Ramses Essay, Research Paper

1. How was Ramses design for Abu Simbel different from all the Egyptian temples that had been built before?

2. Why did Ramses move the capital of Egypt to the new city he built in the delta?

3. Why do we know more details about the battle of Kadesh than any other battle in ancient history?

4. How does the modern snake charmer s demonstration shed light on a biblical story concerning the unnamed pharaoh?

5. Why did the biblical pharaoh react differently to the tenth plague from the plagues that came before it?

6. If the story of Exodus actually happened as described in the Bible, why is it missing from Egyptian records of that time in history?

7. Why is the biblical story of Joseph significant in proving that Ramses the Great could have been the biblical pharaoh of the Exodus story?

8. How has modern scientific knowledge helped unlock additional clues about the life and death of Ramses the Great?

1. Analyze the meaning of the narrator s comment that the father of Ramses the Great was not only building temples, but making a political statement. Explain whether this was true of Ramses the Great as well.

2. Ramses recorded the triumphs and events of his reign on the walls of the monuments he built for himself. Discuss the many different means we have today for reporting and recording current events. Do you think they will turn out to be as lasting as the ancient monument walls, and as capable of being read and interpreted thousands of years from now?

3. What aspects of Ramses personality enabled him to push back the Hittites at Kadesh despite seemingly insurmountable odds? What lessons could this offer to today s military leaders? Are these lessons still valid given the kinds of sophisticated weapons available today?

4. Discuss the use of the Bible as a historical document as well as a religious one. Explain why biblical passages have been important in closing gaps in the historical record of Ramses the Great s 67-year reign in ancient Egypt.

5. Imagine that you lived during the reign of Ramses the Great. What would your life have been like as an Egyptian living in one of the cities under his rule?