Ancient Egypt Chapter 4 Section 2

Ancient Egypt Chapter 4 Section 2

The Old Kingdom

Early Egyptian Society

Rule by Pharaohs-The Egyptians developed their political system and the pharaoh was both a king and a god.

The Egyptians believed that Egypt belonged to the gods. The pharaoh had absolute power and most of the government officials came from the pharaoh's family.

The Social Structure

In 2200 BC Egypt had about 2 million people.

Just below the pharaoh were the upper classes of priests and top government officials known as nobles.

Below the nobles were the middle class of lower government officials, scribes, craftspeople, and merchants.

Below the middle class was the Lower class of farmers.

Below the farmers were the slaves and servants.

Multiple Choice

Who was Khufu?

• A famous slave

• A priest

• A famous pharaoh

• A well-known scribe

Egypt and its Neighbors

Egypt was well protected by the geography of the region but they were not isolated.

Sumerians from Mesopotamia influenced their art.

Egypt began trading with its neighbors. Traders traveled to Punt by the Red Sea to acquire incense and myrrh.

Religion and Egyptian Life

The Gods of Egypt-they practiced polytheism like the Mesopotamians. Everyone was expected to worship the same gods.

Emphasis on the Afterlife-The Egyptian religion focused on life after death. They believed in the Ka spirit.

Burial Practices-They prepared bodies for the afterlife by preserving them. They developed a method of embalming bodies to become mummies.

The Pyramids

The pyramids were built as monuments to bury their rulers.

They demonstrated a pharaoh's importance.

The size was a symbol of the pharaoh's greatness.

The shape, with the point to the sky, symbolized the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife.

Poll

How did workers get the stone blocks to the pyramids?

• By airplane

• By train

• By boats and sleds

• By ships and trucks