ADAPTED FROM HISTORY ALIVE Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

Draw a pyramid on the back of your packet. My school’s Social Pyramid Copy the name of each individual or group listed below on to your drawn pyramid. Write a short sentence to explain why you placed it at that level on the pyramid. Students Principal Teachers Student council Office staff

Introduction Each year people of Egypt attended the Opet Festival and brought almost all the people of Egypt together. In everyday life, people belonged to different social classes, these social classes made up the social pyramid. The Pharaoh was at the top of the pyramid and the peasants on the bottom. In between were government officials, priests, scribes, and artisans.

Life in Egypt’s Social Classes Social classes were rigid, people belonged to the same class as their parents. People in different classes had some things in common.  Cherished family and children were highly valued.  Men were head of the household and worked to support the family.  Women managed the home and raised the children  Women had more freedom and rights, they could own land and run businesses. Some women worked as government officials, doctors, or priestesses. Egyptians believe their social class system created a stable and well ordered society and each class had it’s own role to play.

Government Officials

Silently read Government Officials 9.3 in your packet. With your partner discuss the following questions and record your answers on your graphic organizer. ( Remember to find the information in your reading) 1. After the pharaoh, who were three important officials in the government of ancient Egypt? What were their major responsibilities? 2. What was the seating arrangement at banquets? 3. What kinds of food and drink were served at banquets? 4. What forms of entertainment occurred at banquets?

Priests

Silently read 9.4 in your packet. With your partner discuss the following questions and record your answers on your graphic organizer. (Look for the evidence in your reading). 1. What did Egyptians think happens to people after they die? Why did they bury things with people? 2. What are the key steps Egyptian priests followed to embalm a body? 3. Besides embalming bodies, what else did priests do in Egyptian society? What was the role of women priests? 4. Why couldn’t a priest eat fish, wear wool, or bathe fewer than three times a day?

Scribes

Silently read 9.5 in your packet. With your partner discuss the following questions and record your answers on your graphic organizer. ( Look for the evidence in your reading.) 1. What was the purpose of scribe schools? Who studied there and for how long? 2. What were the typical tools and materials scribes used? 3. What would a scribe schoolteacher mean when he said, “A youngster’s ear is on his back; he only listens to the man who beats him”? 4. Why were scribes important in ancient Egypt? 5. What was one advantage of being a scribe?

Artisans

Silently read 9.6 in your packet. With your partner discuss the following questions and record your answers on your graphic organizer. (Look for the evidence in your reading.) 1. What kinds of work did artisans do in ancient Egypt? 2. What tools did stone carvers use? Why was their work so difficult? 3. Did artisans get credit from the upper classes for the work they did? Explain. 4. What were the living conditions like for most artisans?

Peasants

Silently read 9.7 in your packet. With your partner discuss the following questions and record your answers on your graphic organizer. (Look for evidence in your reading.) 1. What were the three seasons in Egypt? What kind of work did peasants do during each season? 2. What role did music play in the work of peasants? 3. What were possible punishments or rewards for peasants during harvest time? 4. What was the typical diet of peasants in ancient Egypt?

Open Note Quiz Members of different social classes led very different lives in many ways. However, in some ways, all the social classes were alike. Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the lives of government officials and peasants.

Draw this Venn Diagram on your paper. Government Officials Peasants Work Food Fun Work Food Fun

 Using your notes contrast Government Officials and Peasants (Finds facts about how they were different using only your notes.) Each of the six facts should be different  Using your notes compare Government Officials and Peasants. (Find three facts that tell how Government Officials and Peasants were similar.)  When finished turn your quiz into the blue drawer. Read, complete unfinished or missing work from any class.