Kevin’s Cards about The Egyptian Civilization Flashcards
Where did the Ancient Egyptian Civilization flourish
In the Nile River Valley
What did the Early Greek Historian Herodotus call Egypt
Herodotus called Egypt the gift of the Nile
How did flooding work in the Nile
Every year by late July, a month after the rainy season began in central Africa, huge amounts of water coursed down the Nile. As rain swelled the River, the Nile began to overflow its banks, flooding the parched length of land. This was usually a gentle rise-not as violent as the flooding along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. For several weeks the Nile would cover the land with muddy water. When the River receded in September, it left behind a strip of rich, black soil several miles wide on each side
They were ruled by kings who claimed to be what
Gods
What were some of the Egyptians achievements
Egyptians built gigantic pyramids that still dazzle us, they recorded their lives in elaborate picture-writing, they pondered life after death, preserving the bodies of their dead as mummies and preparing them to journey to the afterlife
The Egyptians were the what of the greatest ancient civilizations
2nd
The Egyptian culture flourished for how long
More than 3,000 years, making it one of the longest-lived civilizations in all of history
In ancient Egypt everything began and ended with what
The Nile
What is the climate and ecosystem of Egypt like
Almost all of Egypt is desert- a dry, brown-red land where life struggles for a foothold.
What did the Egyptians call their environment
The Egyptians themselves called the forbidden desert, Deshert, meaning “red land”
What did Egyptians call their country
Egyptians called their country “Kemet”, which meant Black land, after this dark silty soil
What did Egyptians learn on the long strip of black land
On the long strip of land the Egyptians learned how to till and hoe the land and also harvest crops
What were the Egyptians irrigation process
Over the centuries, Egyptians harnessed the floodwaters of the Nile for irrigation. They learned to Chanel the precious water to holes called “catchment basins”, rationing it to their fields when needed. They also used ox-drawn plow, which helped them till their fields
What vegetation did Egyptians grow in the fertile, rich black soil
The Egyptians grew wheat for their bread and barley for their beer. Cattle, sheep, and goats fed on cereal chaff. Onions, beans, lentils, dates, figs, grapes, pomegranates, and flax to make linen
The Nile was also used as what for the Egyptians
The Nile was also a roadway the Egyptians used for trade and travel between the villages that sprang up along the River banks
When did Egyptians learn to make sailboats
By 3200 B.C. the Egyptians had learned to make sailboats and began to send trading vessels across the Mediterranean and the Red Sea
What is the Egyptian Capital
Memphis is the Egyptian Capital and became a major center of trade
What countries does the Nile (including the Blue and White Nile) run through
Uganda, Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda
Where did the Egyptians get Cedar
Lebanon
Where did the Egyptians get Juniper
Lebanon
Where did the Egyptians get Timber
Lebanon
Where did the Egyptians get Copper
Egypt
Where did the Egyptians get Silver
Syria
Where did the Egyptians get Gold
Sudan
Where did the Egyptians get Incense
Sudan
Where did the Egyptians get Lapis Lazuli
Afghanistan
Where did the Egyptians get Ebony
Sudan
Where did the Egyptians get Ivory
Sudan
Where did the Egyptians get Cattle
Sudan
Where did the Egyptians get Horses
Iraq
Where did the Egyptians get Ostrich Features
Kenya
How many nature gods did the Egyptians worship
More the 1,500 deities
Re
The god of the blazing sun that fills the Egyptian sky nearly everyday of the year. Pictured with a falcon head crowned by a solar orb, Re was the most important of all deities. His light and heat ensured good harvests. He was believed to be the father of the Egyptian ruler
Osiris
The powerful leader of the dead, and his sister Isis was a mother goddess. This god was greatly loved and known to help people in many ways
Isis
Isis was a mother goddess. Egyptians prayed to Isis for the healing of their children. This god was greatly loved and known to help people in many ways
Horus
The son of Osiris and Isis. This falcon-headed god was at first the god of the sky, pictured with the sun as one eye and the moon as the other. He became the patron deity for the king. The king even claimed to be the living Horus
Nut
Nut was worshipped as the sun goddess and shown with wings outstretched protecting the vaults of the heavens.
Thoth
Thoth was the god of knowledge and wisdom with the long, curved beak of ibis, Thoth dug for knowledge the way birds used their bills to dig for food. They prayed to him for good fortune and protection
Anubis
Anubis is the guardian of the dead
What are the oldest and largest stone structures in the world called
Pyramids
How were the pyramids built and how long did it take
These pyramids were built without modern machinery, metal tools, explosives, or even work horses. Thousands of workers worked on it for 20 - 30 years to complete it
Why did Egyptians call their king pharaoh
The Egyptians believed that each of their own kings was the god Horus who had come down to rule on Earth. They respected their god-king so much that they thought it was disrespectful to speak about him directly. So instead of saying the rulers name, they used the word pharaoh meaning Place or great house
What power did the pharaoh exercise
He was head of the government, general of the army, chief priest, and ruled as the god Horus
For whom did the Egyptians build the pyramids and why did they build them
The Egyptians built their pyramids for kings, queens, and other royalty. The pyramid was a tomb and also a home for the next life
Why did Egyptians mummify bodies
Egyptians mummified bodies because they believed that people would use their bodies in the afterlife
What is a Sphinx? What was its purpose
A Sphinx is a stone statue with the head of a man and body of a lion. The Egyptians built Sphinxes to stand guard over temples and tombs, including the magnificent pyramids
What was the process of building the pyramids
First the Egyptians used wooden hammers, copper chisels, stone mauls, and saws to cut huge limestone blocks from quarries. Next they hauled the blocks to the building site. There, stone masons smoothed the sides and squared the corners of the blocks before other gangs pushed them into place. After the bottom layer of blocks was set, workers built long ramps of earth and brick, and sled crews dragged more more blocks up the ramps so they could keep building upward. After all the layers were in place, the workers sometimes covered the sides of the pyramid with white stones to make it gleam in the desert sun
What are similarities between pyramids and ziggurats
They were both constructed without using modern machinery, both inspire wonder and awe, and both required great organization and division of labor
What are the qualities of a ziggurat
- Made of sun-dried brick and baked brick
- A temple for the cities god
- Decorated with paint and gems sometimes
- A center for city life
What are the qualities of a pyramid
- Oldest and largest structures in the world
- Royal homes for eternity
- Some still stand today
- Sometimes covered in white stones to gleam from a distance
What does Hieroglyphics mean
“Sacred Carvings”
The Egyptians believed who made the Hieroglyphs
The Egyptians believed that Thoth, the god of knowledge and wisdom, invented this precious system that combined pictures and sounds
Hieroglyphs were mainly carved where
Hieroglyphs were carved mostly on temple walls, tombs, and monuments, sometimes, to record the exploits of the pharaoh
Who were the Scribes
Scribes were important members of Egyptian society and kept the official Egyptian records
At material did Egyptians invent to write on
They invented a paper like material called papyrus
How did Egyptians use hieroglyphics
To write and communicate with others and also for religious purposes, such as tombs
After the Egyptian civilization came to an end, people eventually forgot how to read hieroglyphics. What object did French soldiers discover in 1799 that helped scholars learn how to read hieroglyphics
The Rosetta Stone
How many years passed since the Rosetta Stone was created and the time the French soldiers discovered it
1,995 years. (The Rosetta Stone was carved in 196 B.C. and discovered in A.D. 1799 - 1995 years.)
How did the Rosetta Stone help the scholars decipher hieroglyphics
The stone had 3 sections and one was in Greek, which we know how to read. Scholars realized that the other sections probably said the same thing as the Greek section. Over a 20 year period, scholars matched the Greek with the hieroglyphics. This allowed them to read other ancient Egyptian documents
Where does papyrus grow
Papyrus grows in marshes along the Nile
How do Egyptians make their paper like material
The Egyptians cut strips of the papyrus’ stalks, press them together, and used them to write on
Who deciphered the hieroglyphics
Champollion
Where does the alphabet we use today come from
The alphabet we use today comes from the alphabet the Phoenicians developed
Who were the Phoenicians
The Phoenicians were another group of people who lived on the Mediterranean coast of the Fertile Crescent in ancient times
Many modern alphabets are molded after what
The Phoenician Alphabet
Who is known as the father of tautology
Taautos
What were Egyptian water tournaments like
There were 2 teams of boats filled with men with long poles, all trying to knock each other into the River
What is Senet
Senet was an Ancient Egyptian board game carved from wood and was a lot like backgammon
What did Ancient Egyptians where
White Linen Garments
What did men and women wear
Men wore skirts or robes and women had dresses
What did Egyptians like
Perfume
How many female pharaohs have there been
4 female pharaohs
Who was Hatshepsut
A female Pharaoh
How long did Hatshepsut rule
For 15 years ( 1473 to 1458 B.C)
What were Queen Hatshepsut’s character traits
She was a powerful, energetic queen who liked to tackle big projects
Did Egyptians have pets
Yes they had dogs
What were difference between the Poor and the Rich in Egypt based on what they ate
Wealthy Egyptians drank wine while the poor Egyptians drank beer. The wealthy also ate meat on a regular basis but the poor couldn’t since meat was expensive
What were some activities Egyptians enjoyed doing
Egyptians enjoyed hunting, fishing, and water sports, and they played board games
What were activities common to Egyptian boys and girls
Boys and girls played with tops, balls, dolls, and wooden animals
What did many Well-to-Do Egyptians like
Many Well-to-Do Egyptians also enjoyed sumptuous banquets that featured musicians playing lyres, harps, and flutes
What did the Men and Women of Egypt wear
Men and Women wore papyrus sandals and had wigs (popular)
What were children hair cuts like
Children had shaved heads and one long braid
What were the jobs of Egyptians
Jobs: Farming, working in the vineyards, herding, hunting, fishing, and mining. Some worked as servants for the wealthy and others were craftsmen, and their skills included carpentry, stone, masonry, sculpting, bead making, and brick making. Women made cloth by spinning and weaving flax
How was the housing of Egyptians like
Housing: Most ancient Egyptians homes were made of bricks. The wealthy Egyptians often had large, spacious houses that had a central garden or courtyard. Beds, stools, and low tables were the most common pieces of furniture in the average home. Furniture and pottery were highly decorative
Which class was the average person in
The Lower Class
What is the 4th period that historians sometimes include about Egypt
The Late or Decline Period - - when Egypt’s power began to ebb
What are the 3 main periods of ancient Egyptian history
The Old Kingdom (2686 - 2181 B.C.), The Middle Kingdom (1991 - 1786 B.C.), and The New Kingdom (1554 - 1070 B.C.)
What were some of the Egyptians’ most important accomplishments during the Old Kingdom
Khufu’s Great Pyramid and other pyramids at Giza were built
What were some of the Egyptians’ most important accomplishments during the Middle Kingdom
Egyptians greatly expanded their reach. They conquered territory to the south and traded with lands as distant as Syria, greatly extending their realm of influence
In which kingdom did Hatshepsut rule
The New Kingdom
Name two male pharaohs who ruled during the New Kingdom that are still famous today
King Tut and Ramses ll
How long did the Egyptian civilization last
More than 3,000 years
Why was the Egyptians civilization separated into 3 kingdoms or periods
Since the ancient Egyptian civilization lasted more than 3,000 years
Which kingdom was the most glorious of Egyptian ages
The New Kingdom
What were the Egyptians’ religious beliefs before Akhenaten came to power
People believed in many gods
How did Akhenaten change and challenge the traditional religious beliefs of Egyptians
He made people worship a god they didn’t know about, and made there only be one god, Aten
What important change did Tutankhamen make in his small rule
He immediately set about resorting the traditional gods of Egypt
What was the significance of Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb
It was one of the only tombs found still intact with not a lot of stolen jewelry
What are the historians’ views on Akhenaten
Some historians view Akhenaten as a religious visionary who was sincere in trying to bring new religious thinking to Egypt. Others maintain that he was only interested in taking political power away from the priests of Egypt, and that his religious beliefs weren’t sincere
Who was Ramses ll
An Egyptian pharaoh who ruled from 1290 to 1224 B.C. He was a mighty warrior, builder, and statesman
How was Ramses ll depicted
Ramses donned his leopard skinned cloak, mounted his chariot, and prowled the borders of his kingdom
After the battle of Kadesh, where did Egyptian control extend
After the stalemate at Kadesh, Ramses ll signed a treaty with the Hitties that gave the Egyptians control of Southern Syria
When and how did Egypt’s New Kingdom end
Egypt’s new kingdom came to an end around 1070 B.C. when, weakened by internal struggles, Egypt itself became prey for its neighbors. The kingdom suffered invasions and rule by a series of former dynasties. Over the years Egyptians adopted some of these outsiders’ ways. The conquers, meanwhile, began to follow some Egyptian customs. The foreign rulers happily took the title pharaoh and even adopted the Egyptian religion. With all these changes and the passing of time, the ways of Ancient Egypt gradually faded
What were some of the Egyptian customs that the foreign conquers adopted
The name pharaoh and their religion
What made Ramses different than every other pharaoh before him
Ramses built more temples and tombs than any other pharaoh before him
How tall was Ramses ll
5ft9”, this is 4 inches taller than the average Egyptian male
How did Ramses like to do things
Ramses ll loved to do everything on a grand scale
Ramses’ what fended off invaders who threatened Egypt’s vast realm
His highly trained army of charioteers, archers, and foot soldiers, he put down revolts and fended off invaders who threatened Egypt’s vast realm
The Great Power of the pharaoh Ramses ll is displayed in what
In the buildings he ordered to be made
What is Abu Simbel
A set of temples near Egypt’s border with Sudan. Ramses ll had this temple built. He ruled Egypt for more than 60 years during the 13 century B.C. (19th Dynasty)
Why do historians study art and architecture
To understand a society’s values and priorities
What do artifacts tell us
How monuments were constructed, who did the work and what skills they had, and what natural resources were available in a region
