Ancient Egypt and China test

What is the main river in Egypt?

The Nile river

What is the impact of the Nile river on Egypt?

the nile provides irrigation, protection, transportation, food supplies, and security

What were the two geographical sections of Egypt?

Upper Egypt and lower Egypt

Upper and lower Egypt were divided into what three kingdoms?

Old Kingdom, middle kingdom, and new kingdom

Ancient Egypt was organized by social hierarchy explain

Pharaoh on the top, upper class (Nobles and priests), merchants, and artisans, lower class (majority of population, bound to land, taxpayers, military service; labor free)

Explain the old kingdom

The old kingdom is known as the pyramid age pharaohs were extremely powerful and had to maintain ma’at. Egypt was pretty much stable.

Explain why the old kingdom collapsed

The old kingdom fell due to natural disaster.

The Nile not flooding

The pharaoh not containing Ma’at

Disorder/Civil War

pyramids became extremely expensive

irrigation problems.

Political instability

Explain the middle kingdom

The middle kingdom was reunified, restoring order, and stability.

Public works (construction to restore the kingdom)

AFTERLIFE

Pharaohs were buried in the valley of the kings

Explain why the middle kingdom collapsed

The middle kingdom collapsed due to weak leadership and the invasion of the Hyksos (new bronze weapons!!)

Explain the new kingdom

The new kingdom was when Akhenaten and king tut lived

militarism and imperialism

Hatshepsut

Who is Akhenaten?

Egyptian pharaoh who changed Egypt's traditional religion, promoted worship of Aten instead of multiple gods

reduced power of the traditional priest

Who is King Tut?

Became pharaoh when he was very young

pharaoh of the new kingdom

restored the worship of traditional Egyptian gods

tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922 (very famous contained 24K gold mask)

Mummification

Believed body should remain intact.

Only wealthy people would be mummified.

Jewls, beads and gold were buried for the afterlife with the bodies.

Who is Hatshepsut?

Female pharaoh in ancient Egypt

ruled during the new kingdom

known for peace and trade

rules for her stepson then will not give power up

dresses as a man, why? power was masculine.

What is Ma’at?

Ma’at is to maintain the right way to do things

What is Ka?

Ka is your bodies soul

What is the feather of truth ceremony?

In the underworld, Osiris weighed the deceased person's heart against the feather of Ma'at. If the heart was heavy with sin, it was eaten by a monster.

What was the written language in Egypt?

Hieroglyphics

What are the two important monuments?

The Temple of Dendur and Cleopatra’s Needle (now in New York City) were small monuments to commemorate gods. Western travelers carved graffiti names into them. The Temple of Dendur was given to the US as a geopolitical gift during the Cold War to save it from dam flooding.

What were the two rivers in ancient China?

The yellow river and the Yangtze river

What was the Shang Dynasty? Explain

The oldest recorded dynasty. They created a unified writing system, fortified cities, and exceptional ritual bronzes. They believed bronze vessels held spiritual energy to feed the dead. They cracked oracle bones (turtle shells) to read fortunes and talk to ancestors.

Mandate of heaven

The divine right to rule. It states that a dynasty rules only as long as it governs well. If a king becomes corrupt, Heaven withdraws its approval, signaling a rightful rebellion

Feudalism

Because China grew too large, the Zhou king granted land to local lords in exchange for military loyalty. These local lords eventually grew too powerful, ignoring the king and starting the chaotic Warring States Period.

What were the three philosophies created to help with the chaos and ancient China?

Confucianism, legalism and Daosim

What is Confucianism?

Focused on social order, Filial Piety (respecting, obeying, and caring for parents and ancestors), and 5 relationships. Confucius argued a good government cannot lose the trust of its people.

What is legalism?

Believed humans are naturally evil and selfish. Demanded strict rules, absolute state power, and harsh punishments.

What is Daoism?

Focused on escaping social rules to live in harmony with nature, following the Dao (The Way) through Wu Wei(inaction).

who is Shi Huangdi?

An infamous Legalist emperor who unified China using brutal control, burning books, and executing scholars.

Shi Huangdi tomb? explain

A subterranean replica of his empire with rivers of toxic mercury, covered by a ceiling of pearls and gold. He commissioned the Terra-Cotta Soldiers to guard him. He died ironically by drinking mercury, believing it was a magical potion for eternal life.