1. Ancient Egyptian Culture
Section 4

2. Social Classes Egyptian society resembled a Pyramid. 1st Top:
Pharaoh.
2nd: Small Upper Class.
Priests.
Members of the Pharaohs court.
Nobles.
3rd Middle Class:
Merchants
Skilled Workers.
4th Bottom:
Largest class.
The Peasants .
Historians turn to the art of Egypt to learn about the social classes of egypt. Paintings and cravings show royalty and ordinary people involved in all aspects of life.
Were busy hard working people.
Had a sense of fun and a love of beauty.

3. Social Classes Peasants: Social Climb: Did farm labor mostly.
Others built roads and temples.
Social Climb:
A person could rise to a higher class.
Through service to the Pharaoh.

4. Slavery Formed a separate class. Not large. Made up of: Had Rights:
Prisoners captured in war.
Had Rights:
Could own personal items.
Inherit land from their masters.
Could also be set free.

5. Checking for Understanding
How was Egyptian Society Organized?
Was organized by a class structure that resembled a pyramid.
Top: Pharaoh.
2nd: Small Upper class
made of priests, nobles and members of the Pharaohs court.
3rd: Middle class
Merchants and skilled workers.
4th Peasants: Largest class.

6. A New System of Writing Hieroglyphs:
Pictures and other written symbols that stood for Ideas, things, or sounds.
Pictures could stand for:
Ideas or things.
Ex:
Picture of two legs stood for the word “Go”
Drawing of an Owl stood for the “m” sound.

7. Unlocking a Mystery.
After A.D. 400 Egypt's meaning of their hieroglyphic writing system was lost.
1799:
Large Black Stone discovered by the Nile.
Had 3 different types of writing on it.
Upper part: Hieroglyphs.
Middle: Egyptian script called Demotic.
Lower: Greek Letters.
Named: The Rosetta Stone.
1820’s:
French Scholar Jean Francois Champollion completed the translations.

8. Checking for Understanding
What was the significance of the Rosetta Stone?
It was important because it translated hieroglyphs into other languages so modern people could learn what the hieroglyphs meant.

9. Keeping Track of Time Mathematics Medicine
Astronomers:
Scientists who study the stars and other objects in the sky.
Egyptian Farmers needed to predict when the floods would occur.
Mathematics
Used basic Mathematics (+ - X /), simple Fractions, and Geometry to cut stone and find area.
Medicine
Religion and Medicine were closely related.
Doctors:
Were specially trained Priests.
Used Religious practices and knowledge of illnesses to heal the sick.
Mummification:
Gave them great knowledge of the human body.

10. Checking for Understanding
Why was it important for the Egyptians to figure out the length of their year?
They needed to know when the water of the Nile would flood.