4 Chapter Review Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent

4 Chapter Review

Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent

What was the most sacred part of a temple?

the sanctuary

Why do you think many Egyptian temples had rows of

shinxes leading to the entrance?

possible answer--as a symbolic protection for the temple

Who was the Egyptian sun god? What else did the main Egyptian

gods represent?

Re, or Amon-Re; underworld, magic, sky, wisdom, earth

Which part of Egypt -Upper or Lower- do you think was more

valuable to a ruler? Why?

possible answer-- Lower Egypt, because it had the extremely fertile delta and access to the

Mediterranean

How did the pharaoh's crown display the unification of Egypt?

The pharaoh combined the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower

Egypt to symbolize his rule over both lands

Where did the First Dynasty extend its power? How did the

First Dynasty end?

great house

What may be some advantages and disadvantages of such a large

segment of the population being farmers, servants, and slaves?

possible answers-- advantages: plenty of food and labor; disadvantages: potential for rebellion

How is the portrayal of Horus connected to the god's function

in Egyptian mythology

He is pictured with the head of a bird, which is appropriate for a

sky god.

What responsibilities did the pharaoh have that balanced his

high status?

according to traditional belief, make crops grow, keep people healthy, make trade profitable,

prevent wars

Why might Egyptians have worshipped the gods differently?

They built canals to direct the Nile's water to the fields.

How did the Egyptians see the afterlife?

as an ideal world where all the people are young and healthy

How was the ka different from the body?

The ka was not a physical entity, but rather the person's life

force. It left the physical body at death.

How much of Egypt's fertile farmland was located in the Nile

Delta?

about two thirds

Why was it important to Egyptians that the Nile's flooding

was consistent?

It provided a bountiful growing season every year, and people

knew they could count on a food supply in the future.

Why might the ruins of early Egyptian settlements lack

evidence of protective walls?

because the desert, bodies of water, and cataracts provided natural protection from many

enemies

How would you expect a pharaoh to be drawn on the walls of his

tomb?

He would be drawn as young, happy, and doing the things he

enjoyed while alive.

Do you think Menes made a good choice in building his

capital city at Memphis? Why or why not?

possible answer--yes; because it was in a fertile region but still

had the protection of being inland

Define 'dynasty'

a series of rulers from the same family

How did burial practices vary among Egypt's social classes?

The elite were mummified, while the peasants were buried in shallow graves at the edge of

the desert, where the bodies were preserved naturally.

How long did the Old Kingdom last?

about 500 years, from 2700 to 2200 BC

Why did the Egyptian believe it was important to preserve

the physical body?

If the body decayed, the ka would not be able to receive the food and drink it needed.

What is a mummy?

a preserved body that is wrapped in cloth

What is the shape of a pyramid?

four triangle-shaped walls that meet in a point on top

How would the invention of large animal-drawn wheeled

vehicles have affected pyramid construction?

possible answer--made transporting the blocks of stone much easier, cutting labor needs

and construction time considerably

How did pyramid design change?

Stepped pyramids evolved into smooth-sided ones when steps were filled in and the surface

covered with smooth limestone.

Who made up the majority of Egypt's population?

farmers and other peasants

Who drove the Hyksos out of Egypt to start the New

Kingdom?

Ahmose of Thebes

What was the political order of Egypt based on around 3200

BC?

wealthy farmers who emerged as leaders

Why were the tunnels that led to the pharaoh's burial

chamber sealed after his death?

to protect it from invaders or robbers

Why did the Egyptians want the pyramids to be spectacular?

because they believed their own fate in the afterlife

depended on the pharaoh's afterlife

Why did the pharaohs value talented architects?

Having well-designed pyramids and temples made the pharaoh

powerful and, according to Egyptian religion, ensured a happy

afterlife.

What did each symbol in the hieroglyphic system represent?

one or more sounds in the Egyptian language

What were some advantages of using papyrus?

made of readily available materials, tough, durable, could be rolled into scrolls

Where were the Hykos from?

southwest Asia

Why do you think builders placed obelisks at the gates of

temples?

possible answer--because they pointed to the sky, leading the way to the

afterlife.

Why was the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb so

important?

possible answer--because they pointed to the sky, leading the

way to the afterlife.

Why was the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb so

important?

I had never been disturbed by tomb robbers

How did some people come to be enslaved in Egypt?

convicted criminals or prisoners captured in war

What may the Hykos conquest indicate about Egypt's level of

technological advance?

Although the Egyptians had built pyramids, they

may not have had chariots or advanced

weapons.

Who was Hatshepsut?

a female ruler who expanded trade and built great

monuments during the New Kingdom

What might have happened if large numbers of peasants had refused to take part in

special duties, such as working on the pyramids,

mining gold, and fighting in the military?

possible answer--rebellion crushed by the pharaoh, or his

power threatened

What were two reasons the pharaohs' power declined at the

end of the Old Kingdom?

They did not collect enough taxes to cover their expenses,

and ambitious nobles took power from the pharaohs.

How might we have learned about Egyptian toys and games?

artifacts, art showing the toys or games in use

What weakened the New Kingdom?

fighting on several fronts, including invasions of the

Hittites and the Sea Peoples

Why do you think leaders of the New Kingdom wanted to

control all of the eastern Mediterranean shore?

possible answers--protection from invasion by peoples beyond the region, had

valuable resources

What are the two types of large structures created by

Egyptian architects?

pyramids and temples

What special challenge faced artists who painted a

pharaoh's burial chamber?

No natural light reached the burial chamber, so artists had

to work by torchlight or candlelight.

What kinds of writing did scribes do?

kept records and accounts for the state, wrote and copied religious and literary texts