1. Ancient Egypt: 4-2

2. Today’s Discussion Questions 4-2 (Part I)
1. The Old Kingdom lasted from ____ to ____.
2. Egypt’s political system was based on what belief?
3. What were the pharaoh’s 2 titles?
4. What were the duties of the pharaoh?
5. What were some of the pros and cons to being pharaoh?
6. What were the Egyptian social classes and who made up each class?

3. Central Idea
Understand the Egyptian government and religion were closely connected during the Old Kingdom.

4. If You Were There… How do you feel about working for the pharaoh?
You are a peasant farmer in ancient Egypt. To you, the pharaoh is a god, a descendent of the sun god. You depend on his strength and wisdom. For part of the year, you are busy planting crops in your fields. But other times, you work for the pharaoh. You are currently helping to build a great tomb in which the pharaoh and many of his belongings will be buried when he dies.
How do you feel about working for the pharaoh?
What might be the pros and cons of this job?
Could this possibly be related to modern times?

5. Early Egyptian Society
The first and second dynasties ruled Egypt for about four centuries.
Around 2700 BC, the Third Dynasty rose to power.
Its rule began the Old Kingdom, a period in Egyptian history that lasted from BC.
The Old Kingdom is the earliest period of Egyptian history

6. Rule by Pharaohs
During the Old Kingdom, the Egyptians continued to develop their political system.
This system was based on the belief that the pharaoh was both a king and a god.
Because of this belief, he was never questioned.

7. Pharaoh’s Titles Political & Religious Leader Titles:
“Lord of Two Lands”
“High Priest of Every Temple”
What do you think are the significance of each title?

8. Pharaoh Egyptians believed Egypt belonged to the gods
Believed the pharaoh had come to earth to manage Egypt for the gods
As a result, he had absolute power of all the land and people of Egypt.

9. Duties of the Pharaoh
1. Government, Laws, Taxes, Administration, Increasing wealth, Architecture, etc.
2. Protect the people from invaders, ensure order, etc.
3. Expected to visit the temples & perform rituals to prevent crop failure, disease, poor economy, and invasion.
1. Head of State/Nation
2. Head of the Army
3. Supreme Religious Leader
What would these duties include?

10. What would be the Pros & Cons of being Pharaoh?
Believed to be a god
Powerful
Wealthy
Easy life
Monuments built to honor you
Cons:
Blamed for crop failure
Blamed for disease
Blamed for poor economy
Blamed for invasion.

11. Famous Pharaoh Most famous pharaoh of the Old Kingdom was Khufu
Ruled in the 2500s
Legend says he was cruel
Best known for the monuments built for him.

12. Social Structure By 2200 BC, Egypt had about 2 million people.
At the top of society was the pharaoh
The pharaoh had complete authority and his word was “law”

14. Comparison Sumer Egypt Pharaoh Nobles Scribes/Craftspeople
Upper:
King, Priest, Government Officials
Middle:
Artisans, Merchants, Farmers
Lower:
Slaves
Pharaoh
Nobles
Scribes/Craftspeople
Farmers, Servants, Slaves

15. Use your judgement
Approx. 80% of the Egyptian population were farmers.
What may be some advantages for such a large segment of the population being farmers?
Possible disadvantages?

16. End of Part I

17. Assignment
A Day in the Life…
Due Friday: 9/25/15

18. 4- 2 (Part II) Who did Egypt trade with? What products?
Describe the religion of ancient Egyptians.
How was mummification tied to the Egyptian’s belief in the afterlife?
List the steps of embalming.

19. Egypt and its Neighbors
During the Old Kingdom, Egypt began to trade with its neighbors.
Nubia: gold, ivory, slaves, and stone
Punt: incense and myrrh
Syria: wood/timber

20. Religion Polytheistic
Everyone was expected to worship the same gods & make tribute (Payment) to the gods.
Built temples to the gods
Temples collected payments from both the government and worshippers
These payments allowed the temples to grow more influential.

21. The Afterlife
Egypt had a highly developed view of the afterlife with elaborate rituals for preparing the body and soul for a peaceful life after death
Beliefs about the soul and afterlife focused heavily on preservation of the body, or ba (the soul was known as the ka). This meant that mummification was practiced in order to preserve the individual's identity in the afterlife
The intestines, lungs, liver and the stomach were preserved separately and stored in jars during the embalming process.

23. Steps to Embalming 1. Priests removed the body’s organs
2. Salt was applied to the body and it was stored for a number of days to dry
3. The body was filled with spices and perfumes, then stitched closed.
4. Cleaned with oils and tightly wrapped with long strips of linen.
5. The mummy was placed in several wooden coffins, one fitting inside the other.
The Pharaoh was ready for burial.

24. The Pyramids
Egyptians believed that burial sites, especially royal tombs, were very important.
As a result, they built huge monuments in which to bury their rulers.
The most spectacular of all were the Pyramids.

25. The Great Pyramid Largest is the Great Pyramid of Khufu
Covers 13 acres
481 feet high
Consists of over 2 million limestone blocks
Historians are still not sure exactly how the pyramids were built.

26. Assignment
Label the internal diagram of the Great Pyramid