Chap 3.1 Slides

Question 1

What was the most important geographic feature in Egypt?

Why important?

Answer 1

•The Nile

–Most important physical feature in Egypt

–4,000 miles long; flows through the Sahara Desert

• Without the Nile’s waters, no one could live there

Question 2

Why was the Nile important to becoming home of Egyptian civilization?

Answer 2

•The Nile flooded every year

–Predictable floodwaters with spring rains

–Left rich, black silt

• Narrow band of fertile soil
• Became home of Egyptian civilization

Question 3

The soil of the Nile was at the ________

Why was this soil valuable?

Answer 3

Delta

• Egypt’s most fertile soil in Nile Delta
• Silt deposits at mouth of river
• Black Land of rich soil

Question 4

The NIle flowed through __________ to the South

Answer 4

•Flowed through cataracts to the south

Question 5

How did the Nile offer protection?

Answer 5

• Nile afforded protection itself
• Flowed through cataracts to the south
• Currents and waterfalls made sailing impossible
• Not an easy invasion route

Question 6

When and where did the kingdoms develop?

Answer 6

First farming villages as early as 5000 BC

• Northern Kingdom, Lower Egypt
• Southern Kingdom, Upper Egypt

Question 7

What was the climate like in the upper and lower Egypt?

What did the people pray to?

Answer 7

Upper Egypt - Warmer climate; prayed to a vulture goddess

Lower Egypt - Mild climate; cobra goddess worshipped

Question 8

How did the upper and lower Egypt unite?

Under what ruler?

Answer 8

• Two kingdoms unified around 3100 BC
• Upper Egypt ruler Menes conquered north

Question 9

What did MENES found?

What symbol did it adopt?

Answer 9

–Founded capital city of Memphis

– Adopted both symbols, the snake and the vulture

Question 10

When did Egypt civilization begin?

Answer 10

Many of the institutions for which the Egyptian civilization is known were created during the period which began around 2650 BC

Question 11

What were the greatest structure build?

Where were these build?

Answer 11

The Pyramids

•Largest located near Giza

Question 12

Why were the pyramids built?

Answer 12

Built as tombs for rulers

_ chamber for burial

–Treasures buried with them

–Deadly traps within

•Design changed to smooth-sided over time

Question 13

How were the pyramids built?

Who build the pyramids?

Answer 13

• Took great planning and skill
• Ordered when kings took the throne
• Built from the inside out
• Not built by slaves or aliens…

–Peasants required to work one month per year

–Professional craftspeople like architects, artists

Question 14

The head of government was the ________, which means __________

Answer 14

The Pharaohs

• The head of the government was the king
• Became known as pharaoh (“great house”)

Question 15

Why did pharaoh hold great power?

Answer 15

•Had great power because he was believed to be a god

Question 16

What kind of society was Egypt?

What was it ruled by?

Answer 16

•Egypt a theocracy, a state ruled by religious figures

Question 17

How did the pharaoh rule Egypt?

Who else ran the society?

Answer 17

Egyptian Bureaucracy

• Pharaoh could not rule Egypt alone
• Aided by bureaucracy, many of whom were pharaoh’s relatives
• Hundreds of lesser officials kept Egypt running smoothly

Question 18

The Old Kingdom collapsed at this time _______

What followed after this collapse?

Answer 18

Old Kingdom collapsed around 2100 BC

Warfare, economic strife for almost 200 years

Question 19

New dynasty began _______ during _______

Answer 19

•New dynasty began Middle Kingdom 2055 BC

Question 20

How was this Middle Kingdom?

Was it stable? What did it do?

Answer 20

–Strong leadership brought stability

–Trade with surrounding lands encouraged

Question 21

How were the trade routes protected?

Answer 21

•Trade routes not always safe

–Fortresses built along the Nile

Question 22

Who invaded around 1650 BC?

Answer 22

–The Hyksos invaded, conquered around 1650 BC

Question 23

How long did the Hyksos rule?

The Hyksos were defeated by _______

Answer 23

Hyksos ruled almost 100 years

•Defeated by nobles from Thebes who became new rulers of Egypt

Question 24

What did the New Kingdom create?

Who were these people?

Answer 24

First permanent army

• Traditional foot soldiers
• Archers and charioteers

Question 25

Why was a permanent army important to Egypt?

Answer 25

Securing Egypt

• Egypt could not rely on geography for protection
• Desert and sea not enough
• Had to build powerful military

Question 26

How and where was an empire created?

Answer 26

• Egypt to rule beyond Nile Valley
• Headed south into Nubia
• Also campaigns east into Asia

Question 27

Egypt fought campaigns in ______ and _______ around 1250 BC

_________ invaded from ____________

Answer 27

• Fought campaigns in Nubia and Syria around 1250 BC
• Hittites invaded from Mesopotamia

Question 28

What was the confrontation with Hittites?

Who led the army?

How did the conflict end?

Answer 28

• Ramses the Great led army
• Accounts of battle vary, but two armies signed truce
• Ramses married Hittite princess and conflict ended

Question 29

How long did Ramses rule?

What did Ramses accomplish and build?

Answer 29

• Ruled for 67 years, had over 100 children
• Built more temples and monuments than other pharaohs
• Many political and artistic achievements

Question 30

Who was the woman that ruled?

What did she encourage?

Answer 30

The Reign of Hatshepsut

•Hatshepsut best known for encouraging trade

–Wanted to be treated like any other pharaoh

–Dressed like a man, statues of her as a man

Question 31

What was the religion in Egypt?

This meant by belief in ____

Answer 31

Monotheism in Egypt

–Worshipped only one god, Aten

–Banned worship of all other gods

Question 32

What did Amenhotep IV build?

Answer 32

•Built temple to Aten at Akhetaten

Question 33

After Amenhotep IV, what did the next pharaoh restore?

Answer 33

•The next pharaoh restored worship of traditional gods

Question 34

After Ramses, what happened to Egypt?

Answer 34

Egypt’s Decline

•Ramses’ successors faced challenges to authority

Question 35

What weakened Egypt?

Answer 35

•Major invasions of Egypt

–Sea Peoples devastated empires

–weakened Egypt

Question 36

Egypt’s decline lead to breaking into _______

Who ruled for next 700 years?

Answer 36

•Egypt broke into small states

–Many foreign rulers over next 700 years

Question 37

What foreign groups ruled Egypt for next 700 years?

It finally fell to ___________(where?)

Answer 37

• Libyans, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks

–Finally fell to Rome