Ancient River Valley Civilizations: Egypt

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key geography, religion, history, government, people, and neighboring regions of Ancient Egyptian civilization.

Nile River

A major river in Egypt that flows North.

The Delta

An area of Egypt featuring rich soil.

Cataracts

Rapids along the Nile River.

Sinai Peninsula

A land region that connected Africa to Asia (Mesopotamia).

Sahara

A vast desert that served as a geographic barrier to the West.

Thebes

The last capital of Egypt.

Pharaoh

A god-king ruler of Ancient Egypt.

Pyramids

Tombs constructed for the Pharaohs.

Book of the Dead

A collection of texts that guides souls through the Afterlife.

Hieroglyphs

A writing system used to record history in Ancient Egypt.

Old Kingdom

A period in Egyptian history known as the Pyramid Age.

Middle Kingdom

A period in Egyptian history characterized as a transitional period.

New Kingdom

A period in Egyptian history known as the Age of Pharaohs.

Theocracy

A form of government where the ruler is both a political and religious leader.

Nubia

A kingdom in the Upper Nile Region also known as the Kush; it was a thriving trading partner to Egypt that was ruled by and ruled over Egypt.

Meröe

The capital of Nubia, known for its iron deposits and production.

Menes/Narmer

The Egyptian ruler who unites Upper & Lower Egypt.

Ahmose

A queen who defeats the Hyksos.

Hatshepsut

A queen who proclaims herself Pharaoh.

Thutmose III

The ruler associated with Egypt's 1st Empire.

Amenhotep IV

Egyptian ruler who introduced the worship of one god (Aton), changed his name to Akhenaton, and was associated with Queen Nefertiti.