Social Studies: Egypt under the Pharaohs Flashcards
(36 cards)
What is cataract??
A group of rocky rapids
What is a delta?
A flat plain formed on the seabed where a river deposits materials over many years
What is an artisan?
Skilled worker who practices a handicraft
What is a pharaoh?
A king of ancient Egypt
What is a dynasty?
A series of rulers from the same family
What is a bureaucracy?
A system of many government officials who carry out government rules and regulations
What is a mummy?
A body that has been preserved so it will not decompose
What is environmental?
Having to do with natural surroundings
What is devotion?
Strong feeling of love, loyalty or commitment
True or False: the Huang River is the world’s longest river.
False.
The Nile is the longest river in the world.
Which region today was known as Kush in ancient times?
North Sudan.
How does The Nile contribute to fertile soil in Egypt?
The river carries silt from sources in East Africa and deposits the silt on its banks and as it slows down, which, over thousand of years, forms river deltas.
Each summer, heavy rainfall led to floods along The Nile which also served to deposit silt along the river.
What does “Kemet” mean, and why did ancient Egyptians use this term to describe their country?
It means “black land”, which was ancient Egyptians call their country because the black fertile soil was so important.
What does “red land” refer to?
The ancient Egyptians refer to deserts beyond The Nile as red lands.
True or false: people in Egypt began growing grains on their fertile soil over 7,000 years ago.
True.
How did ancient Egyptian farmers irrigate their land?
They built earthen walls to trap flood water from The Nile, which then irrigated their land.
How did cities develop?
Agriculture techniques like irrigation led to a surplus of food. Rulers collected food surplus as a tax, which they then used to buy cloth, jewelry and luxury goods supplied by merchants and artisans.
As these merchants and artisans stared to settle near the rulers, these settlements grew into large and powerful cities.
Who was the first pharaoh, and what was he known for?
Narmer was the first pharaoh. He was known for uniting the 2 major cities of Egypt. He founded the earliest Egyptian dynasty.
What best describes what the Old Kingdom was like?
It was a time of political strength, prosperity and cultural achievement.
What best describes what the Middle Kingdom?
The Middle Kingdom was formed after civil wars. There were major floods during the Middle Kingdom, which the pharaohs dealt with by building canals.
What best describes what the New Kingdom?
The New Kingdom was marked by wars and invasions. It was the high point of ancient Egyptian power and prosperity as Egypt conquered parts of Asian and Africa. But the New Kingdom fell apart as it was invaded by others, including the Persian Empire and later by Greeks led by Alexander The Great.
How did pharaohs govern?
They relied on a bureaucracy to handle the business of government, including collecting taxes and distributing surplus crops.
Who is the vizier?
The head of the bureaucracy.
Describe Egypt’s social pyramid from the top classes to the bottom.
The rulers are at the top: Egyptian people saw them as god-kings.
Then came the nobles, priests, officials and scribes who helped the pharaoh govern.
Below them were merchants and artisans such as painters, stone cutters, and builders.
Then came farmers. Most of the people in Egypt were farmers in this class.
Slaves were at the bottom. Many were prisoners of war or debtors who were freed after a period of time.
