Download Egyptian Society

Warm-Up 12/1
(Answer on your handout)
• The method of farming for ancient Egyptians
followed a pattern of flood, plant, harvest, flood,
plant, harvest. This repetition of behavior leads
us to understand that the yearly flooding
timetable for the Nile River must be:
–
–
–
–
A) Irregular
B) Regular
C) Unknown
D) Unpredictable
Question #1
Egyptian Society
• The first people began to settle in Egypt
around 5000 BCE
– People settled along the Nile River because they
were able to grow crops and have enough food
• They formed small villages along the Nile
River, similar to city-states in Mesopotamia
– Because of the food production, cities and towns
along the Nile River began to grow in size
Question #2
Two Kingdoms
• Originally two kingdoms
developed along the Nile:
– Lower Egypt
• Northern Nile
• Good farmland
• Copper mines in Sinai
Peninsula
– Upper Egypt
• Southern Nile
• Ruler named Menes
• Conquered Lower Egypt,
which led to unification
Question #3
King Menes Unifies Egypt
• In 3100 BC Upper Egypt and Lower
Egypt unified, forming one kingdom
– The capital was built at Memphis
• King Menes became the first
pharaoh of Egypt
• For 3,000 years after Egypt’s
unification, pharaohs from at least
31 different dynasties ruled Egypt.
Menes unified the
two Kingdoms
Today, the city of Memphis, Tennessee is named after the city
where King Menes built the first Egyptian capital.
Memphis, Tennessee is on the Mississippi River which is the
longest river in the USA.
Question #4
Dynasties
• Ancient Egyptian history divided
into three parts:
– Old Kingdom (2575 BCE – 2120 BCE)
– Middle Kingdom (1938 BCE – 1630 BCE)
– New Kingdom (1540 BCE – 1075 BCE)
Question #5
The Great Pyramid of Giza
Discover Ed Video
• Constructed by King Khufu
during the Old Kingdom
(around 2570 BCE)
• Used advanced knowledge of
geometry and architecture
• Built with over 2 million
limestone blocks
Question #6
Hatshepsut
• Ruled from 1479 BCE – 1459 BCE
• She is considered to be the first female
ruler in history
• Considered to be one of the most
successful pharaohs of Egypt:
– Strengthened the military
– Increased trading with neighbors
– Built many great temples throughout Egypt
Question #7
Ramses the Great
• Ruled from 1279 BCE – 1213 BCE (60 years)
• Considered to be one of the most famous pharaohs
of Egypt
• A neighboring group called the Hittites tried to take
control of Egypt and Ramses led the Egyptian army
to victory
– Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BCE
Question #8
Social Structure
• Like Mesopotamia, Egyptians were divided into different social classes
The Pharaoh and his Homies
• Pharaoh- The leader (king) of Egypt. The citizens believed
the pharaoh was a human form of the god Re (the sun god)
• Government Officials- Ran the kingdom and looked out for
the needs of the people.
– Vizier- The top government official. Gave advice to the pharaoh
and acted as chief judge.
– Governors and Mayors- Collected taxes, served as judges, and
oversaw building projects in their local areas.
– Government officials were wealthy and owned most of the land
in Egypt
• Priests- Led religious ceremonies and helped to guide the
people of Egypt
Soldiers and Scribes
• Soldiers- The Egyptian army used well-trained
soldiers to expand its borders and maintain control
of the people.
– Some soldiers fought on foot using spears, shields, and
axes.
– Others rode behind horses in chariots and shot arrows.
– During times of peace, soldiers continued to work for
the government, digging irrigation canals for farms or
building temples.
• Scribes- Whenever Egyptian officials needed to
write something down, scribes, or official
government recorders, were there to write it.
– Scribes recorded court cases, calculated taxes, wrote
letters between government officials, and kept official
histories using hieroglyphics
Merchants and Craftsmen
• Merchants- Merchants traded goods with
each other in Egypt. Some merchants
traded goods across the Middle East and
Africa
– Gold, jewelry, clothing, rope, wheat, and
papyrus were found in Egypt.
– Merchants would trade these goods for
things that couldn’t be found in Egypt like
cedar (wood) for building ships and furniture,
copper, and lapis lazuli
• Craftsmen- stone carvers, metal workers,
potters, jewelers, sculptors and weavers
– Much of the art from Egypt that we can still
see today were created by this group.
Farmers and Slaves
• Farmers- Most Egyptians were farmers
– Most farmers were peasants, meaning they did not own
their land and most of the crops they raised went to the
landowners for sale or trade.
– Farmers lived in simple houses made of mud bricks.
They used the government-built irrigation systems and
camels to carry water to their fields. Farmers also paid
large portions of the crops they produced to
government officials as taxes, rent, or tribute to the
local temple.
• Servants and Enslaved People- Most worked as
servants in households or as laborers in fields. Some
worked dangerous jobs in the copper and gold mines
– Enslaved people were often foreigners who had been
captured in battles. Some enslaved people were
peasants who sold their own freedom to pay off their
debts.