Download Egyptian Society

6th Grade UBD - Unit 3 - Egyptian Society
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Egyptian Dynasties- The Kingdoms of Upper and Lower
Egypt united around 3100 BCE. For most of the next 3,000
years, this land was ruled by powerful kings called pharaohs.

Calling Rank- Ancient Egyptians ranked members of society
based on their status.
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Egyptian Religion- Ancient Egyptians were polytheists who
believed in many gods. They also believed that the dead
lived on in the afterlife.

Predict what effect
power and social
class had on the
lives of ancient
Egyptians? (5
minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
answer with theirs.
What things are
the same and what
things are
different? (3
minutes)

Historians divide ancient Egypt into three periods: the Old
Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom.

During these time periods, pharaohs ruled the empire.
They passed their power down from one generation to
another through ruling dynasties.
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Pharaohs waged wars to expand their empires. They built
elaborate temples and tombs that still stand throughout
Egypt today.

Egypt’s first civilizations
were small villages.
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These villages were
scattered along the Nile
River.
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During those early days,
Egypt was not united.

Over time, the people of
Egypt formed two
kingdoms.

Egypt was divided into
Upper Egypt and Lower
Egypt. Around 3100 BCE,
the two kingdoms
became one.

It is believed that the king of
Upper Egypt led his forces into
Lower Egypt.

This king was Menes. He
seized control of Lower Egypt.
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Menes succeeded in bringing
together all the people living
along the Nile into one nation.
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Menes became Egypt’s
first pharaoh, or ruler.
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Egyptians believed that
Menes, and the
pharaohs who followed
him, were not just kings.
They were gods on
Earth.
Key Term
Menes- Menes
was the first king,
or pharaoh, of
Egypt. He is
credited with
unifying Lower
and Upper Egypt
under one rule.
Key Term
Pharaoh- A
ruler of ancient
Egypt.

Pharaohs in ancient
Egypt held an incredible
amount of power and
influence over their
subjects.

Their subjects considered
them living embodiments
of the god Horus.
Key Term
Horus- The
God of the
sky and of the
pharaohs.

The pharaoh’s power
influenced every level of the
Egyptian social structure.

Construction and adornment of
their tombs and temples
became large public-works
projects that required countless
hours of labor and enormous
quantities of resources.

Historians today divide
up Egypt’s ancient times
to keep track of the
changes.

They use Egypt’s many
dynasties as a simple
way to divide up its long
history.
Key Term
Dynasty- A series
of rulers in a
particular kingdom
or empire, and
each ruler in the
series is said to be a
member of the
same family.

Historians group Egypt's
history into three main
time periods:
▪ The Old Kingdom
▪ The Middle
Kingdom
▪ The New Kingdom

The time before the Old
Kingdom is known as the
Early Dynastic Period.

During this time, Egypt’s
culture was beginning to
form.
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The Egyptians had not
yet built large cities.

Between each major era
were Intermediate
Periods.

These periods were
times of change and
conflict.

No one central power
ruled over all of Egypt.

The pharaohs ruled Egypt
for 3,000 years.

Egypt’s most
recognizable ancient site
was built by one of its
earlier pharaohs.

The Great Pyramid at Giza
was built by King Khufu.

To build the pyramids ancient
Egyptians had to use their
advanced knowledge of
geometry and architecture.

The ancient Egyptians
combined this knowledge
with the use of huge amounts
of physical labor.
Key Term
Pyramid- A large
stone structure
that is built with a
square base and
has triangular-
shaped sides that
meet in a point at
the top.
Video- Pyramids at Giza

The ancient Egyptians believed that pharaohs
were gods.

A small group of government officials and
priests served the pharaohs.
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The majority of Egyptians were farmers.
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Enslaved people had the lowest status in ancient
Egypt.
Video- Social Classes

The pharaoh was the
most powerful person
in all of Egypt.
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However, every
person had a role to
play in Egyptian
society.

Ancient Egyptians were born
into a social group.

They usually continued in the
same jobs as their parents.

Scientists study the
sculptures and paintings that
were left behind in ancient
cities.

Every class in the social
structure contributed to
Egyptian society.

All classes supported the
power of the pharaoh.

The pharaoh made decisions
about war, building projects,
and who would rule next.
Reading Handout- Slavery in Ancient Egypt
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To prepare for the afterlife, pharaohs order
their subjects to build elaborate tombs. They
filled the tombs with fine objects.

After death, a pharaoh’s body was carefully
mummified, or preserved, by priests. Then it
was placed in its tomb.

The ancient Egyptians
held very strong
religious beliefs.

For most of their
history, they practiced
polytheism, or the
worship of many gods.

Anubis: God of the dead. Guided dead souls to the
underworld

Isis: Goddess of fertility and motherhood. Wife of
Osiris and mother of Horus
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Osiris: God of the underworld and resurrection

Horus: God of the sky and of the pharaohs
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Seth: God of the desert and violence. Brother of Osiris

Ancient Egyptians
believed in the presence
of their souls.

Their souls were the part
of them that would
continue to live in the
underworld after their
bodies had died.

Most Egyptians wanted to be
buried near their relatives and
friends.

They also were buried with
prized belongings, like
jewelry.

They wanted to have these
items with them in the
afterlife.

Statues, jewelry, and paintings
all went into the tomb.

Paintings and carvings on the
wall celebrated a pharaoh’s
life.

Once a pharaoh died, skilled
priests began to preserve the
body.

Egyptians from all social
classes were mummified to
prepare for the afterlife.

However, the process was very
expensive. The richest and
most powerful could afford the
most elaborate burials, while
poorer, less powerful Egyptians
had simple burials.
Video- The Afterlife
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The ancient Egyptians’ focus on the afterlife is one
reason that their culture has been so well preserved.

Builders made secure buildings to house the
pharaohs’ bodies after death. Artists and scribes
created works to record the past of the pharaohs.

Tomb art, including hieroglyphics, gives historians
clues about what happened in ancient Egypt.
Key Term
HieroglyphicsSymbols or
pictures that
stand for
objects, ideas,
or sounds.

What has been the
“muddiest” point so far in
this lesson? That is, what
topic remains the least
clear to you? (4 minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
muddiest point with
theirs. Compare
what things are the
same and what
things are different?
(3 minutes)