1. Ancient Egypt Unit Test Study Guide

2. Civilization a group of people living together who have organized systems of government, education, religion, and a social structure
Religion
System of Government
Social Structure
Education

3. The Nile River Valley important because:
provided fertile soil (silt) for crops to grow
provided a means of transporting goods (trade)
provided a fresh water supply
provided fish for food

4. Egypt’s Geography How did the geography affect Egypt’s civilization?
Nile River:
Nile flows north so they had to use sails on their ships
cataracts made it difficult to travel up and down the river
vast deserts:
“red land” where no crops could grow
Egyptians had to develop irrigation ditches to get water from Nile to crops

5. a form of writing based on pictures
Hieroglyphics
Why were Hieroglyphics important?
scribes wrote religious and official documents
to record information
how much wheat was harvested
taxes farmers owed

6. Rosetta Stone
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone was important because archaeologists used it to decode hieroglyphics and learn about ancient Egyptian civilization.
The Rosetta Stone contained a passage written in both Greek & hieroglyphics – so we could compare the two writings and decode the 700 symbols.

7. Pyramids
Pyramids were huge stone buildings that served as burial places for the pharaohs.
Egyptians believed that kings remained gods after death and the pyramids were like palaces.
Kings were buried with their possessions so they could use them in the afterlife.

8. Why was Trade Important?
Trade increased and made the Egyptian economy more prosperous or profitable.
Traded goods such as wheat, gold, and linen to southwest Asia.
They brought back goods that they needed and did not have.

9. Can you name one of the pharaohs and tell why he/she was important?
Egyptian ruler who was worshipped as a god
referred to as a god-king
the word pharaoh means “great house”
pharaohs were believed to be related to Amon-Ra (the sun god)
Can you name one of the pharaohs and tell why he/she was important?

10. Lower and Upper Egypt
King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt. This was important because:
Egypt became one kingdom under one ruler
two crowns became united under one crown
dynasties ruled – this means members of the same family ruled

11. Social Structure Pyramid
King/Pharaoh
Nobles & Priests
Merchants, Craftsmen, Scribes
Farmers & Unskilled Workers
Slaves
Can you fill in the social pyramid?

12. a kingdom south of Egypt
Nubia
a kingdom south of Egypt
Nubia and Egypt had the following things in common:
irrigation systems
a written language
polytheistic
built pyramids

13. Religious Beliefs: Religious beliefs affected daily life by:
using stories about gods to explain the natural world
making predictions about the Nile flooding
believing in the afterlife:
the afterlife was more important than life on Earth
mummification to prepare kings for the afterlife

14. Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut was the daughter of a pharaoh who became a ruler of Egypt. She claimed that Ra was her real father.
she was married to Thutmose II and became a pharaoh after his death
she took complete control
sent several trading expeditions in search of riches
peaceful reign

15. GRAPES Geography: Nile River, desert, cataracts
Religion: polytheism, Ra, priests
Achievements: pyramids, hieroglyphics, papyrus (paper)
Political: Hatshepsut, Khufu, Menes
Economic: farming, traded wheat, scribes
Social: pharaoh, merchants, slaves