Ancient Egypt and Kingdom of Kush
Name: _____________
Study Guide
Students MUST submit their answers via the electronic version on Discovery Education
1. How did environmental factors affect where the Egyptians and Kushites settled?
2. Describe the topography of northeastern Africa?
3. Why was the Nile River the most important physical feature in ancient Egypt and Kush?
4. How did the deserts help the people of Egypt and Kush?
5. How did the Mediterranean Sea benefit the people of Egypt and Kush?
6. Which water source had the greatest impact on early settlements, the Nile River or the
Mediterranean Sea? Justify your reasoning.
7. What were the effects of the annual flooding of the Nile River?
8. How did settlers use reeds and papyrus from the Nile River Valley?
9. How did the pharaohs of Egypt compare to the kings of Mesopotamia?
10. What do all three of the periods of ancient Egypt have in common?
11. What was the basis of the pharaoh’s power?
12. Describe the attitude of the pharaohs as evident in the structures they had constructed?
13. Why did the ancient Egyptians mummify their pharaohs?
14. What was the impact of the pharaoh Khufu establishing the role of pharaoh as the central
authority of ancient Egypt?
15. What does the construction and design of the Great Pyramid show in regards to the abilities
and skills of the ancient Egyptians?
16. During the Middle Kingdom, what enabled the arts to flourish?
17. What artifacts best represent the pharaoh Senusret I’s legacy?
18. Why was the rule of the pharaoh Hatshepsut so impressive?
19. What type of impact did Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s expedition to Punt have on ancient Egypt?
20. Why was Ramses the Great so great?
21. Why could Ramses the Great be described as vain or conceited?
22. Why was Ramses arrangement with the Hittites so significant?
23. How was the social structure of ancient Egypt similar to the social structure of ancient Sumer?
24. What determined how much power a person had in ancient Egypt?
25. How were women in ancient Egypt similar to women in the Babylonian Empire?
26. My job in ancient Egypt would compare to a modern day judge because I was expected to
remain objective in ruling on matters. What was my job?
27. My job in ancient Egypt would compare to a modern day record keeper or business manager
because I was expected to document all accounts, business transaction, and court cases. What
was my job?
28. Why is it ironic that the peasants made up the lowest social class and had the fewest rights
and advantages?
29. If you had been a peasant in Ancient Egypt, which season would you be most concerned
with/worried about? Justify your reasoning.
30. Why is the relationship between the Egyptians and Kushites described as complicated?
31. Why was Kush an important trading hub or center?
32. Why did the Kushites experience cultural diffusion?
33. Why did Egypt fall to Kush much like Sumer fell to the Akkadians?
34. What innovation enabled the Assyrians to drive the Kushites out and conquer Egypt?
35. How is a dynasty similar to an empire?
36. How did the defeat by the Assyrians impact the Kushites?
37. Worship of a lion-god in Kush reflected which influence on Kushite culture?
38. Why was Kush able to avoid becoming part of the Roman Empire?
39. Ultimately, what caused the demise of the kingdom of Kush?