they knew the consequences that they would do the right thing.
Who lived in or very close to towns and cites?
Emperor,artisans,scholar gentry, merchants, traders
How long did peasents have to spend working on the emperors lands?
1 month
What was the social class order in Ancient China?
- Emporer
- Civil servants (scholars)
- Peasents
- Artisans
- Merchants
- Slaves
How much of the population do town dwellers make up of the Chinese population?
10%
In which dynasty did warfare begin in China?
THe Shang dynasty
Why did warfare conflict with Daoism beliefs?
Because daoism promoted living in harmony with nature and this conflicted as armies would destroy farms and villages that stood in their way.
Why was warfare compatible with the teachings of Confucianism?
As they thought obedience to the emperor and it was therefore perfectly compatible with loyal citizens joining the emperor in battle.
How did China come in contact with Korea and Vietnam?
The Silk Road
What was some evidence that chinas products were reaching other countries?
-Rome women were wearing silk and Roman glass was found in china.
what other religion was evident in china other than Confucianism, legalism and daoism?
Buddhism
What was the Rosetta Stone?
It was a black piece of granite which had two different languages written on it.
What did the farming character look like in ancient China?
Spring-preparing the soil and sowing the new crops
Summer-caring for crops
Autumn-harvesting the crops
Winter-maintenance on tools and other farming equipment
The emperor was only allowed to wear what colour silk and why?
Yellow as it was a sign of royalty.
Who found the Rosetta Stone and when did they find it?
A Napoleon soldier found it in 1799
What two languages were on the Rosetta Stone?
Greek and Egyptians hieroglyphics
Why was the Rosetta Stone a important discovery in history?
It helped historians figure out messages and writing in many parts of egypt. It also helped everyone understand hieroglyphics and realisation how smart the Egyptians were.
Who deciphered the writing on the Rosetta Stone and when was it deciphered ?
Jean Francios (he was french) deciphered it in 1820’s
What were Egyptian hieroglyphics and how old were they?
They were one of the writing systems used by Egyptians to represent their language and they were the oldest version of script.
What was Qin Shi Huangdi’s original name?
Ying Zheng
What age was he when he became king?
13
What was one of the good reasons Qin Shi HUangdi’s was remembered about?
He unified al six rival states under his rule.
What did Qin Shi Huangdi standardise?
Money,taxes, weights,measurements,writing and transport
How many areas did Qin Shi Huangdi divide China onto and how many officials did he send to each?
36 areas
3 officials
What was the process of foot binding?
when a girl was 6 or 7 her smaller toes where bent back under her foot and were bandiged them tightly into position. The foot became disformed creating an un-natural arch ensuring the foot would not grow to its full size.
What was Qin Shi Huangdi’s government based on?
Legalism
What was the ‘burning of the books’?
An educated man suggested that Qin Shi Huangdi introduce some ideas of earlier dynasties implying that the old ways were better. He ordered that the man be executed along with his supporters. He then burned all of the books except the ones on farming, medicine, fortune telling and the Qin dynasty achievements.
Which philosophy taught that women were inferior to men?
Confucianism
When was a married women respected by her in-laws ?
Once she produced a male child.
why did women bind their feet?
It was a sign of beauty and it was considered attractive.
