The Pharaohs may have believed that it was their links with the Gods that kept Egypt going, but really it was the hard work of the ordinary people. It was they who dug the soil, worked in the mines and quarries, sailed the boats on the river Nile, marched with the army into Syria or Nubia, cooked food and raised children. Slavery was not very important in ancient Egypt, but it did exist. Most of the slaves were prisoners who had been captured during the many wars Egypt fought with their neighbors in the Near East. Slaves were usually treated well and were allowed to own property. Many Egyptian workers were serfs. This meant that their freedom was limited. They could be bought and sold along with the estates where they worked. Farmers had to be registered with the government. They had to sell crops at a fixed price and pay taxes in the form of produce. During the season of the Nile floods, when the fields lay under water, many workers were recruited into public building projects. Punishment for those who ran away was harsh.
Match List I with List II
List-I | List-II |
A. Serfs could be | I. Farmers |
B. Registered with the government | II. Recruited workers during the rainy season |
C. Public building projects | III. Bought and sold along with estates where they worked |
D. Harsh punishment | IV. For those who ran away |
Choose the correct answer from the options given below
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV
| List-I | List-II | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A. Serfs could be | III. Bought and sold along with estates where they worked | Serfs' freedom was limited: "They could be bought and sold along with the estates where they worked." |
| B. Registered with the government | I. Farmers | "Farmers had to be registered with the government" and had to sell their crops at a fixed price. |
| C. Public building projects | II. Recruited workers during the rainy season | During the season of the Nile floods, when the fields lay under water and no farming was possible, many workers were recruited into public building projects. |
| D. Harsh punishment | IV. For those who ran away | "Punishment for those who ran away was harsh." |