Study Guide Chapter 3 Test Social Studies

Study Guide Chapter 3 Test Social Studies

The Nile River

·  Longest river in the world (about 4,000 miles long)

·  Flows northward to the Mediterranean Sea

·  There are 6 cataracts in the Nile River

·  Helped transport goods and grow crops

·  Provided fresh water for people to drink

·  Flooded between May and September

·  Provided water to irrigate crops

·  When it flooded it killed people and crops (Called “Taker of Life”).

·  The desert land that surrounded the Nile River Valley was called the Red Land.

·  Egyptians used a shadoof to help irrigate their crops.

Egyptians

·  Used calendars and Nilometers to track the floods of the Nile River

·  Kings were called pharaohs – worshipped like gods

·  Farmers built the pyramids or tombs while the Nile was flooding

·  Wanted granite blocks from Nubia to build temples

·  Egyptians relied on Nubians for granite, gold, cattle, linen, ivory, and ostrich feathers.

Egyptians had social classes (highest was pharaoh – lowest was slave)

o  Pharaoh – highest class

o  Nobles/priests

o  Merchants/craft workers/artisans

o  Farmers/unskilled laborers

o  Slaves – lowest class

·  Bread was one food that all Egyptians ate at every meal.

·  It was possible for people to move up the social pyramid.

·  Women had more rights in ancient Egypt than in most other ancient cultures. They could own land, become pharaoh, decide when and who they would marry, and even get a job outside the house.

Nubians

·  Had tall cliffs and granite rock/very hard ground

·  Located south of Egypt

·  People used sturdier tools to farm because of the rocky soil

Other Facts

·  The discovery of the Rosetta Stone led to the decoding of hieroglyphics

·  King Menes is given credit for unifying Upper and Lower Egypt. He wore a double crown to show them being unified.

·  Egypt’s largest pyramid was built in the city of Giza for Pharaoh Khufu.

·  Hyksos brought chariots that were pulled by horses

·  Amon-Ra was the name of the Egyptian sun god

·  Manetho was a priest and scribe who first started to report information about Egyptian rulers.

·  Hatshepsut was a powerful female pharaoh who wore a fake beard.

·  Nubian written language is called Meroitic.

·  The geography (land forms) of Nubia and Egypt were very different

·  Kings were called Pharaohs in the New Kingdom

·  During the New Kingdom, pharaohs often ruled with their wives and sons.

·  The Hyksos came from western Asia and brought chariots pulled by horses.

·  The Old Kingdom was known for pyramid building.

·  Middle Kingdom was known for a new class system (added slaves), trade and hieroglyphics.

·  Lower Egypt is found at a lower ELEVATION than Upper Egypt.

Steps for Preparation of a Pharaoh’s Body for the Afterlife (Mummification) **Took 70 days.

1.  All organs were removed from the body except for the heart

2.  Body was rubbed with oils and perfumes

3.  Body was wrapped in linen bandages

4.  Body was placed in a coffin and put into a tomb

*The Egyptians believed in life after death. They believed that they had to preserve their bodies so they could use them in the afterlife.

Gods and Goddesses

Anubis=god of embalming/ head of jackal

Osiris=first pharaoh and god of the Underworld

Maat=goddess of the truth

Thoth=god of wisdom; head of an ibis bird

Set(h)=wicked god of the sky

Khnum=god of the Nile River

Horus=god of kingship

Sobek=crocodile god

Bast=Egyptian cat goddess

Ammut=the devourer; part crocodile, lion and hippo