Download Ancient Egypt Test

Ancient Egypt Assessment
1. Ancient Egyptians used pictographs for writing. This system of writing they developed is called
a. Calligraphy
b. Phonetics
c. Cuneiform
d. Hieroglyphics
2. It was also used for boats, shoes, and houses, but one of the Egyptians important accomplishments
was to use ____________, a reed plant of the Nile Valley to make a form of paper.
a. Papyrus
b. Delta
c. Parchment
d. Thatch
3. What phrase best defines the purpose of the pyramids?
a. Religious temples
b. Burial places
c. Royal palaces
d. Apartment houses
4. The process of __________ preserves the body by using perfumes and oils to keep it from decaying.
a. Sarcophagus
b. Decomposition
c. Irrigation
d. Mummification
5. What is a tall, four-sided, narrow monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top?
(See picture to right)
a. Delta
b. Pyramid
c. Linen
d. Obelisk
6. Egypt’s geography helped to protect the Egyptians from invasion because of
a.
b.
c.
d.
The superior weapons
Their many fierce gods, who protected them from their enemies
The large mountain ranges that surrounded the civilization
The great impassable deserts, which surround the Nile Delta
7. Why is building the pyramids an important architectural achievement for the ancient Egyptians?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The pyramids were built using extremely accurate measurements
The pyramids were a place of worship for the Egyptian citizens
The pyramids led to the development of hieroglyphic writing
The pyramids were the basis for agriculture (farming) in ancient Egypt
8. Why was the calendar an important Egyptian achievement?
a.
b.
c.
d.
It was the only calendar to include 8 days in one week
It introduced the use of Daylight Savings Time
It was a 365-day calendar similar to our present-day calendar
It followed a system of 350 days in a year
9. A monarchy is a form of government that is led by one ruler, with all the power for life.
a. True
b. False
10. Why was agriculture important to the ancient Egyptians?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Farmers worked their land from July to April in ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptian diet consisted of only fruits and vegetables
The majority of the people supported themselves through farming
Eating meat products was considered unhealthy for the body
11. The Egyptians were polytheistic, like the people of Mesopotamia. What does this mean?
a. They believed in only two gods
b. They believed in having a god
c. They believed in many gods
d. They believed in only one god
12. The picture is part of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Why does this text exist?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Astronomy and the solar calendar
Hieroglyphs and papyrus
Irrigation and floodplains
Metallurgy and cuneiform
13. What is a succession of rulers that come from the same family called?
a. Empire
b. Sphinxes
c. Pharaoh
d. Dynasty
14. Which of these best describes the government that existed in the Egyptian civilization?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Egypt was divided into many city-states that were independent
Egypt's government was a monarchy that controlled nearly all parts of life
Egypt had no central government and every city made its own laws
Egypt had a democracy and its citizens had great freedom
15. The Egyptians believed that their _________, the leader of ancient Egypt was a god in human form.
a. Ensi
b. Dynasty
c. Sphinx
d. Pharaoh
16. Which of the following were parts of the pharaoh's responsibilities?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Military leader, fending off attacks from other countries
Political Leaders, collecting taxes and making laws
Religious leaders, the high priest who led religious rituals and oversaw the building of temples
All of the above
17. What word best completes the chart describing the role of the pharaoh in Ancient Egypt?
a. Mason
b. Farmer
c. Scribe
d. God
18. In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh collected _______ from the peasant farmers.
a. Taxes
b. Oil
c. Lumber
d. Gold
19. How was the Egyptian tax system different from our tax system today?
a.
b.
c.
d.
In Egypt, taxes were collected by the government; today, taxes are collected by stores
Egyptians paid taxes at a rate of about 50%; today, taxes rates are about 10%
Egyptians paid taxes with goods or labor (work); today, taxes are paid with money
Egyptian tax collectors were at the top of the social hierarchy; today, they are middle class
20. Which of the following cities is located in the Nile Delta area?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Herakleopolis
Thebes
Aswan
Alexandria
Use the first map for 20, 21
21. What was the capital of Lower Egypt?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Alexandria
Damietta
Thebes
Memphis
22. The __________ was the pharaoh’s most trusted advisor.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Scribe
Vizier
Noble
Priest
23. Which was farther north, Upper or Lower Egypt (second map)?
a. Upper Egypt
b. Lower Egypt
24. What is the term for a body that has been embalmed and wrapped in linen?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Mummy
Zombie
Afterlife
Sarcophagus
25. Only a few Egyptians were able to read and write. They kept records and
copied documents by hand. What were they called?
a. Pharaohs
b. Priests
c. Scribes
d. Artisans
26. Ancient Egyptians believed so strongly in the _________ (a place where people go when they die)
that Egyptian pharaohs and upper class were mummified and buried with all the things they thought they
would need, including servants, gold, food, and pets.
a. Sarcophagus
b. Obelisk
c. Afterlife
d. Polytheistic
27. Soil that is carried and deposited by flowing water; it is rich with nutrients that make it good for
farming
a. Silt
b. Nutrients
c. Clay
d. Delta
28. What is a type of cloth made from the fibers of the flax plant that is valuable because it keeps people
cool in hot weather?
a. Silt
b. Linen
c. Wool
d. Embalm
29. Why did the ancient Egyptians use the mummification process on the dead?
a.
b.
c.
d.
They believed it would allow evil spirits to enter the body
They believed it helped a person enter the afterlife more smoothly
They believed that embalming the body and wrapping it in linen would cause it to decay
They believed it was a more sanitary (clean) process than burying a body in the ground
30. Why is Pharaoh Tutankhamen so famous?
a.
b.
c.
d.
He is considered the greatest leader of ancient Egypt
He was the first pharaoh to conquer lands east of the Nile River
He united the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt
His fame is due to the discovery of his tomb filled with gold and other artifacts
31. Ancient Egyptians created the shadduf, a tool used to move water using a lever, bucket, and
counterweight. This is significant because
a.
b.
c.
d.
The tool improved the process of making mummies
The Egyptians had a tool to get drinking water that was better than any other civilization
We still use this tool for getting drinking water today
The tool helped the Egyptians irrigate their fields to grow crops more effectively
32. Understanding and taking advantage of the flood cycles of the Nile River allowed the ancient
Egyptians to
a. Grow larger amounts of grain to sell or to store for later use
b. Schedule their festivals so floods wouldn’t ruin the celebrations
c. Determine which crops should be planted in the next season
33. Which of the following statements is true about Egyptian social classes?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Everyone in Egypt was treated equally
Egyptian society was divided into classes with pharaohs at the top and slaves at the bottom
The classes in Egyptian society didn't really affect their culture
Most people belonged to the upper class
34. Steep rapids and waterfalls formed by cliffs and boulders in a river
a.
b.
c.
d.
Delta
River Valley
Cataracts
Basins
35. An area of fertile soil at the mouth of a river (see picture)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Pyramid
Delta
Source
Silt
36. Soil that is rich with nutrients and good for farming is called
a.
b.
c.
d.
Clay
Dirt
Cataracts
Fertile
37. The construction of ___________ systems allowed people to settle in ancient Egypt. By redirecting
the water flow of the Nile River, farmers were able to use agricultural technology to improve crop
production and create a lasting food supply.
a. Mummification
c. Floodplain
b. Migration
d. Irrigation
38. Why was ancient Egypt called the “gift of the Nile” by the historian Herodotus?
a. Because of the fertile soil left by the flooding of the Nile, Egyptians farmed land that is surrounded
by desert and has a hot and dry climate
b. The Egyptians lived in the Sahara, a huge desert in North Africa, and while they drank water from
the Nile, they only hunted for food because there was no farmland available
c. The god of the Nile River gave the Egyptians the land they lived on
d. The Nile river deposited presents at its source on festival days
39. The Ancient Egyptians settled near the ________ River, a major river in northeast Africa that is
considered the longest river in the world.
a. Amazon
b. Congo
c. Tigris
d. Nile
40. Besides using the Nile for irrigating their crops, the Egyptians used it for
a. Transportation
b. Leisure activities (for fun)
c. Boat races
d. All of the above
41. Hatshepsut was known as a builder pharaoh because of the many building projects, obelisks, and
statues completed during the years 1503 B.C. to 1482 B.C. Which of these characteristics was also
unique to Hatshepsut?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Hatshepsut had the longest reign of any pharaoh in the 14th century B.C.
Hatshepsut was the only pharaoh who had never led soldiers in a battle
Hatshepsut had stolen the Egyptian throne from its rightful heir
Hatshepsut was the first woman to be king of both Upper and Lower Egypt
42. Around 3100 BC, Menes ruled over Egypt. Why was he important?
a.
b.
c.
d.
He built the great pyramid and increased trade by making peace with Nubia
He united the people of Upper and Lower Egypt and began the first dynasty
He divided Egypt into two sections, Upper and Lower Egypt
He developed hieroglyphics and the 365 day Egyptian calendar
43. Hatshepsut and Cleopatra ruled over Egypt. What did they have in common?
a.
b.
c.
d.
They both tried to set up a monotheistic religion in Egypt
They both killed the pharaoh before them to take over as ruler of Egypt
They were both ruling when Egypt was invaded and taken over by its enemies
They were both female
44. Ramses II ruled for 67 years as pharaoh of Egypt. Egypt was very prosperous and he is considered
one of the strongest and most successful of Egypt’s leaders. Why else is Ramses II important?
a. He built more temples than any other pharaoh
b. His gold-filled tomb was discovered in 1922 with his mummy inside
c. He married Hatshepsut and built the Great Pyramid as a monument to her
d. He tried to set up a monotheistic religion, where people only worship one god
45. Wadi Hammamat is a dried up river that used to connect Koptos (on the Nile) and Quseir (on the
Red Sea. Why would this waterway have been important when it was filled with water in ancient times?
a. It would not have been important
b. Traders could use it for transportation
c. Pirates would be stopped from stealing goods
d. It would prevent the Nile from flooding
46. Only wealthy Egyptian children went to school, while the rest of the Egyptian children learned the
jobs of their parents.
a. True
b. False
47. What was the capital of Upper Egypt?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Aswan
Luxor
Thebes
Giza
Use the second map for 47, 48
48. The Egyptians have built a dam near what city, located close to the first cataract?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Luxor
Thebes
Giza
Aswan
First Cataract
49. Which group of people that lived south of Aswan were trade partners with the Egyptians?
a. Nubia
b. Assyria
c. Hyksos
d. Luxor
50. The Egyptians made which of the following achievements in medicine?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Developed a cure for cancer
Used plants to make a medicine for brain tumors
Practiced some of the first surgeries and used splints for broken bones
They did not make any important achievements in medicine
51. Even though they didn’t worship the same gods, both the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations
were polytheistic.
a. True
b. False
52. Which answer choice best completes the Egyptian social hierarchy? The first word in the answer
choice goes on top of the pyramid; the last word goes on the bottom.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Priests, Craftsmen, Farmers, Pharaoh, Slaves
Pharaoh, Vizier/Priests/Nobles, Scribes/Craftsmen, Farmers, Slaves
Slaves, Farmers, Vizier/Nobles, Craftsmen/Scribes, Pharaoh
Pharaoh, Soldiers, Vizier/Priests, Slaves, Farmers
53. Which social class in Egypt was the largest?
a. Vizier
b. Nobles/Priests
c. Craftsmen
d. Farmers
54. In both Mesopotamia and Egypt, the people learned to irrigate their land in spite of the hot and dry
climate.
a. True
b. False
55. In both Mesopotamia and Egypt the people made huge buildings that lasted for centuries. In
Mesopotamia they built ziggurats which were ______ and in Egypt the pyramids were used for _______.
a. Temples; tombs
b. Palaces; temples
c. Tombs; temples
d. Burial grounds; tombs
56. Written language was developed in Mesopotamia and Egypt. What was the difference?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Scribes in Mesopotamia wrote with ink, but the Egyptians wrote with lead
Cuneiform was easy to learn, but the Egyptian hieroglyphics were more complicated
Scribes in Mesopotamia wrote on clay tablets, but in Egypt they used something like paper
There was very little difference between the two written languages
57. The Rosetta Stone was an important discovery because
a.
b.
c.
d.
Historians used it to figure out the meaning of Egyptian hieroglyphics
No one had ever seen a stone with writing on it before
The cuneiform of Mesopotamia was explained on it
It showed how precise the Egyptian craftsmen could carve stones
58. What landform surrounds Egypt’s Nile River on both sides?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Mountains
Basins
Plateaus
Deserts