Ancient History Unit 2

Ancient Egypt

Why was the Nile important?

The Nile played a “vital role” (Mark) in Egyptian society by making the desert land fertile for agriculture.

What was the importance of the Isolation of Egypt?

fewer invasions, easier control

Why did the Egyptians expand Upper Egypt?

Successful agricultural surplus, population growth, and rise of surrounding power

What was the significance of the lower and upper Egypt unification?

in 3100bce king Narmer unified Egypt, important because first dynasty and power under a single ruler

What was King Narmers Significance?

Unified Upper and Lower Egypt in 3100 BCE

What was a pharaoh?

Considered both a king and a god

Whats the double crown?

represents the unification and rule over both upper and lower

What did a Pharaoh do?

Pharaohs were intermediates between the gods and man, preformed rituals, kept ‘ma’at’, buildings, oversaw trade and agriculture

What is Ma’at?

cosmic balance through truth and and order

Whats a Vizier?

part of the administration, like a chief adviser

Social pyramid

king - family and admin - scribes - crafts and trade - farmers

Whats a Nomarch?

The king split up Egypt and put nomarchs in charge of protecting their own ‘nome’ or section

Whats the capital of Egypt?

Memphis

The egyptians believed the soul split into 3, what are they called?

the ka, ba, and akh

What is the Ka?

the Ka is created at birth and was seen as a guardian angel, human shape

What is the Ba?

human headed bird, visits the places the human loved

What was the Akh?

the evil spirit, became a star

Significance of the step pyramid (Djoser)

first made from stone, new organisation of workers

Significance of the Meidum Pyramid

bigger stones

Significance of the Dashur pyramid

first pyramid in a proper pyramid shape

3 things about the cult of Ra

3 things about the cult of Osiris

How did one get to the afterlife?

pass through the Duat

• weighing of the heart

• prove innocence to 42 gods

• then enter the field of reeds

Funerary features

features of royal tombs

science in ancient Egypt

Art in ancient Egypt

Architecture in ancient Egypt

What were the Pyramid texts?

Cemeteries of Saqqara, Giza and Dahshur

What were the causes of the collapse of the old kingdom?

• nomarchs got power hungry

• climate change - less agriculture