week 7 - Ancient Egypt

Question 1

What are the periods of Egyptian civilization?

Answer 1

Predynastic Egypt (3500-2900 BC), Archaic Period/Early Dynastic Period (2900-2650 BC), Old Kingdom (2650-2180 BC) & First Intermediate Period (2180-2050 BC), Middle Kingdom (2050-1800 BC) & Second Intermediate Period (1800-1570 BC), New Kingdom (1570-1080 BC) & Third Intermediate Period (1080-712 BC), Late Period (712-322 BC).

Question 2

What geographic feature was crucial to the development of Egyptian civilization?

Answer 2

The Nile River, providing an elongated oasis and fertile floodplain.

Question 3

What were the two main regions of ancient Egypt called?

Answer 3

Upper Egypt (Nile Valley) and Lower Egypt (Nile Delta).

Question 4

What was the significance of the Narmer Palette?

Answer 4

It depicts the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under King Narmer around 3050 BC.

Question 5

What is the concept of ‘maat’ in ancient Egyptian culture?

Answer 5

Maat represents righteousness, justice, and the moral order embodied by the Pharaoh.

Question 6

What writing systems were used in ancient Egypt?

Answer 6

Hieroglyphics, Hieratic, and Demotic.

Question 7

What was the Rosetta Stone and why is it important?

Answer 7

A stone inscribed with the same text in Hieroglyphs, Demotic, and Greek, crucial for deciphering Egyptian writing.

Question 8

Who was Djoser and what is he known for?

Answer 8

The first king of the 3rd Dynasty, known for the Step Pyramid at Saqqara built by his vizier Imhotep.

Question 9

What characterized the Old Kingdom period in Egypt?

Answer 9

The height of pyramid construction, establishment of administrative territories called nomes, and the embodiment of maat by the Pharaoh.

Question 10

What was the purpose of pyramids in ancient Egypt?

Answer 10

They served as tombs for Pharaohs and were built to ensure their immortality.

Question 11

Who were the Hyksos and what impact did they have on Egypt?

Answer 11

A foreign dynasty (15th Dynasty) that introduced superior technology such as the horse and chariot during the Second Intermediate Period.

Question 12

What significant changes occurred during the New Kingdom?

Answer 12

Expansion of the empire, aggressive foreign policy, religious upheaval, and advancements in water technology.

Question 13

Who was Akhenaten and what was he known for?

Answer 13

A Pharaoh known for his religious reform, establishing monotheism by worshipping the sun god Aten.

Question 14

What was the significance of Tutankhamun?

Answer 14

The boy-king who reinstated polytheism and whose tomb was discovered mostly undisturbed, providing significant insights into ancient Egyptian culture.

Question 15

What were some key achievements of the Ramesside Period?

Answer 15

Expansion and fortification of the empire, construction of monumental temples, and military victories under Ramesses II.

Question 16

What was the Valley of the Kings?

Answer 16

A burial site for Pharaohs and powerful nobles in Thebes, famous for the tombs of Tutankhamun and other significant rulers

Question 17

What marked the end of the New Kingdom and the beginning of the Third Intermediate Period?

Answer 17

The division of Egypt and control by foreign powers, leading to instability and eventual conquest by Persians and later by Alexander the Great.

Question 18

What role did the Nile River play in Egyptian society?

Answer 18

It was crucial for agriculture, providing fertile land for crops and supporting the development of Egyptian civilization.

Question 19

How did the concept of duality influence Egyptian civilization?

Answer 19

Duality, the inclusion of two opposites (e.g., Upper and Lower Egypt, Horus and Seth), was an important philosophical concept in ancient Egypt.

Question 20

What is the significance of the temple complexes at Luxor and Karnak?

Answer 20

They were major religious centers built during the New Kingdom, showcasing the architectural and cultural achievements of ancient Egypt.