Pharaohs, Dynasties, and Pyramids
Global History and Geography I Name: ______
E. Napp Date: ______
Ancient Egypt consisted of two parts: Lower or Northern Egypt and Upper or Southern Egypt. Since the NileRiver flows northward to the Mediterranean Sea, Upper Egypt was in the south near the river’s origin. While Upper and Lower Egypt initially had separate governments, the need to unite arose. In order to finish irrigation projects, all Egyptians needed to work together. Around 3100 B.C., a pharaoh united Upper and Lower Egypt. Pharaohs or divine rulers and dynasties or ruling families ruled ancient Egypt for many years.
Ancient Egyptian civilization consisted of two parts. Name the two parts:
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Where is Lower Egypt? Why is it called “Lower” Egypt? ______Where is Upper Egypt? Why is it called “Upper” Egypt?
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What surrounds the NileRiver?
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Why did Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt unite?
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When did Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt unite?
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There were many dynasties in ancient Egypt. Define dynasty:
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Ancient Egyptian civilization is divided into three periods: The Old Kingdom (3100-2186 B.C.), The Middle Kingdom (2040 -1630 B.C.) and the New Kingdom (1600 -525 B.C.)
During all periods, pharaohs ruled ancient Egypt.
- Define pharaoh: ______
- During the Old Kingdom, pharaohs built pyramids. Why did pharaohs build pyramids? (Turn to yesterday’s lesson for clues.)
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- Why did the Egyptians fill a pharaoh’s tomb with food, clothing, jewelry, furniture, and beautiful art? ______
The ancient Egyptians believed that pharaohs continued to rule even after they died. So, they built great tombs or places to bury the dead ruler. To make these tombs last forever, the Egyptians built with stone. About 75 pyramids still stand in the Egyptian desert. The three most famous are in an area called Giza, outside modern Cairo. Building the pyramids was hard work. The builders had no iron tools to cut the stone. They had no wheels or work animals to carry the huge stone blocks, which weighed about 5,000 pounds each. The Egyptians buried the dead pharaoh in rooms deep within a pyramid. Then they sealed the rooms with huge stone blocks. However, robbers sometimes broke into the tombs and stole the treasures there.
List four facts about the building of pyramids in Ancient Egypt:
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Scribes in ancient Egypt wrote with picture symbols. This writing system is called hieroglyphics. The term comes from the Greek for “sacred carving”. As time passed, though people could no longer read them. Centuries later, the key to hieroglyphics was found. It was a stone tablet we know call the Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone was found in 1799 by Napoleon’s army. Soldiers accidentally dug up a tablet carved with three kinds of writing: Greek, a newer form of Egyptian, and hieroglyphics. Eventually, a French scholar was able to decipher the ancient Egyptian symbols. Today, archaeologists can decipher hieroglyphics.
Did the ancient Egyptians develop writing?
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What do we call ancient Egyptian writing?
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What is the Rosetta Stone and why is it important?
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Around 1630 B.C., nomads from Asia known as the Hyksos invaded Egypt. The Hyksos had better weapons. They had horse-drawn chariots, bronze and iron weapons, and armor. The Hyksos easily defeated the Egyptians. For the first time in Egypt’s history, foreigners ruled Egypt.
Why were the Hyksos able to easily defeat the Egyptians?
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Eventually, the Egyptians adopted the military tactics of the Hyksos and drove out the foreign invaders.
A few interesting facts:
While most pharaohs were men, Hatshepsut was a female pharaoh. She ruled for about 20 years. During her reign, there was peace in Egypt. Around 1372 B.C., Ikhnaton became pharaoh. He had new religious beliefs. He wanted the Egyptians to worship one god. His monotheism lasted until his death when the Egyptians returned to polytheism.
Why were Hatshepsut and Ikhnaton unusual pharaohs?
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The main purpose of this map is to illustrate the location of
(1) overseas trade routes (3) river valley civilizations
(2) early belief systems (4) burial sites of ancient rulers
______Pharaoh / A. She was the first female ruler of ancient Egypt. This female pharaoh spread Egyptian culture.______Mummies / B. It is the longest river in the world. It was the birthplace of Egyptian civilization.
______Rosetta Stone / C. During the Old Kingdom, these architectural structures were built as tombs for deceased pharaohs.
______Hieroglyphics / D. French engineers discovered it. It allowed archaeologists to decipher ancient Egyptian writing.
______Dynasty / E. The ancient Egyptians preserved the bodies of the dead. They believed in an afterlife.
______Nile / F. It is ancient Egyptian writing. It is similar to Sumerian cuneiform. It recorded history.
______Pyramids / G. It is located near the Mediterranean Sea. It has a delta and is good for farming.
______Hyksos / H. It is a ruling family. It is a political system where a family controls the government.
______Lower Egypt / I. It is a divine ruler of ancient Egypt. This ruler is believed to be a god.
______Hatshepsut / J. They invaded Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. They made iron weapons.
One reason the Euphrates, Indus, Nile, and Tigris valleys became
centers of early civilization is that these valleys had
(1) borders and elevations that were easy to defend
(2) rich deposits of coal and iron ores
(3) the means for irrigation and transportation
(4) locations in regions of moderate climate and abundant rainfall