Name:________________________________
Section:_______ Teacher: ______________
__________________
Ch. 3: Ancient Egypt & Nubia Unit Goals
By the end of this chapter you will be able to…
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Describe how the geography of the Nile changes as the river runs its course
Describe the types of communities that first appeared along the Nile, and how the Nile was
used for trade
Identify the three kingdom periods and list Egypt’s accomplishments during each
Identify Egyptian gods and goddesses
Explain the Egyptian belief in the afterlife
Detail how and why the pharaohs’ tombs were built
Describe what system of writing the Egyptians used
Identify and explain advances made by the Egyptians in science and medicine
Explain the relationship between Nubia and Egypt
Remember that for each civilization we study you should understand…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What affect did physical geography have on the civilization?
What historical accomplishments are they known for?
What were their beliefs and values?
What forms of government did they have?
How did they develop an economic system?
Chapter 3 vocabulary
1. Nubia:
2. cataract:
3. delta:
4. silt:
5. pharaoh:
6. dynasty:
7. absolute power:
8. regent:
9. afterlife:
10. mummy:
11. pyramid:
12. Giza:
13. hieroglyphs:
14. papyrus:
15. astronomer:
16. ore:
17. Lower Nubia:
18. Upper Nubia:
19. artisan:
Lesson 3.1
The Geography of the Nile
p. 70-75
1. Think about it: Greek historian Herodotus wrote “Egypt is
the gift of the Nile.” What do you think he mean by this?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
2. Herodotus set out to find the _____________ of the Nile
River, however was not successful because he was stopped
by the ___________________________.
The Course of the Nile River
3. The longest river in the world is the _______________
which flows from __________ _____________ to the ________________ Sea.
(look at the map above, the two boxes represent the starting and ending points of
the river!)
4. The Nile River actually starts off at _______ different spots. The two rivers, the
_________ Niles and the _________ Nile meet in the present day country of
____________. (Find the two sources of the Nile river on the map above and
number them 1 and 2. Then circle the name of the country where they meet).
5. What is unique about the direction that the Nile flows? _____________________
(draw arrows along the river on the map above to show the direction that the water
flows!)
The Nile Through Ancient Nubia
6. Once the Blue and the White Nile meet and form one single river, it forms an _____
shape that spans ________ miles. The area along this portion of the Nile is known as
_____________________.
7. Along the “S” shaped portion of the river there are ____ cataracts, or __________
_____________.
8. The 1st and 2nd cataracts are in the north/south (circle one) portion of the “s.”
Ironically this area is called ___________ Nubia. Why is it named this way?
_____________________________________________________________
a. The people in this area live very close to the Nile because the surrounding
lands are ___________________________________________.
9. As you travel __________ along the S shaped region of the River from the 2 nd to
the _______ cataract people lived within _____ miles of the river on either side.
b. This area is known as __________ Nubia despite being further _______ than
Upper Nubia.
The Nile Through Ancient Egypt
10. From the first cataract at the city of __________ until the river empties into the
_______________ sea the region is known as ancient _____________.
11. Along this region of the Nile River people could live ____________ from the banks
of the Nile than they could in the Nubian section because the fertile lands
stretched out about _______ on either side of the Nile.
12. Before the Nile empties into the _______________ sea it splits into several small
________ and forms an area known as a ___________, where the farmland is very
rich and moist.
The Gifts of the Nile
13. The people living along the banks of the Nile take advantage of yearly
___________ that deposit _______ along the banks of the Nile which is used for
growing crops. Without the floods, _________ would not be possible in the area.
Black Land and Red Land
14. What is another name for the Black Lands? _______________Why did the ancient
Egyptians call the land long the Nile this? _______________________________
15. Beyond the black lands are the ___________________ , they are named so
because _________________________________________.
Desert Protection
16. The deserts surrounding the people of Egypt were a benefit to them because ____
__________________________________________________.
17. Although surrounded by desert lands the people of Egypt were not isolated because
the _________________ provide a pathway for trade with surrounding areas.
The Growth of Communities and Trade Along the Nile
18. Egypt had more/less (circle one) farmland than Nubia. Why do you think this is?
___________________________________________.
19. When growing crops was not enough to fulfill their dietary needs, people ________
and __________ to get the foods they needed.
20. Travel along the Nile in Nubia was nearly impossible because of the ____________,
so instead the people were forced to trade ___________________.
Lesson 3.2
The Rulers of Egypt
p. 76-81
1. ____________________, Egypt’s famous female pharaoh,
controlled the ________ and power of the civilization.
Egyptian Kingship
2. The history of Egypt is divided into the study of each of its
_______________, time periods where there are a series of rulers
from the same ______________________. Therefore each time a new family or
ethnic group takes control, it begins a new _______________.
2. Egypt’s first of its total of _____dynasty began in ____________ when Menes
united ___________ and ______________ Egypt, which started one of the most
__________ civilizations in history.
a. The dynasties in Egypt are divided into ____ different time periods called
________________. (Remember these are time periods, not places).
i. The three dynasties are known as the ________, _______________,
and _________ Kingdoms.
3. Egypt’s pharaohs had ________________, or complete control over their people,
which meant that whatever they decided became ________.
a. What do you think? Should one person be able to create laws for an entire
society. YES or NO (circle one!) Why or Why not? ___________________
__________________________________________________________
4. Pharaohs were so highly honored and respected that they were considered
_______________ and believed to be responsible for the yearly floods and
harvests.
The Three Kingdoms
**Complete the chart below
Kingdom
The Old Kingdom
The Middle Kingdom
Major Accomplishments
5.
6.
Kingdom
The New Kingdom
Major Accomplishments
7.
Rule During the New Kingdom
8. Thutmose III, more commonly known as King ______, came to power when he was
only a child so as a result his ______________(Hatshepsut) ruled for him until
he was old enough. Because she ruled for him, she is known as a ____________
and ruled for 15 years.
9. During Hatshepsut’s rule Egypt had great __________ and ____________($$)
success which was partly due to a great amount of _________ with faraway
places.
10. Although Egypt prospered under Hatshepsut she ______________ to give up
the throne when ____________ was old enough to rule. It was not until her
death when he finally became pharaoh.
a. Because of his resentment towards his stepmother he had all of her
______________ destroyed when he came to power.
11. Thutmose ruled during the ________ Kingdom when he led his army into
_______ and conquered many lands. (look back to the great accomplishments of
the New Kingdom and see how this matches up!)
12. _______________ caused the decline of Egypt because it left the country
weak and ______________ defended.
13. After the New Kingdom fell apart the great conqueror ___________________
______________ from _______________ took control and the Macedonians
kept control for about 300 years. _______________________ is the last
Macedonian ruler before the _______________ conquered the area. It would
then be almost _________ years until Egypt would govern itself again.
Lesson 3.3
Egyptian Religion
p. 82-87
1. After a pharaoh dies it would take about
_______ days to prepare the body for burial.
2. Preserving the body of the pharaoh was
important to the Egyptians because of their strong belief in an _______________.
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
3. The Egyptians believed that their gods controlled __________, ___________, and
all the workings of _____________.
4. Originally each town had their own set of ________ and _____________, however
as time progressed all Egyptians came to believe in common ____________ of gods.
5. Name and describe the major Egyptian Gods:
Name
Description
Chief god; protected the rich
and the poor
Osiris
Great mother; protector of
children
Horus
Belief in an Afterlife
6. Since the Egyptians believed in life after ________ they spent great amounts of
time to ___________ the bodies of the dead.
7. The Egyptians buried their dead with food and other possessions because ________
_______________________________________________________________.
8. During the _________________ (remember this is a time period, not a place) the
afterlife was thought to be for only ______________________. It was not until
the ___________________ that people of all classes were prepared for the
afterlife.
9. Due to Egypt’s climate, when a person was buried in the desert the remains dried
out, creating a _____________, the preserved body of a dead person.
10. The process of mummification was expensive and took _________ months,
therefore some Egyptians could not ___________ to have their loved ones
mummified.
a. The mummification process started with the _____________ of the organs.
b. It was then filled with ________________ and stored for _________ days
while it dried out.
c. After this time period the body was ______________ and bathed in spices.
d. Finally, the body was ______________ in long linen bandages.
e. While the preservation of the body was happening, artisans were making the
_____________, with the innermost of them being __________ shaped and
decorated with the ______________ on the cover.
The Great Pyramid
11. Once mummified, the King’s burial chambers were located in the ______________
of the pyramid.
12. To get to the burial chamber the body was carried through secret ____________
that were created in hopes of keeping __________________ out. (Remember that
inside the tomb were belongings, not just the mummified body).
The Pharaohs’ Tomb
13. Most of Egypt’s pyramids were built during the _______________, including the
largest pyramid known as the _________________. The great pyramid is located
in the city of ____________.
a. Look at the map on page 69 of your textbook. Where is the city of Giza
located? __________________________________________________
14. To build a complete pyramid it could take up to _____ years. To build a pyramid:
1. First the __________ was selected on the ________ bank of the Nile River.
2. Next the ___________ was cleared and marked off so that each side faced a
main compass direction: north, __________, east, and ___________.
3. Then the stones from ______________ were cut into blocks.
4. After being cut they were transported to the ______________ site using
barges.
5. Finally, once at the site of the building, workers dragged and ____________
blocks up ramps to build the different ___________ of the pyramid.
15. Despite the tough work, workers built the pyramids because they felt it was an act
of _______________, helping to ensure their __________ place in the afterlife.
16. Examine “The Pyramid Builders” on page 88 and 89. Why did it take a city of
workers to build the pyramids? _______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Lesson 3.4
Ancient Egyptian Culture
p. 90-95
The Lives of the Egyptians
1. How do we learn about the lives of many
Egyptians?___________________________
___________________________________
2. Egyptian _________ teaches us about the various social classes that existed in
Ancient Egypt. Fill in the social classes in the pyramid below!
Included priests, the pharaohs
court, and nobles with large
estates
Included merchants and
skilled workers
Included farm workers,
construction laborers,
etc.
3. Even lower than the peasant class was a class of _____________. These were
often ______________ of wars that have been captured, but they never made
up a very _________ portion of the population.
4. What was the busiest time of year for the peasant class? _________________
5. Do you think the Egyptians felt that women had an important place in society?
Yes or No (circle one) Why? _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Writing in Ancient Egypt
6. Early Egyptian writing is like that of what we saw in Mesopotamia because it was
written with picture like symbols called ______________. Pictures could stand
for ideas or _________, or they could stand for _____________.
7. The reason why the written language was developed in Egypt was because ______
____________________________________________________________.
8. The ______________ stone was discovered in 1799 near the _________ river.
On the stone there were ____ different types of writing.
a. The stone was named the _____________ stone because it was found
near the city of _________________.
9. It was not until the 1820’s that a French scholar named ___________________
_______________ figured out the meaning of the text on the stone.
a. The stone includes the same meaning in three different ______________
which helped modern people understand what the ________________
from Ancient Egypt meant.
Science and Medicine
10. The Egyptians discovered that the length of a year was approximately _______
days because they studied the yearly ___________ of the Nile and noticed that
it happened every time they could see ______________ in the sky. The study
of the starts and objects in the sky became known as ______________.
11. Mathematics was used by the Egyptians to calculate size when building the
_________________ as well as to measure areas of land so they could figure
out the amount of _________ owed.
12. The Egyptians learned a lot about the body because of their work on
________________. They learned how to treat minor ________________ and
create _________________ for many common illnesses.
Lesson 3.5
The Cultures of Nubia
p. 98-102
Nubia and Egypt
1. Remember: Nubia is located __________ of
the first cataract, along the ______ shaped
region of the Nile River.
2. Nubia and ____________ were ___________
neighbors, so much so that Egyptians even
included skilled Nubian ___________ in their
armies.
3. Egypt valued Nubia because their land had valuable _______, ___________, and
______________.
4. Nubia was also important because it provided a trade route that connected
______________ to Egypt.
5. Many goods came from _________ Nubia, which is actually in the north between
the _____ and ______ Nile cataracts. (label this area on the map above!!) The
area in the south between the _____ and _______ cataracts was known as Upper
Nubia. (label this area on the map above!!)
6. Three powerful kingdoms (these kingdoms are PLACES!) in the south challenged
Egypt for control of the land as Nubia became wealthier. These three kingdoms
are _______________, _______________, and ________________. (Circle
these three kingdoms on the map above.)
Kingdoms of Nubia:
The Kerma Culture
7. Kerma became a wealthy kingdom because they controlled ________ between
Central Africa and ___________.
8. Kerma was also know for its artisans who made _____________, some of which
have been found in tombs of pharaohs.
9. Despite Kerma’s success and wealth, Egypt regains __________ of Nubia and
Nubians adopted many _________ ways, including worshiping some of the same
_______.
Napata and Meroë
10. Napata and Meroë are located _________ of Kerma, in a land called ________.
11. __________ was the capital in the late 700’s B.C., but the capital was moved as
the Napatan Kings took control of more of ____________. As they conquered
the area they admired the Egyptian ____________ and took many ideas from
them, including the building of _________ for their kings.
12. Despite the success of the Napatan Kings moving into Egypt, their rule did not
last very long as they were eventually forced out of Egypt back to ___________
and ended up moving their capital further south to the city of _____________.
a. The city is located between the _______ and _______ cataracts.
13. The Meroë people used the large deposits of ________________ found in the
desert to the east of the city for __________________________________.
14. Despite finding _______________ writings from Meroë, we know little about
the area because scholars do not yet fully understand their writing system.
15. Meroë will eventually fall to ______________, however evidence of their culture
can still be seen in the modern day country of ____________. (Find this area
labeled on the map above and underline it).
Study Topics
1. How did the Nile affect life in Ancient Egypt?
2. How many kingdoms did Egypt have? Name them! (TIME PERIODS!!!)
3. How did the ancient Egyptians demonstrate their belief in life after death?
4. Identify the four social classes of Ancient Egypt.
5. Why did Egyptian astronomers study the stars?
6. Who was Menes and what was his greatest achievement?
7. The first pharaohs of the New Kingdom expanded Egypt’s ___________.
8. Why did Egyptians begin to use Hieroglyphs?
9. What do the Egyptians call their land along the Nile? What do they call the desert
land that stretches out beyond the Nile river bed?
10. Who was the only woman to rule Egypt as a pharaoh?
11. Who was the god of the living and dead and god of the afterlife?
12. Who was his (answer to #11) wife?
13. The people who preserved the body of a pharaoh for afterlife as part of the
mummification process were called _________________.
14. What are canopic jars?
15. What is the Rosetta Stone?
16. What was the name of the Greek historian who explored Egypt looking for the
source of the Nile River?
17. What are the two sources of the Nile called before they meet in Sudan?
18. Describe the steps in building a pyramid. (Include at least 5 steps)
Familiarize yourself with the geography of the Nile!!!!! Review the maps in this
packet!