Egyptian Society and Religion

Egypt was a river valley civilization that relied heavily on the Nile River. Egyptian life was a unique culture.

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​ANCIENT EGYPT

Multiple Choice

What major river did Egyptians rely on?

• Ghanzi River

• Tigris River

• Delphi River

• The Nile River

Government and Society: The most powerful person in ancient Egypt was the pharaoh (king). The pharaoh governed Egypt as an absolute ruler. The pharaoh owned all the land, commanded the army, made laws, controlled irrigation and grain supplies, and defended Egypt from foreigners. Egyptians considered the pharaoh to be a god.

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​PHARAOHS

Multiple Choice

Pharaohs were considered to be both a king AND ________

• Hero

• messenger

• god

• demi-god

Government and Society. Egypt was a monarchy, a system of government in which political power is inherited. Each pharaoh inherited absolute power from his father. Pharaohs were viewed as "God Kings." Pharaohs power and rule was viewed as "divine."

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​What was so special about Pharaohs?

Multiple Choice

What system of government did Egypt have?

• Oligarchy

• Monarchy

• Democracy

• None of the above

​Government and Society. Next in the social order below the pharaoh came the priests and nobles. Then came Egypt’s warriors, scribes, merchants, and craftsmen. At the bottom of society were peasants and slaves. They spent their time farming, herding cattle, and working on building projects for the pharaohs.

THE SOCIAL ORDER OF ANCIENT EGYPT

Multiple Choice

Who was at the bottom of the social order for ancient Egypt?

• Knights

• Pharaohs

• Slaves

• Scribes

Religion: The ancient Egyptians believed the body should be preserved after death to participate in the afterlife. When pharaohs died, their bodies were embalmed and buried in a special room under a large triangular stone tomb known as a pyramid. Here they were surrounded with gold, jewels, and other precious objects for use in the afterlife, which Egyptians imagined as similar to life before death. Archaeologists have used these artifacts to learn a great deal about ancient Egypt. Pharaohs were placed in a special coffin known as a sarcophagus.

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​Egyptians and the after-life

Multiple Choice

Pharaohs were placed in a special coffin known as a ______________.

• Hurst

• Sarcophagus

• Coffin

• Tomb

EGYPTIAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Medicine: Egyptians learned much about the human body by "embalming"(preserving the human body) and studying it. The could perform surgeries and re-set fractures.

Writing: Egyptians used Hieroglyphics to write on pyramid walls. Egyptians invented a form of paper to write on known as "Papyrus."

Architecture: Egyptians built temples, pyramids, palaces, and constructed irrigation systems for their farms.

Multiple Choice

Egyptians invented a form of paper writing known as _________.

• cuneiform

• stone tablets

• papyrus

• none of the above