1. Essential Guided Reading Questions For Chapter 5 Lesson 1
Egypt
Essential Guided Reading Questions For Chapter 5
Lesson 1

2. How does geography influence the way people live?
How were the Egyptians protected by their physical environment?
How did the ancient Egyptians depend on the Nile River to grow their crops?
What kind of writing system did the Egyptians develop?
How did Egypt become united?

3. Lesson 1 page
How does geography influence the way people live?
Determine the types of crops grown
Fertile soil gave good crops – flourishing civilization.
Seasonal flooding determined when to plant – silt – fertile soil
Safe from enemies so you could live in peace
Surplus – specialization
Sandstone houses gave good shelter – sturdy and safe

4. How were the Egyptians protected by their physical environment?
Red Land is too hot for enemies to travel through
Marshlands at delta prevented ships from attacking
Cataracts (rapids and waterfalls) made it difficult for enemies to reach them
Irrigation ditches used for hide outs
Nile Valley created over time and gave protection
During drought, only small ships could sail. Going by foot was almost impossible.

5. How did the ancient Egyptians depend on the Nile River to grow their crops?
Water for crops – irrigation using canals
Used a shadoof – system of buckets to bring water to crops
Seasonal flooding provided silt and fertile soil like Mesopotamia – could predict when to plan crops
Water provided for growth of reeds - papyrus which led to paper making

6. What kind of writing system did the Egyptians develop?
Pictures and symbols for sounds made for a system of writing called hieroglyphics
More complicated than cuneiform
1000+ letters and pictures
Invented a type of paper called papyrus
Only a few scribes could read or write
Only men could be scribes
Also wrote on stone walls and monuments

7. How did Egypt become united?
Since they lived in peace and isolation they depended on each other for all things
Small tribes united to form kingdoms
Marriage created unification
Over time, family members ruled and passed on the tradition and job of being a ruler
There were 3 time periods or kingdoms
Trading gave them other ideas about governing