Chapter 4 – Ancient Egypt and Kush “The Old Kingdom”

Essential Question(s):  What does the engineering of the pyramids tell us about Egyptian society?  How did religion shape Egyptian society?

I. Rule by Pharaohs A.Egypt’s political system was based on the belief that the pharaoh was both a king and a god. B.Because Egyptians believed that the pharaoh had come to Earth to manage Egypt, pharaohs had absolute power over the land and people. C.Some of the pharaohs responsibilities included making trade profitable and preventing wars.

I. Rule by Pharaohs D.To help carry out the pharaoh's duties, he hired government officials, who were mostly family members. E.The most famous pharaoh of the Old Kingdom was Khufu, who is best known for the monuments built to him.

Discussion Question Why was the pharaoh’s power never questioned? The Egyptians believed he was a god.

II. Egypt and its Neighbors A.Other cultures influenced Egyptian society. B.During the Old Kingdom, Egypt began trading with its neighbors. C.Traders returned from Nubia with gold, ivory, slaves, and stones. D.Traders traveled to Punt, to get incense and myrrh, which were used to make medicine and perfume.

II. Egypt and its Neighbors E.Trade with Syria provided Egyptian traders with wood.

III. The Gods of Egypt A.Egyptian practiced polytheism. B.Everyone was expected to worship the same gods. C.Egyptians built temples to the gods all over the kingdom. D.Some of Egypt’s major gods included: Re (the sun god), Osiris (the god of the underworld), Isis (the goddess of magic), and Horus (a sky god).

IV. Emphasis on the Afterlife A.Much of the Egyptian religion focused on the afterlife. B.Their belief in the afterlife stemmed from the idea of Ka, or a person’s life force.

V. Burial Practices A.Egyptians believed that a body had to prepared for the afterlife before it could be buried. B.To preserve the body, Egyptians developed a technique called embalming. C.This technique enabled bodies to be preserved for many years as mummies. D.Embalming took several weeks.

V. Burial Practices E.Once completed, the body was wrapped with linen cloths and bandages and then placed in a coffin.

Discussion Question How did religion shape Egyptian society? -Mummification and embalming were essential to preserve the ka -Priests were valued in Egyptian society -Pharaohs were believed to be a god

VI. The Pyramids A.Egyptians believed that burial sites were very important. B.The most spectacular burial monuments were the pyramids. C.The pyramids were amazing feats of engineering, the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. D.Burial in a pyramid demonstrated a pharaoh’s importance.

VI. The Pyramids E.The point on the pyramid symbolized the pharaoh’s journey to the afterlife. F.Making the pharaoh’s spirit happy was a way of ensuring a happy life for every Egyptian.

Discussion Question What does the engineering of the pyramids tell us about Egyptian society? -Egyptian society was capable of great organization and discipline required to build pyramids -The afterlife was important to Egyptians -Science and engineering were valued