Ancient Egypt

Social Studies

Nile River

The river the Ancient Egyptians settled around. It flows south to north into the Mediterranean Sea.

Irrigation system

A way of supplying water to an area of land.

Natural barriers

deserts (Sahara, Eastern and Western), mountains, or bodies of water (Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, cataracts) that create barriers from invasion

Mummification

embalmment and drying a dead body and wrapping it as a mummy

Gift of the Nile

Egypt was called this because it would not have existed without the Nile

The Nile flooding

was a predictable (annual) event that the Egyptians used to plan their farming and calendars

hieroglyphics

An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds

polytheistic

Believing in many gods and goddesses

Sahara Desert

Largest desert in the world; located west of the Nile River

Shadoof (shaduf)

A bucket attached to a long pole used to lift water from the Nile to the bashins

Delta

A landform where a river splits off into a number of streams that fan out over an area of fertile soil before emptying into a larger body of water

Papyrus

A reed plant that grew along the Nile and was used to make baskets, sandals, river rafts, and paper

Menes

An Egyptian king who unified Upper and Lower Egypt

Egyptian Social Classes

Shaped like a pyramid; Pharaoh at the top, thenn priests and nobles, then traders, followed by artisans, shopkeepers and scribes in the middle, then farmers and herders, then unskilled workers at the bottom

Pyramids

Mountain-like tombs the size of several city blocks made for Egyptian pharaohs entirely out of stone; designed to protect the pharaoh’s body from floods, wild animals, and grave robbers

Upper Egypt

On a map of Ancient Egypt this would have been located in the south due to elevation

Lower Egypt

On a map of Ancient Egypt this would have been located in the north due to elevation

Hatshepsut

She was a New Kingdom Pharaoh that took power when her husband died leaving her the guardian of his son, Thutmose III, a young child. She was the first female pharaoh. Hatshepsut claimed the throne for herself and the kingdom thrived under her rule because she focused on trade instead of war

Polytheism

Belief in many gods

Kemet

Term meaning “black land” used by ancient Egyptians to describe the dark, fertile soil left behind after the flood waters receded

Dynasty

A series of rulers from the same family

Pharaoh

Title given to the kings of Egypt meaning “great house.” Believed to be a king and a god

Great Sphinx

Has the head of a man and the body of a lion. Built as a home for the sun-god, Ra, so he could protect the pharaohs buried in the tombs

Cartouche

An oval shape inside which a pharaoh’s name was inscribed in hieroglyphics. These are often seen on tomb walls