Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

Why are the social classes of ancient Egypt described by the shape at the left, rather than the shape at the right?

• The triangle represented the three seasons of the Nile

• Most people were in the bottom classes, the fewest people were at the top.

• Scientists like to use a pyramid to keep the layers apart.

• Many structures of that design were built in the desert.

Who built the giant temples of the pharaohs?

• scribes who kept poor records

• government officials out of favor

• peasant farmers during the flood season

• priests hoping to get jobs at the temples

Which of these activities were permitted only to men?

• owning land

• running a business

• working as a scribe

• asking for divorce

How did most government officials get their jobs?

• They attend school to learn how to govern.

• Popular elections showed the vote of the people.

• Priests relied on signs from the gods to choose them .

• .They inherited the position from a family member

Which sentence best describes the role of women in religion?

• They were worshiped as gods.

• They could become priestesses.

• They ran all religious ceremonies.

• They were not allowed in temples.

What was an important duty of the vizier?

• to collect taxes

• to lead the army

• to decide court cases

• to help make alliances

Which of these was in the sanctuary of a temple?

• a statue of a god

• a pool for washing

• a public meeting area

• a bench for women

Why did Egyptians bury some bread and beer with their dead?

• to show earthly love

• to avoid the risk of poison

• to feed them in the afterlife

• to perform a sacrifice to the gods

What was one of the few ways that a boy from a peasant family could rise to a higher social class?

• store a lot of grain

• attend scribe school

• help build a pyramid

• take care of a temple

Skilled scribes wrote on papyrus, which was made from

• a plant

• soft clay

• cotton rags

• animal skins