Ancient Egyptian Farming Seasons: Nile's Annual Cycle & Crops
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13 cards
Question: Why was the Nile important to ancient Egyptian farming?
Answer: The Nile provided fertile land for planting crops in a hot, dry climate; Egypt was called 'the gift of the Nile'.
Question: What are the three main farming seasons in ancient Egypt called?
Answer: Akhet (Flooding), Peret (Planting), and Shemu (Harvest).
Question: What happened during Akhet (the flooding season)?
Answer: The Nile flooded the land, farmers could not work their fields, and instead worked as labourers building temples and pyramids.
Question: What happens during Peret (the planting season)?
Answer: As floods retreated, fields reappeared; farmers repaired damage, cleared channels, ploughed fields, and planted crops like barley, cucumber, lentils,
Question: What occurs during Shemu (the harvest season)?
Answer: Fields were baked hard by the sun; farmers used shadufs to move water and gathered crops before the floods returned; some used baboons to pick hard-to
Question: Give three examples of crops planted by ancient Egyptian farmers.
Answer: Barley, cucumber, lentils (also beans, onions and dates).
Question: What tool did ancient Egyptian farmers use to transport water to their crops during the harvest season?
Answer: They used shadufs to transport water from the Nile to their crops.
Question: How did ancient Egyptian farmers prepare the land after the floods?
Answer: They repaired damage, ensured drainage and watering channels were clear, and ploughed the fields.
Question: During months when the Nile flooded, what alternative work did farmers do?
Answer: They worked as labourers, often building temples and pyramids.
Question: How did the climate of Egypt affect farming practices?
Answer: Because Egypt was hot and dry, farmers relied on the Nile's floods to provide fertile land for crops.