EGYPT

Question 0

Describe Egypt’s Art, Religion & History.

Answer 0

• *Banded together into two kingdoms until Menes.
• **Egypt’s natural barriers of desert and sea made it a difficult choice for invaders.
• **Polytheistic, believed in many gods. Main god was Re, the Sun God.
• *Pyramids built beginning of Old Kingdom.
• **3 periods - Old Kingdom. Middle Kingdom: Art, Literature. New Kingdom: kings called Pharaohs.

Question 1

Describe the geography and strategic importance of Egypt.

Answer 1

Egypt is located in northern Africa with natural barriers - African desert to the west and south, the Red Sea to the east and the Mediterranean sea at its north. The north-flowing Nile river had predictable, annual floods which deposited a layer of silt, making the Nile river valley fertile and productive. The rest of the Egyptian landscape is desert. It’s isolation greatly hindered foreign invaders.

Question 2

Describe Egypt’s contribution(s) to Science.

Answer 2

• **Egyptians designed a 365 day calendar, 12 months of 30 days each, (with 5 additional added to make 365) to help predict the flooding of the Nile, and planting of various crops.
• *Three seasons.
• Doctors had knowledge of various drugs to treat disease, and were knowledgeable in sewing wounds & performing surgeries.

Question 3

Describe the culture of Egypt.

Answer 3

Pharoahs - top of the social structure, since they were "gods", had authority over all. 
Beneath were three classes: Upper class - priests, court nobility (advisors to King and queen) and landed nobility (managers of the royal estate). 
Middle class - traders, merchants, doctors, teachers, scribes, builders. Lower - free laborers (had few rights) and slaves (pow).  
Children were valued as gifts from god. Upper class children learned to read, write, do math, and literature.

Question 4

Discuss at least 3 important people in Egypt’s history.

Answer 4

Menes Cheops - united upper and lower Egypt around 3100BC. First dynasty to rule Egypt. Built the Great Pyramid.
Tutankhamen - boy Pharaoh of Egypt. Ruled age 9 to 19. Tomb found untouched in 1922.
Hatsepsut - female Pharaoh during the New Kingdom. Expanded trade & improved life for her people, built obelisks. Did not seek to expand power.
Thutmose III - took over after Queen Hatsepsut died. Very successful military leader.

Question 5

Name and describe at least three Egyptian gods.

Answer 5

**Ra - sun god.
**Amon-Ra - combined gods to create the most powerful god.
Osiris - creator of earth, god of the dead or afterlife
Hapi - god of the Nile (controlled flooding)
***Anubis - jackal-god
Hathor - goddess of love
Thoth - god of wisdom

Question 6

Discuss Egypt’s economy.

Answer 6

Egypt’s economy depended upon the yearly floods of the Nile. Egyptians planted various crops for home consumption as well as trade. They invented the plow, built irrigation ditches to carry water to the fields. Farmers were the backbone of the economy. Many goods were paid for in food. Slave labor helped with building structures.