4B4C-A4B1-650ACCF988B0&blnFromSearch=1 Welcome to Ancient Egypt

▪ Google Earth!

 Label MAP!  The ancient Egyptians enjoyed many natural barriers. There were deserts to the east and west of the Nile River, and mountains to the south. This isolated the ancient Egyptians and allowed them to develop a truly distinctive culture.  Other natural barriers included the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east.

 The Nile is the world's longest river.  It is over 4000 miles long!  It is shaped like the lotus flower so often seen in ancient Egyptian art.

 Each spring, water would run off the mountains and the Nile would flood.  As the flood waters receded, black rich fertile soil was left behind.  The ancient Egyptians called this rich soil ‘The Gift of the Nile.’

 Fertile soil for crops (silt) was not the Nile's only gift.  The Nile gave the ancient Egyptians many gifts.  Thanks to the Nile, these ancient people had fresh water for drinking and bathing.  The Nile supported transportation and trade.  It provided materials for building, for making cloth for clothes, and even for making paper - made from the wild papyrus weed, that grew along the shores of the Nile.

 Streamlines: The Gift of the Nile Farming Along the Nile Papyrus What are three ways the Nile River was important and useful to the ancient Egyptians?

 What was the purpose and importance of the pyramids?

 Took many years to build  Some are still standing  Served as tombs for Pharaohs  Pharaohs were buried with riches to use in the ‘after life’

Read the handout with your partner. Answer the following questions. We will have a group share, so be ready! 1. What was the PURPOSE of a pyramid? 2. What was the purpose of the painted ‘fake doors’? 3. Why did pyramids have to be guarded? 4. Why did the pyramids ‘fall out of style’? 5. List 5 interesting things you learned from this reading.

 Pyramids of Egypt  A segment of Elementary Video Adventures: Ancient TimesElementary Video Adventures: Ancient Times 7:10

 How did the social order show power in ancient Egypt?

 The population was made up mostly of what group of people?  The pharaoh considered him/herself to be a what?  What was the role of the Vizier?  Why was the scribe’s role so important?  Do you find any irony in the placement of the farmers within the social order?

 N3QTo N3QTo

 How was the government structured in ancient Egypt?

 The most powerful person in Egypt was the king and occasionally the queen. The king was known as the Pharaoh. This is an Egyptian word meaning ‘great house’.

 Was the political leader.  He owned all the land in Egypt.  He made the laws.  He collected the taxes.  The pharaoh could lead his people into war if Egypt was attacked or if he wanted to expand his power.  He was also the religious leader.  He was the ‘High Priest of Every Temple’.  He represented the gods on earth.  He performed rituals and built temples.

 In order to govern the whole country, the pharaoh had many officials.  There were royal officers and sheriffs in every Egyptian town who made sure that everyone paid their taxes and obeyed the Pharaoh.  The most important official was the pharaoh’s vizier.

 Egyptian Pharaohs

 How did the ancient Egyptians communicate?

 How do we know so much about the Egyptians? Because they LOVED to write!!!!!!!  Egyptians wrote laws, trade records, ruling family information, and myths and legends using hieroglyphics.

 Over 5000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians wrote things down using a picture writing called hieroglyphics.  The people who did the actual writing were called scribes.  The ancient Egyptians believed that it was important to record and communicate information about religion and government.

 Hieroglyphics

Streamline: Hieroglyphics

 How did trade effect the ancient Egyptians?

 The ancient Egyptians were wonderful traders.  They traded gold, papyrus, linen, and grain for cedar wood, ebony, copper, iron, ivory, and lapis lazuli (a lovely blue gem stone.)  Ships sailed up and down the Nile River, bringing goods to ports.

 Once goods were unloaded, goods were hauled to various merchants by camel, cart, and on foot.  Egyptians traders met traders from other civilizations just beyond the mouth of the Nile, to trade for goods.  The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea were also used in trade.

 Nile  Pharaoh  Pyramid  Hieroglyphics  Natural Barriers  Papyrus  Crops/food  Power  Vizier  Africa  Scribe  Farmers  Mediterranean Sea  Tombs  Silt  GOD