Social Organization in Ancient Egypt by Will Gange, Evan Gray Eric Faulkner and Keegan Moore

Family Structure Father was responsible for providing for family. Mother stayed home and raised children. By age 4 children would work in the fields or train as craftsmen.

Social pyramid in Ancient Egypt Flip your text book to page 103. Figure 5-10 is the Social pyramid in Ancient Egypt.

The Pharaoh The Pharaoh is viewed as a living god People viewed the Pharaoh as the owner of everything including all the army’s, public offices, lands, and citizens.

Nobles and Military leaders The highest positions in the bureaucracy or administrative departments of ancient Egypt were held by the nobles and military leaders. These positions were passed along to family members form generation to generation. They served as a steward to the pharaoh, or supervise engineering and construction works for the government.

Priests and Scribes They were the educated class of ancient Egypt. Because the Pharaoh could not be everywhere at once, the priests and scribes were the Pharaohs representative. The Religious functions were delegated to the priests. The Scribes were able to read and write, therefore highly respected. They collected taxes, kept records, wrote reports, educated the young, and organized the rations for the army. Scribes were also called “the white kilt class,” because of their dress. Their role as teachers was one of their most important because education was higher value.

Crafters There were many skilled crafts people that made a wide range of things such as: weavers, sandal makers, brick makers, jewelers, gold smiths, etc. Some crafters lived and worked in the city while others were employed by the palace of the Pharaoh or a wealthy noble. Crafts people produced many of the goods to Egyptian traders that carried into foreign territory

Peasant Farmers Peasant Farmers were the common folk. The majority of the population were peasant farmers. Most of them were illiterate Although free they were targeted for corvee duty, in which they had to provide the labour for specific tasks such as maintaining the vital irrigation systems and constructing tombs, temples, and public buildings.

Slaves Slaves were prisoners of war brought back by the army’s during the Middle Kingdom and later. Female and child slaves did household work for the wealthy. Male slaves worked as soldiers, farmers, or maintenance laborers. Slaves could own property or rent land and could even be set free if their master chose to do so.

Mesopotamia and Egypt Page 57 in your textbook shows the social pyramid for Mesopotamia, and is very similar to Egypt Pharaohs were seen as gods, but kings were seen as rulers, making Egyptians more stable and cheerful The Egyptians belief in god inspired them to create colourful art and sculptures.

Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jskr8L5NsA