Lesson 8 Egyptian Pharaohs

Lesson 8 ; Section 2 Pharaoh Khufu

Pharaoh Khufu: The Pyramid Builder

Pharaoh Khufu: The Pyramid Builder

The pharaoh Khufu (KOO-foo) ruled from about 2551 to 2528 B.C.E., during the Old Kingdom period. Today, he is best known as the architect of a famous pyramid.

Not much is known about Khufu. Some stories describe him as a cruel, harsh ruler. Others say that he was powerful but kind.

Multiple Choice

Select the answer that BEST describes why we probably do not know much about Khufu the Pharaoh ?

• He did not like to do interviews on TV

• He lived long ago and records are hard to find from back then

• He was shy

• No books were written about him back in the day

Pharaoh Khufu

Historians do know that Khufu helped establish the pharaoh as a central authority.  For example, he maintained strict control over Egypt's food supply.  He oversaw the harvest and the storage of extra grain.  He also controlled a large network of government officials who enforced his laws.  Khufu emphasized his supreme power by declaring himself a god.

Multiple Choice

Khufu the Pharaoh declared himself a God. In this context, declared means ......?

• to whisper something

• to ask permission

• made something a law

• to say something emphatically and with emphasis, say it strongly

Pharaoh Khufu

Khufu and other Old Kingdom pharaohs had magnificent pyramids built as tombs for themselves and their families. Khufu was responsible for the building of the Great Pyramid at Giza,  one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world ?

• The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

• The Great Pyramid of Giza

• The Leaning Tower of Pisa

• The Statue of Zeus at Olympia

Pharaoh Khufu

The Great Pyramid sat at the center of a huge complex of temples, statues, monuments, and smaller tombs. It was made of more than 2 million stone blocks, perfectly fitted together. Inside, tunnels led to several burial chambers. The king's chamber had six roofs to hold up the weight of the stone layers above it.

Multiple Choice

The Great Pyramid at Giza was built with how many stone blocks fitted together perfectly ?

• over two million

• over two hundred thousand

• over two thousand

• over a million

Pharaoh Khufu

Building the Great Pyramid was an amazing feat.  No one knows exactly how the Egyptians constructed it, but it took about 20 years to complete.  Khufu had strict control of the project, organizing and feeding thousands of workers.  The finished pyramid was a stunning monument to Egyptian engineering.

Multiple Choice

The finished pyramid was a stunning monument to Egyptian engineering. The word monument means .........?

• a structure that needs to be demolished

• a building, structure, or site that is of historical importance or interest.

• a very tall building

• a school where people learn to be engineers