Study Mummy
Who unified upper and lower Egypt? (According to tradition.)
Menes
What type of government was Egypt’s first dynasty? (Explain that type of government.)
Theocracy: a government ruled by religious leaders such as priests or a monarch thought to
be divine.
Egypt’s political system was based on what belief about the pharaoh? (283)
They believed he was both a king and a god.
Who ruled Egypt for 160 years after the Old Kingdom fell?
Nobles
What was the political and cultural center of Egypt for many centuries?
Memphis
What was Hatshepsut remembered for?
Increased trade and built monuments.
What was Ramses the Great remembered for? (297) Look at “why is he important.”
A great warrior and a builder. (Temples at Karnak, Luxor, and Abu Simbel)
We know Menes is considered by historians to be the first pharaoh, but what other first do we
credit to his name?
First dynasty. (Series of rulers from the same family.)
How did the Rosetta stone help scholars and historians in their study of hieroglyphics?
The message was the same in all 3 languages, scholars who new Greek were able to figure
out the Heiroglyphics.
Who is the Great Pyramid dedicated to in the town of Giza?
Khufu
What was the Egyptian writing system called?
Hieroglyphics
What were some of the lasting achievements that the Egyptians made in the areas of writing,
architecture, and art? (Know at least two from each category.) (298-303)
Writing: government writings, historical records, science texts, medical manuals, literary works
like The Book of the Dead
Architecture: Built pyramids. Built temples that were guarded by rows of sphinxes, had huge
thick entrance gates, obelisks on both sides. Examples: Temple of Karnak, Luxor, Abu Simbel.
Art: Magnificent paintings, carvings and statues, jewelry. (They thought the dead would enjoy them in the afterlife.)
What did farmers do during flood season?
Worked on pharaoh’s building project.
What factor contributed most to the growth of trade in the New Kingdom?
Military conquests.
What job employed the most people in Egypt?
Farmers
What duties did peasants have to the pharaoh?
Building pyramids, mining gold, fighting in army. (They got paid in grain.)
Who would the people of Egypt blame if crops did not grow or if disease struck?
Pharaoh
Why did the Egyptians build their temples and pyramids to be grand and spectacular?
They showed how important the pharaoh was.
How do historians know that the afterlife was important to the Egyptians? (286)
They made tombs for people who died. They put food and beverages in the tombs so that
their loved ones would be cared for in the afterlife.
Why did the Egyptians want to prevent their loved ones’ bodies from decaying? (286)
If the body decayed, the spirit could not recognize it. The link between body and spirit
would be broken and the spirit would be unable to receive food and gifts.
What did the Egyptians believe about a well-ordered society? (284)
It would keep their kingdom strong.
What was the social order of ancient Egypt? (284)
 Pharaoh,
 nobles (officials and priests),
 middle class (scribes and craftspeople),
 lower class (farmers, servants, and slaves.)
Who were the only people that could afford to have mummies made?
Elite
Why was a military career a good opportunity for Egyptians?
Offered people a chance to rise in social status
What were women’s rights like in ancient Egypt?
Own property, make contracts, keep property after divorce.