Name ___________________________ Per. _____ Date _________
Study Guide Ancient Egypt
Lesson 1:
1. Give as many reasons as you can to explain why the Nile River was so important to
ancient Egypt.
To use a trade routes, for drinking water, provided fertile soil for growing crops,
irrigation from the river was used to help the crops, made mud bricks from the water
and soil for their houses, flooded the same time every year so that they could predict
when to plant crops. Food to hunt came from the Nile River and from the vegetation
around the Nile.
It was a gift to the people of Egypt. 1. It flooded at the same time every year so the AE’s knew when
to plant crops. 2. It provided fertile soil for the crops to grow in. 3. They were able to use the mud
from the Nile to make bricks for their houses. 4. The land grew Flax plants which they made linen from
and they used the grasses from the banks to make sandals. 5. AE’s used the water to expand the areas
in which they could grow with irrigation canals and a shaduf. 6. A form of transportation. 7. Brought
animals for them to hunt. 8.Food, and drinking water 9. Trade expanded
2. Name and explain 2 techniques that Egyptians used to farm. They used a
Shaduf…bucket on a lever to spread water on the crops. They used irrigation canals
which carried water to dry land.
3. Name 5 crops the Ancient Egyptians were known for.
Lettuce, radishes, figs, wheat, watermelon, grapes, flax plants, asparagus, dates,
cucumbers, papyrus
4. Astronomy helped ancient Egyptians create the first calendar which in turn helped
them farm reliably
Lesson 2:
5. Name the social classes and know their roles/jobs and place in Egyptian Society. Make a
pyramid if that helps!
Pharaoh: king, considered a god/goddess
Priests: cared for temples, kept the gods happy, held ceremonies, astronomers and
made the first calendar
Nobles: they were rich and educated
Scribes and government officials: trained in writing and record keeping, helped rule the
provinces in Egypt
Craftsmen(Artisans) and Merchants: made jewelry and farming tools, they traded for
more goods.
Farmers: they developed crops during the off season they helped build pyramids
Slaves: worked in mines, on pyramids and for other people.
6. Name and explain 3 ways that learning advanced in ancient Egypt.
They invented Hieroglyphics and later wrote on Papyrus. They created the first books
Geometry: property lines, measured land, used shapes for temples, monuments, and
pyramids…art
Medicine: prepared the bodies for burial or mummification, performed the first
surgeries. They used herbs to clean out wounds and as medicine.
Astronomy: watched and named stars and from this they created the first calendar.
7.
What type of religion did ancient Egyptian believe in? Polytheism, which means? A
belief in many gods.
8. Explain the difference between embalming (Anubis) and a mummy. Why did they
embalm and mummify? Embalming: preserving a body after death. Mummifying:
wrapping the preserved body so it does not decay. They believed in Life after Death.
9. How did the flooding of the Nile River differ from the flooding of the Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers?
The Nile River was predictable each year (rains in Ethiopia) and Tigris and Euphrates
flooding was unpredictable, sometimes they did not flood, and they depended on snow
in the Mountains.
10. How did heavy rain in Ethiopia affect Egypt?
It provided water for the Nile to Flood…
11.What was an advantage of using the Nile for transportation? Ancient Egyptians were
able to trade. They used boats with sails and oars to be able to go further and trade for
more goods. Traded for: animal pelts, herbs, incenses for temples, medicine,
Lessons 3 and 4
Study your flow maps about the pharaohs and kingdoms. You will be allowed to use your
flow maps on your test.
Vocab: cataract, delta, silt, fertile, linen, Shaduf, scribes, hieroglyphics, papyrus, afterlife,
dynasty, succession, pharaoh, Khufu, Ramses II, Hatshepsut, obelisk