1. What happens yearly after the rains hit in the highlands?
Rains flow together into the Blue Nile and White Nile and bring the reddish soil from Africa to enrich the farmland.
2. Who was Menes and what did he do?
First Pharaoh (3000-2938 BCE) of Egypt's first dynasty. Built Memphis with 45' walls to protect from flooding. Warrior with a passion for building and his army has just united upper and lower Egypt into one great kingdom.
3. Why have humans been migrating into Egypt since prehistoric times?
The only place in Sahara Dessert with a steady supply of water. Humans have been drawn to the Nile for over 100,000 years. Then with the dawn of agriculture 9,000 BCE? tribes settled on its banks. When Menes united upper and lower a new empire was born.
4. What happened at the dawn of the 3rd millenium BCE?
As city-states united/conquered, a network of man-made canals, and harbors served to irrigate and expand. Barges on canals transported people, grain, stone, etc. Could travel down with current and then up with the wind; or, to the side via canals.
5. What were "mastabas?"
Tombs of mud brick with house-like area below for afterlife.
6. What did the Pharaoh DJoser do in 2667 BCE do?
Claimed the throne and commissioned the first stone superstructure at Saqqara. Considered wise and pious. Very popular and first to be deified..."The opener of stone." Turned to Imhotep--architect, treasurer, high priest, vizier...genius.
7. Who performed the labor on Djoser's burial site?
Not slaves...recruits paid in food, beer, clothing, and tax breaks. Some 10,000 men and drafted women.
8. Why did Djoser, like other Pharaohs, have to tombs.
Mummy and one for organs.
9. To what did Djoser turn his attention once his tomb building was in order?
Expanding and enriching his empire--mining in Sinai (copper and turquoise), down to Aswam or first cataract,
10. What did Imhotep do that would revolutionize architecture?
Added a second, third, and fourth; then extended four steps out and up. After nearly two decades it was 20 stories tall with an entire complex surrounding it. Set a new standard for burial site. First stone columns...attached to walls
11. What happened in 2613? Describe Snefru.
Snefru became pharaoh and started fourth dynasty. Son of a pharaoh but mother was a minor queen so he married his half-sister who had more pure blood.
12. Why did pharaohs marry their sisters?
Keep blood pure. Gods married siblings.
13. What happened at Meydum? What happened at Dashur?
Not sure whether it collapsed or was robbed of stone. Snefru ordered steps be filled in and a limestone casing to cover. At Dashur Snefru attempted to build a true pyramid. They expanded base and then changed angle--"bent pyramid."
14. What did Snefru do next?
Put everything on the line with the "Red Pyramid." Wanted to create ideal pyramid and poured wealth from state coffers and labor. Used much larger limestone blocks and larger base. We really don't know which type of ramp was used. Casing stones polished. Interior chambers used corbelled ceiling to hold up stone.
15. What did Snefru's son Kufu do?
Great pyramid at Giza
16. What happened during Egypt's Middle Kingdom in 1864 BCE?
Sesostris III (1870-1831) blazing down on Nubia with threefold objective--secure border, take control of trade routes, and plunder as much Nubian gold as possible. The Nubian "Kermans" were renowned archers. S's armies ripped through Nubia, salughtered, enslaved women and children, burned crops and poisoned wells.
17. What did Sesostris do next with architecture?
Built large military fortifications. Walls, moats, interior walls etc. Fort network stretched more than 200 miles south of Aswan into present day Sudan.
18. What happened at the end of Middle Kingdom?
Hyksos from north and Kermans in south (took over forts).
19. Who was Hatshepsut and what did she do?
Widowed queen who ruled for boy king (1473-1458). Ruled like a full pharaoh. Switched her gender in representation with a strap-on beard. Knows she needs to build like pharaoh. Builds massive mortuary temple on the west bank of Thebes, the home town and power base of the New Kingdom. Her chief architect Senemut (possibly lovers; graffiti) created Deir el-Bahri. 15 years to complete. Propaganda...Amon empregnated her mother.
20. What were "obelisques" and what did Hatshepsut use do with them?
Propaganda to remind subjects her divine origin. Transported during flooding of Nile so as to not bottom out.
21. What happened to Hatshepsut and Senemut?
He disappeared. She perished under mysterious circumstances. Statues attacked erased from record. Possibly Thutmose III.
22. What did Thutmose III do?
Conquered area from Syria into Sudan...vassal states.
23. What did Amenhotep IV do?
1352-1336 BCE. Poised to become the most powerful man in world. Temple of Karnack where priests controlled 1/3 land; center of New Kingdom was Thebes. Amenhotep had no intention letting them call shots. Several gods associated with Amon one of which was Ra, the unseen force behind the sun. The disk of the sun and rays were Aten, second tier. A. said that Aten spoke to him. Changed his name to Akhenaten (the servant of Aten) and abandoned his capital at Thebes and built a new city 180 miles away--Akhetaten/Amarna. Wanted to build fast so created small premade bricks. Possibly first planned city that housed 20,000 people. Boundary styla; had created his own universe at Amarna; imagery people bowing in submission like no other pharaoh. Lavish gardens in several palaces. Houses of worship were grand. "Pylon" gates had sacred meaning...where gods entered.
24. What eventually happened to Akhenaten?
Seemed to focus more on religion and neglected matters of state. Mysteriously died and imagery defaced. Amarna abandoned. Tutankamen eager to restore stability returned to Thebes.
25. What was the "Valley of the Kings?" Who was Seti I and what did he do?
Tomb building on new scale. Seti (1294-1279) was a battle tested soldier who had served as supreme military commander. Conquest and construction. Restore order and absolute power to throne.
At Karnack he created "hypostyle hall" vast number large columns. Trying to create a big room but had to use columns. Launched series of strikes taking what was lost during period of Amarna--captured Phoenician ports and trade routes. Seti's tomb was incredible. Seti had restored Egypt to its former glory.
26. Describe Ramses II the Great (1279-1212).
Ruled 7 decades--pharaoh of pharaohs. Egypt's "golden boy"--fathered 110 sons and probably as many daughters (21 by the time he was 21yo). Ramses attacked the Hittite Kingdom in Syria with 20,000 men. Despite being outnumbered he fought to a stalemate. Entire temple complex at Abu Simbel with largest statues that had ever been created. Sent message that he was a god among pharaohs; scenes Ramses worshiping Ramses. Statue of Ramses seated next to other gods.
Nefertari was his true love. Six statues on facade with queen's statues as tall as his. In her temple she is given god status.
For the next 1,000 years Egypt would fall into decline due to increasingly weak leadership and economic problems. Invasions of Nubians, Libyans, Assyrians, Persians, and Greeks...eventually Cleopatra's suicide led to Egypt's conquest by Rome.
Source: http://www.teacherweb.com/ca/skylinecommunitycollege/mrstanford/Qs-for-Egypt-Engineering.doc
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