Empire in History quiz 3

Vocabulary flashcards covering key aspects of ancient Egyptian family structure, childbirth beliefs, historical accounts, and cultural identity based on the provided lecture notes.

What was the most typical structure of an ancient Egyptian household?
A. Nuclear family only

B. Multigenerational, often including aunts and grandparents

C. Just parents and children

D. Royal family members only

B. Multigenerational, often including aunts and grandparents

Why is it difficult to identify specific family relationships in ancient Egyptian texts?
A. Many records were destroyed

B. Egyptians used hieroglyphs inconsistently

C. The same word was used for different generations

D. Families often had no names

C. The same word was used for different generations

In the New Kingdom, what did the term “sister” mean when referring to a wife?
A. Literal sibling

B. A religious title

C. A poetic term of endearment

D. A servant

C. A poetic term of endearment

Why did Egyptian royalty sometimes practice sibling marriage?
A. To avoid external alliances

B. To increase fertility

C. To model divine behavior and retain power

D. It was required by law

C. To model divine behavior and retain power

What household did the census at Lahun document in detail?
A. A royal palace

B. A priest’s home

C. The soldier Hori’s family

D. The temple workers’ barracks

C. The soldier Hori’s family

How was marriage typically established in ancient Egypt?
A. Through a state contract

B. Through a priest’s blessing

C. By the woman moving into the man’s house

D. At a large religious ceremony

C. By the woman moving into the man’s house

What was a common contraceptive ingredient in ancient Egyptian texts?
A. Olive oil

B. Crocodile dung

C. Lotus seeds

D. Papyrus stems

B. Crocodile dung

Why were boys and girls both considered equally valuable in Egyptian families?
A. Boys worked; girls were married off

B. Egyptian law required equal treatment

C. Male fertility beliefs made fathers responsible for child’s sex

D. Girls inherited more property

C. Male fertility beliefs made fathers responsible for child’s sex

Which of the following was NOT a visual symbol used in Egyptian art to identify children?
A. Holding a scroll

B. Sidelock of hair

C. Nude appearance

D. Finger to mouth

A. Holding a scroll

What usually happened when a faithful woman divorced her husband in ancient Egypt?
A. She had to pay a fine

B. She left with her personal property

C. She took custody of all children

D. She was punished by the court

B. She left with her personal property

Ancient Egyptian families typically consisted only of parents and their children.

False

Sibling marriage was common among all ancient Egyptians.

False

Egyptian men could have multiple wives outside the royal family.

False

Ancient Egyptian children were typically shown wearing clothes in art.

False

Divorce in ancient Egypt required a legal proceeding with a judge.

False

Why were children considered important in ancient Egyptian society?
A. They were needed for military service.

B. They ensured family wealth was passed on.

C. They helped care for parents and arranged proper burials.

D. They worked in temples from a young age.

C. They helped care for parents and arranged proper burials.

Which goddesses were most commonly associated with protecting childbirth?
A. Isis and Hathor

B. Taweret and Meskhenet

C. Bastet and Nephthys

D. Mut and Sekhmet

B. Taweret and Meskhenet

In the ancient Egyptian pregnancy test, what did the sprouting of barley seeds supposedly indicate?
A. miscarriage

B. That the woman would have a girl

C. That she was not pregnant

D. That she would have twins

B. That the woman would have a girl

Which of the following is true about gender preference in ancient Egypt?
A. Male children were preferred over female children.

B. Female children were often exposed at birth.

C. There is little evidence of a strong gender preference.

D. Families needed at least one daughter for religious rites.

C. There is little evidence of a strong gender preference.

What role did the goddess Meskhenet play in childbirth?
A. She created the child’s soul.

B. She protected the placenta.

C. She was personified as the birth bricks.

D. She assisted in naming the child.

C. She was personified as the birth bricks.

Why did ancient Egyptian men believe they were responsible for the sex of a child?
A. Because women took potions to determine the sex

B. Due to mythological roles of goddesses

C. Because they believed the seed came from men alone

D. Due to royal edicts on heredity

C. Because they believed the seed came from men alone

What was the purpose of ivory wands with images of Taweret and Bes?
A. To call midwives during labor

B. To summon divine protection by drawing a circle around mother and child

C. To represent the four elements during childbirth

D. To determine if a woman was fertile

B. To summon divine protection by drawing a circle around mother and child

What does the will of Naunakhte illustrate about motherhood and inheritance in ancient Egypt?
A. Fathers always controlled all property

B. Only sons inherited property

C. Mothers had legal rights to disinherit ungrateful children

D. Widows had no authority in legal matters

C. Mothers had legal rights to disinherit ungrateful children

How was childbirth linked with cosmic or divine symbolism in the later Middle Kingdom?
A. Births were celebrated with royal festivals

B. Birth bricks were painted with scenes linking childbirth to the sun god Ra

C. The placenta was buried in a sacred ceremony

D. The umbilical cord was used in magical rituals

B. Birth bricks were painted with scenes linking childbirth to the sun god Ra

According to ancient texts, what was a man's responsibility toward his wife and family?
A. To discipline his wife and children

B. To marry multiple women for many sons

C. To treat his wife with respect and avoid extramarital affairs

D. To ensure only sons received an education

C. To treat his wife with respect and avoid extramarital affairs

Ancient Egyptian society strongly preferred sons over daughters.

False

Taweret and Bes were often depicted with frightening features to ward off danger.

True

The Egyptians practiced surgical interventions during childbirth.

False

The goddess Isis was seen as the perfect model of motherhood.

True

Bes and Taweret were worshipped primarily at large state temples.

False

What conclusion did Psammetichos draw from his language experiment with the two isolated children?
A) Egyptian was the oldest language

B) Phrygians were the oldest people

C) Children will create their own language

D) Language is unrelated to cultural origin

B) Phrygians were the oldest people

How are we to interpret Egyptian religious cleanliness rituals based on Herodotus’ account?
A) As a method to prevent disease

B) As a way to conform to Greek customs

C) As evidence of Egyptian wealth

D) As a sign of spiritual discipline and moral purity

D) As a sign of spiritual discipline and moral purity

What does Herodotus’ description of Egyptian customs that “invert” Greek norms suggest about his perspective?
A) He views Egyptian culture as superior in moral values

B) He appreciates Egyptian customs as equally valid

C) He uses Egyptian customs to reinforce Greek cultural superiority

D) He is indifferent to cultural differences

C) He uses Egyptian customs to reinforce Greek cultural superiority

Which of the following was not one of the strict rules governing Egyptian priests?
A) Avoidance of beans and fish

B) Daily shaving of heads

C) Use of ceramic cups cleaned daily

D) Wearing only linen garments

C) Use of ceramic cups cleaned daily

According to Herodotus, how did the Nile influence Egyptian identity?
A) It marked the border between Egypt and Nubia

B) It was seen as a spiritual being to be worshipped

C) It defined who could be considered Egyptian through geography and sustenance

D) It encouraged trade and alliances with Phrygians

C) It defined who could be considered Egyptian through geography and sustenance

What does the story of Psammetichos reveal about how Egyptians viewed themselves?
A) As inferior to other cultures

B) As the originators of humanity and civilization

C) As open to foreign influences

D) As uninterested in language and identity

B) As the originators of humanity and civilization

Why did Egyptians reject the Ionian claim that Egypt was limited to the Delta region?
A) They believed Egypt included any land governed by the Pharaoh

B) They saw all land watered by the Nile as Egyptian territory

C) They wanted to expand their territory for military purposes

D) They prioritized desert lands over river-fed lands

B) They saw all land watered by the Nile as Egyptian territory