Name:________________________________
Section:__________________
Teacher: __________________
Chapter 3 vocabulary
1. Nubia: an ancient region in the nile river valley on the site of present-day
southern Egypt and northern Sudan
2. cataract: a large waterfall; any strong flood or rush of water
3. delta: a plain at the mouth of a river;formed when sediment is deposited by flowing
water
4. silt: fine soil found on river bottoms
5. pharaoh: the title of the kings of ancient Egypt
6. dynasty: a series of rulers from the same family or ethnic background
7. absolute power: complete control of someone or something
8. regent: someone who rules for a child until the child is old enough to rule
9. afterlife: life after death
10. mummy: a dead body preserved in a lifelike condition
11. pyramid: a huge building with four sloping triangle-shaped sides; built as royal
tombs in Egypt
12. Giza: an ancient Egyptian city; the site of the Great Pyramid
13. hieroglyphs: pictures and other written symbols that stand for ideas, things, or
sounds
14. papyrus: an early form of paper made from the reed plant found in the marshy areas
of the Nile delta; the plant used to make this paper
15. astronomer: a scientist who studies the stars and other objects in the sky
16. ore: a mineral or combination of minerals mined for the production of metal
17. Lower Nubia: the region of ancient Nubia between the first and second Nile
cataracts
18. Upper Nubia: the region of ancient Nubia between the second and sixth caratacts
19. artisan: a worker who is skilled in crafting goods by hand
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 SOURCE of the Nile
River, however was not successful because he was stopped
by the CATARACTS.
The Course of the Nile River
3. The longest river in the world is the NILE
which flows from EAST AFRICA to the MEDITERANIAN 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 TWO different spots. The two rivers, the
BLUE Nile and the WHITE Nile meet in the present day country of
SUDAN. (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? IT FLOWS SOUTH TO
NORTH (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 “S”
shape that spans 1,000 miles. The area along this portion of the Nile is known as
NUBIA
7. Along the “S” shaped portion of the river there are 6 cataracts, or ROCK FILLED
RAPIDS.
8. The 1st and 2nd cataracts are in the north/south (circle one) portion of the “s.”
Ironically this area is called LOWER Nubia. Why is it named this way?
_____________________________________________________________
a. The people in this area live very close to the Nile because the surrounding
lands are DESERT AND GRANITE MOUNTAINS.
9. As you travel NORTH along the S shaped region of the River from the 2nd to
the 1st cataract people lived within 2 miles of the river on either side.
b. This area is known as LOWER Nubia despite being further NORTH than
Upper Nubia.
The Nile Through Ancient Egypt
10. From the first cataract at the city of ASWAN until the river empties into the
MEDITERAEN sea the region is known as ancient EGYPT.
11. Along this region of the Nile River people could live FARTHER from the banks of
the Nile than they could in the Nubian section because the fertile lands stretched
out about 6 MILES on either side of the Nile.
12. Before the Nile empties into the MEDITERAEN sea it splits into several small
STREAMS and forms an area known as a DELTA, 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 FLOODS that
deposit SILT along the banks of the Nile which is used for growing crops. Without
the floods, FARMING would not be possible in the area.
Black Land and Red Land
14. What is another name for the Black Lands? KEMET Why did the ancient Egyptians
call the land long the Nile this? SOIL LEFT FROM THE FLOODS
15. Beyond the black lands are the RED LANDS , they are named so because DESERTS
AND RED SAND.
Desert Protection
16. The deserts surrounding the people of Egypt were a benefit to them because
SHEILDED THEM FROM ATTACKS.
17. Although surrounded by desert lands the people of Egypt were not isolated because
the NILE VALLEY 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 FISHED
and HUNTED to get the foods they needed.
20. Travel along the Nile in Nubia was nearly impossible because of the CATARACTS, so
instead the people were forced to trade OVER LAND.
Lesson 3.2
The Rulers of Egypt
p. 76-81
1. HATSHEPSUT, Egypt’s famous female pharaoh, controlled
the WEALTH and power of the civilization.
Egyptian Kingship
2. The history of Egypt is divided into the study of each of its
DYNASTIES, time periods where there are a series of rulers
from the same FAMILY OR ETHNIC GROUP. Therefore each time a new family or
ethnic group takes control, it begins a new DYNASTY.
2. Egypt’s first of its total of 31dynasty began in 3100BC when Menes united UPPER
and LOWER Egypt, which started one of the most STABLE civilizations in history.
a. The dynasties in Egypt are divided into 3 different time periods called
KINGDOMS. (Remember these are time periods, not places).
i. The three dynasties are known as the OLD, MIDDLE, and NEW
Kingdoms.
3. Egypt’s pharaohs had ABSOLUTE POWER, or complete control over their people,
which meant that whatever they decided became LAW.
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 GODS
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
Major Accomplishments
7.
The New Kingdom
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 PEACE and ECONOMIC ($$) success
which was partly due to a great amount of TRADE with faraway places.
10. Although Egypt prospered under Hatshepsut she REFUSED to give up the throne
when THUTMOSE III 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
STATUES destroyed when he came to power.
11. Thutmose ruled during the NEW Kingdom when he led his army into SYRIA and
conquered many lands. (look back to the great accomplishments of the New
Kingdom and see how this matches up!)
12. CIVIL WAR caused the decline of Egypt because it left the country weak and
POORLY defended.
13. After the New Kingdom fell apart the great conqueror ALEXANDER THE GREAT
from MACEDONIA took control and the Macedonians kept control for about 300
years. CLEOPATRA VII is the last Macedonian ruler before the ROMANS
conquered the area. It would then be almost 2000years until Egypt would govern
itself again.
Lesson 3.3
Egyptian Religion
p. 82-87
1. After a pharaoh dies it would take about 100
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 AFTERLIFE.
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
3. The Egyptians believed that their gods controlled LIFE, DEATH, and all the workings
of NATURE.
4. Originally each town had their own set of GODS and GODDESSES, however as time
progressed all Egyptians came to believe in common GROUP of gods.
5. Name and describe the major Egyptian Gods:
Name
AMON RE
Description
Chief god; protected the rich
and the poor
Osiris
GOD OF LIVING AND DEAD
ISIS
Great mother; protector of
children
Horus
SKY GOD AND GOD OF
KINGSHIP
Belief in an Afterlife
6. Since the Egyptians believed in life after DEATH they spent great amounts of time
to PRESERVE the bodies of the dead.
7. The Egyptians buried their dead with food and other possessions because ________
_______________________________________________________________.
8. During the OLD KINGDOM (remember this is a time period, not a place) the
afterlife was thought to be for only ROYALTY AND THEIR ASSOCIATES. It was
not until the MIDDLE KINGDOM 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 MUMMY, the preserved body of a dead person.
10. The process of mummification was expensive and took 2-3 months, therefore some
Egyptians could not AFFORD to have their loved ones mummified.
a. The mummification process started with the REMOVAL of the organs.
b. It was then filled with NATURAL SALT and stored for 40 days while it dried
out.
c. After this time period the body was CLEANED and bathed in spices.
d. Finally, the body was WRAPPED in long linen bandages.
e. While the preservation of the body was happening, artisans were making the
COFFIN, with the innermost of them being HUMAN shaped and decorated
with the FACE on the cover.
The Great Pyramid
11. Once mummified, the King’s burial chambers were located in the HEART of the
pyramid.
12. To get to the burial chamber the body was carried through secret TUNNELS that
were created in hopes of keeping GRAVE ROBBERS 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 OLD KINGDOM, including the
largest pyramid known as the GREAT PYRAMID. The great pyramid is located in the
city of GIZA.
a. Look at the map on page 69 of your textbook. Where is the city of Giza
located? NEAR THE DELTA
14. To build a complete pyramid it could take up to 20 years. To build a pyramid:
1. First the SITE was selected on the WEST bank of the Nile River.
2. Next the LAND was cleared and marked off so that each side faced a main
compass direction: north, SOUTH, east, and WEST.
3. Then the stones from QUARRYS were cut into blocks.
4. After being cut they were transported to the CONSTRUCTION site using
barges.
5. Finally, once at the site of the building, workers dragged and PUSHED blocks
up ramps to build the different LEVELS of the pyramid.
15. Despite the tough work, workers built the pyramids because they felt it was an act
of KINDNESS, helping to ensure their KINGS 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 __ART_ 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 SLAVES. These were often
PRISONERS of wars that have been captured, but they never made up a very
LARGE portion of the population.
4. What was the busiest time of year for the peasant class? HARVEST
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 HEIROGLYPHICS. Pictures could stand
for ideas or THINGS, or they could stand for SOUNDS.
7. The reason why the written language was developed in Egypt was because TO
KEEP TRACK OF THE KINGDOMS GROWING WEALTH.
8. The ROSETTA stone was discovered in 1799 near the NILE river. On the stone
there were 3 different types of writing.
a. The stone was named the ROSETTA stone because it was found near the
city of ROSETTA.
9. It was not until the 1820’s that a French scholar named JEAN-FRACIOUS
CHAMPOLLION figured out the meaning of the text on the stone.
a. The stone includes the same meaning in three different LANGUAGES
which helped modern people understand what the HEIROGLYPHICS from
Ancient Egypt meant.
Science and Medicine
10. The Egyptians discovered that the length of a year was approximately 365 days
because they studied the yearly FLOOD of the Nile and noticed that it happened
every time they could see SIRUS in the sky. The study of the stars and objects
in the sky became known as ASTRONOMY.
11. Mathematics was used by the Egyptians to calculate size when building the
PYRAMIDS as well as to measure areas of land so they could figure out the
amount of TAXES owed.
12. The Egyptians learned a lot about the body because of their work on MUMMYS.
They learned how to treat minor INJURIES and create MEDICINE for many
common illnesses.
Lesson 3.5
The Cultures of Nubia
p. 98-102
Nubia and Egypt
1. Remember: Nubia is located SOUTH of the first cataract, along the “S” shaped
region of the Nile River.
2. Nubia and EGYPT were PEACEFUL neighbors, so much so that Egyptians even
included skilled Nubian ARCHERS in their armies.
3. Egypt valued Nubia because their land had valuable GOLD, COPPER, and IRON
ORE.
4. Nubia was also important because it provided a trade route that connected
CENTRAL AFRICA to Egypt.
5. Many goods came from LOWER Nubia, which is actually in the north between the
1ST and 2ND Nile cataracts. (label this area on the map above!!) The area in
the south between the 2ND and 6TH 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 KERMA, NAPATA, and MOROE. (Circle these three kingdoms on the map
above.)
Kingdoms of Nubia:
The Kerma Culture
7. Kerma became a wealthy kingdom because they controlled TRADE between
Central Africa and EGYPT.
8. Kerma was also known for its artisans who made POTTERY, some of which have
been found in tombs of pharaohs.
9. Despite Kerma’s success and wealth, Egypt regains CONTROL of Nubia and
Nubians adopted many EGYPTIANS ways, including worshiping some of the same
GODS.
Napata and Meroë
10. Napata and Meroë are located SOUTH of Kerma, in a land called KUSH.
11. NAPATA was the capital in the late 700’s B.C., but the capital was moved as the
Napatan Kings took control of more of EGYPT.As they conquered the area they
admired the Egyptian CULTURE and took many ideas from them, including the
building of PYRAMIDS 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 NUBIA and
ended up moving their capital further south to the city of MEROE.
a. The city is located between the 5TH and 6TH cataracts.
13. The Meroë people used the large deposits of IRON ORE found in the desert to
the east of the city for MAKING WEAPONS AND TOOLS.
14. Despite finding HIEROGLYPHICS 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 AXUM, however evidence of their culture can still be
seen in the modern day country of SUDAN. (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!