Egypt Entry Event

• Geography

• Daily Life

• Social Structure

• The Pharoahs

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​Egypt Project
Entry Event

Ancient Egypt - Geography

Multiple Choice

What is the river that ran through Ancient Egypt?

• Nile

• Trigis

• Euphraties

• Mississippi

Multiple Choice

These are rock formations that create churning rapids, break the river´s smooth course.

• Cataracts

• Delta

• Vizier

• River

Multiple Choice

This is an area where a river fans out into various branches as it flows into a body of water.

• Cataract

• Delta

• River

• Desert

Multiple Choice

Ancient Egypt was divided into two main regions, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. This maps shows...

• Lower Egypt

• Upper Egypt

Multiple Choice

There was an annual event in Egypt that allows them to prepare for agriculture

• Annual Harvesting

• Annual Flooding

• Annual Seeding

Multiple Choice

Because of the rains, there was a gift from nature that made agriculture extremely productive.

• Silk

• Silt

• Soil

• Seed

Multiple Choice

Egypt´s climate was really dry. Seven months were hot.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

This natural feature, formed a long barrier against invasion

• River

• Delta

• Desert

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

​Video

Introduction

• Every year the Nile River floods and Egypt celebrates.

• The Opet Festival is celebrated by all people, not just the royals. This festival honors the Pharaoh and patron god.

• Outside of the festival, everyday life has separations, by social class.

Government

• Highest class, after the Pharaoh.

• They were members of the pharaoh's family or noble family.

• 3 Important official: Vizier, Chief Treasurer, and General of the Army.

• The vizier has more power than any of them. they were the judge, aviser, and gave out positions.

• Government had lives of luxury.

Ancient Egypt's Social Pyramid

Egypt's society was structured like a pyramid and was based on an Egyptian principle called  ma'at , which stressed the importance of truth, order, and balance.  At the very top of this  social pyramid  was the pharaoh, Egypt's  supreme  ruler.  Egyptian religion strengthened the pharaoh's authority.  Because pharaohs were believed to be gods, their word was law.

Egypt's Social Pyramid

Next in importance were several layers of  social classes .   The classes near the top of the pyramid had fewer people and enjoyed higher status, while those nearer the bottom had greater numbers of people but lower status.

Social Class Pyramid

• Society is structured like a pyramid.

• The classes near the top had fewer people and enjoyed a higher status.

• Priests were powerful because religion touched everything.

• Scribes were respected because they were educated and recorded information.

Egypt's Social Pyramid

Egypt's Social Classes Below the pharaoh were the next two highest classes in the social pyramid—government officials and priests. They were the most powerful groups in Egypt.

Government officials carried out the orders of the pharaoh. Most officials came from noble families. They were powerful and wealthy, and they enjoyed a high quality of life.

Egypt's Social Pyramid

Priests were also a powerful group because religion touched every part of people's daily lives. Priests were responsible for the temples and religious rituals, as well as the elaborate ceremonies surrounding death and burial.

Next on the social pyramid were scribes. Scribes held a respected position in society because they recorded information for government and religious leaders. It took many years of schooling to become a scribe.

Open Ended

Do you feel that the social class pyramid from ancient Egypt is any different from the way society is today? Why or why not?

Egypt's Social Pyramid

The Egyptians believed that their class system created a stable, well-ordered society.  Each group had its own role to play.  Let's investigate the duties and daily lives of the various social classes during the time of the New Kingdom.

Multiple Choice

Which class of Egyptian was the highest on the social pyramid ?

• merchants

• peasants

• soldiers

• scribes

Multiple Select

Which member of government has the most power, just under the Pharaoh?

• Treasurer

• Vizier

• General

Priest

• They were powerful and highly respected by society.

• Different Jobs: Religious ceremonies, in charge of temples, gave advice, performed healings, & taught about after-life.

• Every temple in Egypt was home to one or more god, ran by priest.

• Priest has to cleanse their bodies and bahte in holy pools 3 - 4 times a day. They also had to shave all hair on body.

Multiple Choice

Priests were responsible for rituals and ceremonies for burial and death. In this context, the word rituals means ......?

• things you do to clean your house

• something done as a social custom or ceremony

• prayers said at a funeral

• thing we do in the winter

Poll

Priest had many roles and responsibilities, which do you believe is the craziest?

• Shave all their body hair off

• Watch the Temples

• Perform Healings

• Shower 3 - 4 Times a Day

Scribes

• Egypt's official writers and record keepers.

• Only men were allowed to be scribes.

• Anyone from any social class could become a scribe if they could complete the schooling.

• Schooling began at age 5 and they spent 12 years learning and memorizing over 700 hieroglyphs.

• They would write on clay or papyrus paper.

Egypt's social pyramid

Artisans occupied the next layer of the social pyramid. This group included craftspeople like carpenters, metalworkers, painters, sculptors, and stone carvers. Artisans were highly skilled but had low social status.

At the bottom of the social pyramid were the peasants, the largest social class. Peasants worked the land, providing the Egyptians with a steady food supply. When not farming, peasants worked on the pharaoh's massive building projects.

Artisans

• Created some of the most beautiful art in Egypt.

• They created jewelry, leather, metal work, painted, pots, statues, baskets.

• They worked in large groups and were looked at as just a common labor by the upper class.

• Sometimes they were celebrated by most of the time they were just the help.

Peasants

• Lowest and largest of the social class.

• Grew and provided the food for everyone.

• When not growing food, they helped build monuments.

• Life revolved aroun the flooding of the Nile River.

• Had the fewest comforts and were only allowed to keep left over grain from their crop.

Multiple Choice

Which statement is not true about being a peasant in ancient Egypt ?

• They were at the bottom of the social pyramid

• They made a lot of money and were rich

• they worked to produce food for Egypt

• they often worked on the Pharaoh's building projects

Egypt's Social Pyramid

Life in Egypt's Social Classes Egypt's social pyramid was fairly rigid. Since most people belonged to the same social class as their parents, there was little chance of improving their status. Members of different classes may have had some things in common, but, generally, their lives were quite different.

Egyptians in all social classes cherished family life. Most Egyptians married within their social group.

Multiple Choice

If you worked hard, it was easy to change your social status in ancient Egypt.

• True

• False

Egypt's Social Pyramid

Men and women had different  roles  within the family.  Men were the heads of their households and worked to support the family.  Fathers often began to train their sons at a young age to continue their line of work.  Women typically managed the home and raised the children.  Upper-class women had servants or slaves to help them, but lower-class women did the work themselves.

Multiple Select

Could the absolute lowest people on the social class pyramid, the peasants, move up to the pyramid by becoming a scribe?

• yes

• no

Open Ended

What part of this information sounds similar to life today in our society ?

Multiple Select

Were the artisans located below or above the peasants on the social class pyramid?

• above

• below

• same level

Egypt's Social Pyramid

Men were in charge of Egyptian society, but women enjoyed more freedom and rights than most women in the ancient world.  They could own land, run businesses, and even ask for divorces and represent themselves in legal matters.  Some women in the middle and upper classes worked as doctors, government officials, or priestesses.  Both women and men enjoyed a better quality of life the higher they were on the social pyramid.

Open Ended

How did social class affect daily life in ancient Egypt? Provide an example to to support your response.

Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs

Pharaoh Hatshepsut

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bYRy_wZEJI

Pharaoh Hatshepsut

• Ruled in New Kingdom 20+ years

• 1st Female Pharaoh

• Took over for son - Thutmose III

• Peaceful rule

• Built wealth + power through TRADE

• Biggest trade expedition - African Kingdom of Punt

Multiple Select

Which of the following is true of Hatshepsut? Select TWO answers.

• Egypt's second female pharaoh

• Promoted and expanded trade with other lands

• Ruled during Egypt's Middle Kingdom

• Was known as a peaceful ruler

Thutmose III

• Ruler after Hatshepsut died

• Skilled warrior

• Used war to strengthen/expand empire

• Conquered much land

• Conquests = wealth, power, prestige

Ramses II

• Ruled for 66 years (2nd longest reign)

• Known for military leadership

• Conquered large territories

• Brought much wealth to Egypt

• Built many temples/monuments

• Battle of Kadesh - conquered Hittites

• World's 1st Peace Treaty

Tutankahmun (King Tut)

• "Boy King" - Pharaoh at age 9

• Helped restore traditional art + religion

• Died at 19

• Tomb discovered in 1922

• Buried with many artifacts

• Revealed a lot about royal life

Multiple Choice

All of the following are true of pharaoh Ramses II EXCEPT:

• He reigned during Egypt's New Kingdom for more than 60 years

• He was a humble and quiet leader

• He is best known for his military leadership and impressive monuments

• He and the Hittites signed the world's first peace treaty

Multiple Choice

Other than the Pharaohs, who were the two most powerful groups in ancient Egypt ?

• farmers and artisans

• Priests and soccer players

• peasants and nobles

• Priests and government officials

Multiple Choice

I wore mens clothes and a fake beard so people wouldn't know I was a woman while I ruled as pharaoh. I also expanded trade routes to far away lands to help my kingdom get what I need. Who am I?

• Queen Cleopatra

• Queen Elizabeth II

• Queen Hatshepsut

• Queen Nefertiti

Multiple Choice

I had so many monuments and temples built to honor me! Probably because I was such a great military leader! I also expanded the Egyptian Kingdom and I was the longest ruling pharaoh. Who am I?

• King Hammurabi

• King Tutankhamun

• King Menes

• King Ramses II

Multiple Choice

I was not known for the great things I did as a pharaoh. I was only 9 when I became pharaoh. Then died at the age of 19. Actually. I am known for my tomb which was discovered undisturbed in 1922. The artifacts left behind helped understand ancient Egypt. Who am I?

• King Tutankhamun

• King Menes

• Queen Hatshepsut

• Ramses the Great

Mummification

• It was believed that the spirit always returned to the body after death.

• All body organs were removed (brain, lungs, liver) with hooks. Only the heart stayed in the body.

• Organs were saved in jars.

• After 70 days the body was washed, oiled, and wrapped.

• They were buried with food, furniture, jewelry, gold, games, and more.