Download Egypt Notes 2015 - Hewlett

Ancient Egypt- JAT pages 39-40
Page 42
5. Settling the Nile-When was the Nile Valley
settled?
1. What physical features border the
Nile River to the east and west?
The Eastern Desert and Western (Sahara)
Desert
2. About how far is it from the first
cataract to the second cataract?

Egypt lay in the fertile Nile River Valley
surrounded by deserts and the
Mediterranean and Red Sea.
4. How did the deserts surrounding the
Nile Valley help protect Egypt?
They kept invaders away from Egypt’s
territory.
Between 6000 BCE and 5000 BCE, hunters and gatherers moved into
green Nile River valley, farmed land and created villages along
riverbanks
6. Why is the Nile River called the “Mighty River”?

Little rainfall, Egyptians relied on Nile River for water (drinking, bathing,
farming, cooking and cleaning), provided fish, supported plants and
animals

World’s longest river, flows north from heart of Africa to Mediterranean
Sea – 4,000 miles, begins as two separate rivers – Blue Nile and White Nile

Narrow cliffs and boulders form wild rapids called cataracts – large ships
can only use last 650 miles of Nile because of cataracts (when it flows
through Egypt)

7. Why is the Nile Valley called a “Sheltered Land”?

Nile runs through a narrow, green valley in Egypt; Before reaching
Mediterranean Sea, Nile divides into branches that fan out over area of
fertile soil called a delta.

Sahara aka Western Desert and Eastern Deserts surround Nile Valley and
its delta-“the Red Land” (deserts) kept outside armies away from Egypt’s
territory

Also protected the Egyptians: Nile’s dangerous cataracts blocked enemy
boats from reaching Egypt- Delta marshes offered no harbors for invaders
approaching from the sea
About 180 miles. Estimate of 150-200
3. What was Egypt’s physical setting
like?
Page 43
44
JAT pages 41-42
8. How does the Hymn show that the
ancient Egyptians thought of the
Nile as a god?
It credits the river with causing everything
to exist and prosper.
9. What crops did the ancient
Egyptians grow?
Successful farmers – wheat, barley and
flax seed; had a surplus of food for
themselves and animals
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JAT pages 41-42
10. Why were the people of The Nile Valley called “The River
People”- Egyptians depended on flooding to grow crops and Egyptians
welcomed the floods
11.
 Did the Nile have a “Regular Flooding” season?

More dependable and gentle floods than Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers – Egyptians farmed and lived securely

Heavy rains from central Africa and melting snows from the
highlands added to the Nile every spring

Nile flooded from July to October and then left a layer of dark,
fertile mud, Land was called Kemet – “the Black Land”
12. How Did the Egyptians Use the Nile?

Good irrigation system - Dug basins and canals to carry water to
fields and built dikes

Used technology and developed geometry to divide the land

Used papyrus to make baskets, sandals and river rafts and for
papermaking
13.What were hieroglyphics?

Complex writing system combining picture symbols and sound
symbols.

Scribes: kept records and worked for the rulers, priests, and
traders, carved hieroglyphics onto stone walls and monuments
and invented simpler script and wrote or painted on papyrus
Page 46
14. What is a dynasty?
Ancient Egypt- JAT pages 43-44
19. What is a “United Egypt”?
A line of rulers from one family.

Skilled farming led to surplus
15. Which civilization had greater natural defenses, the
Mesopotamians or the Egyptians?

Artisans developed crafts to trade

Trading brought goods and ideas to Egypt.
Egypt: Nile delta, Sahara Desert, Eastern Desert, and
cataracts isolated the area.
Page 47
20. What is the “Rise of Government”?

Advances in trade and crafts created the need for
government
Mesopotamia had city states led by kings and priest,
empires eventually formed.

Earliest rulers were chiefs, strong chiefs united villages
into kingdoms
Egypt had villages led by chiefs that united into kingdoms,
eventually united by the pharaoh.

Strongest kingdom overpowered others

Lower Egypt- Nile Delta, Upper Egypt south or up river
16. Compare the governments of Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Use the chart on page 44 of JAT.
17. How did the government ensure that enough people
were available to harvest the wheat?
The government drafted people to help during the busy
seasons.
18. Why do you think seeds, fruit, and other additives were
reserved for the wealthy?
Those additives might have been expensive or hard to get.
21. Who were Egypt’s ruling families?
 Narmer/Menes was king of Upper Egypt; he led
armies to take over lower Egypt
 Rules from Memphis, wore a double crown
 United Egypt became a dynasty; was ruled by
Narmrer’s descendants for 31 dynasties (2,800
years)
Page 50
22. What group was just below the pharaoh in Egyptian
society? Priests and nobles.
23. Who made up the largest group in Egyptian society?
Farmers.
Ancient Egypt- JAT pages 45-46
Page 51
27. What was early Egyptian life like?

Divided up into social groups based on wealth and power.
24. What is papyrus and how did the Egyptians use it?
Papyrus is a reed plant that was used to make
baskets, sandals, river rafts and paper.

28. How were Egypt’s social classes divided up?
25. What rights did women have in ancient Egypt?
Women could own and pass on property, buy and sell
goods, make wills, obtain divorces, and take part in
religious ceremonies.

On top was the king and his family, the upper class was
made up of nobles, priests, and government officials.

Middle class- merchants, then artisans, then farmers
and unskilled workers.
29. What was family life like in Egypt?
26. Describe the Egyptian writing system.
Picture symbols called hieroglyphics, stood for objects,
ideas and sounds.

Father was head of the family

Women had right to own property, buy and sell goods.

Children learned from their parents- girls to cook and
sew from mom; boys to farm or trade from dad. Few
went to school.