HST103A World History | Unit 1 : Civilization Begins | Lesson 7

Student Guide
Lesson 7: Civilization on the Nile

Lesson Objectives
• Analyze the importance of writing in ancient Egypt.
• Describe Egypt's major cultural and technological achievements.
• Explain how historians and others know about life in ancient Egypt.
• Describe the development of political power in Egypt before and during the Old Kingdom.

PREPARE
Approximate lesson time is 60 minutes.

Materials
For the Student
Lesson Answer Key
World History: Our Human Story
History Journal
Keywords and Pronunciation
Amenemhet (AHM-un-ehm-HEHT)
Anubis (uh-NOO-buhs)
elite (ay-LEET)
hieroglyphics (hiy-ruh-GLIH-fiks)
Hyksos (HICK-sohs)
papyrus (puh-PIY-ruhs)
Sinai (SIY-niy)
Tutankhamen (too-tahng-KAH-muhn)
vizier (vuh-ZEER)

LEARN
Activity 1: Lesson Checklist (Online)
Instructions
• Read Chapter 2, Section 1, pages 33–38, and answer the Read questions.
• Complete the column for Egypt in the chart on the River Valley Civilizations sheet.
• Complete the Ancient Writing activity online.
• Complete the Checkpoint.

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 HST103A World History | Unit 1 : Civilization Begins | Lesson 7

Activity 2: Ancient Egypt Unites (Online)

Instructions
Read
Read Chapter 2, Section 1, from “Two Kingdoms Unite” to the end, pages 33–38, and answer the following
questions.

Think about the following questions as you read:

• Why ancient Egypt was called “the gift of the Nile”?
• What are the distinguishing characteristics of ancient Egyptian culture?

1. Why was ancient Egypt called the Two Lands?

2. How was Egypt united?

3. What are the three time periods that historians use to divide the history of ancient Egypt?

4. Why didn’t the Egyptians dare speak the name of their ruler?

5. What became the king’s official title?

6. What was the purpose of the pyramids? Why did the Egyptians believe they had a stake in securing eternal life
for their king?

7. What events led to the end of the Old Kingdom?

8. Who ended the period of unrest after the end of the Old Kingdom and reunified Egypt?

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 HST103A World History | Unit 1 : Civilization Begins | Lesson 7

9. Describe society in the Middle Kingdom.

10. What led to the end of the Middle Kingdom?

11. Historians have divided the history of ancient Egypt into three time periods: the Old Kingdom, the Middle
Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. Identify some of the major cultural and technological achievements during the
Old and Middle Kingdoms by completing the chart below.

12. Explain how historians and others know about life in ancient Egypt.

River Valley Civilizations

Complete the column for Egypt on the River Valley Civilizations sheet. Give examples of each characteristic of
civilization. There is not a lot of room to write on the chart, so use words and phrases, instead of complete
sentences, to capture the most important facts for each category. Some information has been included for you.
You will complete the chart as you progress through the unit, so keep it in your History Journal for later use.

Ancient Writings
The development of writing was needed partly to record economic transactions and other forms of record-
keeping. Complete the Ancient Writings activity online to review the writing of Sumer and ancient Egypt.

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 HST103A World History | Unit 1 : Civilization Begins | Lesson 7

Checkpoint
Complete the Checkpoint

ASSESS
Lesson Checkpoint: Civilization on the Nile (Online)
Use your completed Student Guide for this lesson to answer the following questions.

LEARN
Activity 3: Civilization on the Nile (Online)

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