Question

the 3 kingdoms of egypt
directions: place each of the following under the egyptian kingdom that it best describes:

• c. 1000 bce
• created powerful army for defense
• pharaohs buried in pyramids
• spent lots of money on building pyramids
• c. 2000 bce
• golden age
• pharaohs buried in valley of kings
• tombs built were easy to rob
• c. 2500 bce
• built the pyramids
• built hidden tombs
• pharaohs were god - like
• time of expansion
• conquered other areas
• pharaohs buried in many different places
• pharaohs were wise and good rulers
• ramses the great ruled
• great sphinx built

old kingdom

middle kingdom

new kingdom

Answer:

To solve this, we analyze each characteristic and match it to the correct Egyptian kingdom:

1. Time Periods

• c. 1000 BCE: Does not match Old (c.2500 BCE), Middle (c.2000 BCE), or New Kingdoms. Likely a distractor.
• c. 2000 BCE: Middle Kingdom (period of Middle Kingdom is around 2055–1650 BCE).
• c. 2500 BCE: Old Kingdom (Old Kingdom is around 2686–2181 BCE).

2. “Created powerful army for defense”

• Middle Kingdom: Focused on defense and rebuilding after chaos.
• Old Kingdom: Built pyramids, not known for large defensive armies.
• New Kingdom: Known for expansion, not just defense.

3. “Pharaohs buried in pyramids”

• Old Kingdom: Pyramids (e.g., Giza) were built as tombs for Old Kingdom pharaohs.

4. “Spent LOTS of money on building Pyramids”

• Old Kingdom: Pyramid construction (e.g., Khufu’s pyramid) occurred in the Old Kingdom.

5. “Golden Age”

• Middle Kingdom: Often called the “Golden Age” of Egypt (stability, art, literature).

6. “Built the pyramids”

• Old Kingdom: Pyramids (Giza, Saqqara) were constructed during the Old Kingdom.

7. “Built hidden tombs”

• New Kingdom: Pharaohs were buried in hidden tombs (Valley of the Kings) to avoid robbery.

8. “Pharaohs buried in Valley of Kings”

• New Kingdom: Valley of the Kings was the burial site for New Kingdom pharaohs.

9. “Tombs built were easy to rob”

• Old Kingdom: Pyramids were massive but visible, making them targets for robbery.

10. “Conquered other areas”

• New Kingdom: Known for military expansion (e.g., Thutmose III, Ramses II).

11. “Pharaohs were god-like”

• New Kingdom: Pharaohs emphasized divine status (e.g., Ramses the Great).

12. “Pharaohs buried in many different places”

• Middle Kingdom: Pharaohs were buried in various sites (less centralized than Old or New).

13. “Ramses the Great ruled”

• New Kingdom: Ramses II (the Great) ruled during the New Kingdom.

14. “Pharaohs were wise and good rulers”

• Middle Kingdom: Pharaohs like Mentuhotep II restored order, seen as wise rulers.

15. “Time of expansion”

• New Kingdom: Military expansion (conquered Nubia, Syria) occurred in the New Kingdom.

16. “Great Sphinx built”

• Old Kingdom: Great Sphinx was built during the Old Kingdom (alongside Giza pyramids).

Final Matching (Example Row-by-Row):

Characteristic	Old Kingdom	Middle Kingdom	New Kingdom
c. 2000 BCE		✔️
Created powerful army for defense		✔️
Pharaohs buried in pyramids	✔️
Spent LOTS of money on pyramids	✔️
Golden Age		✔️
Built the pyramids	✔️
Built hidden tombs			✔️
Pharaohs buried in Valley of Kings			✔️
Tombs built were easy to rob	✔️
Conquered other areas			✔️
Pharaohs were god-like			✔️
Pharaohs buried in many places		✔️
Ramses the Great ruled			✔️
Pharaohs were wise/good rulers		✔️
Time of expansion			✔️
Great Sphinx built	✔️

Key Takeaways:

• Old Kingdom: Pyramid construction, Sphinx, visible tombs (pyramids), c.2500 BCE.
• Middle Kingdom: Golden Age, defense, varied burial sites, c.2000 BCE.
• New Kingdom: Expansion, hidden tombs (Valley of Kings), divine pharaohs, Ramses the Great.

For each row, mark the column (Old/Middle/New) that best fits the characteristic.