Lesson 2- Life in Ancient Egypt

Work and Family Life Food Surplus Economy expands Cities emerge as centers of culture and power People learn to do nonagricultural jobs Specialized Jobs Scribes- People whose job was to write and keep records. Artisans - People who make things like furniture, jewelry, clothing, etc.

Trade Some Egyptians traveled to the upper Nile to trade with other Africans. Exports (what they took with them): Scrolls Linen Gold Jewelry Imports (what they brought back): Exotic woods Animal skins Live beasts

Egyptian Social Roles

Social Roles Continued… Slaves Owed a debt Committed a crime Captured in war Usually freed after a period of time Exception: Slaves who worked in the mines usually died from exhaustive labor. Women Egypt was one of the best places in the ancient world to be a woman. Had fairly equal rights Main job was to care for their children and home. Childhood Played with toys such as dolls, animal figures, board games, and marbles. Parents made the toys from wood or clay. Boys and some girls from wealthy families went to school run by scribes or priests. Almost all Egyptians married when they were in their early teens.

Expanding Knowledge (Learning) Astronomy- study of the stars 5,000 years ago - Star called Sirius appeared shortly before the Nile began to flood and returned to the same position every 365 days. Developed world’s first 365 day calendar. Geometry Developed some of the first geometry. Nile flood washed away land boundaries Surveyors- measured the land Geometric shapes were sacred to Egyptians. Medicine Egyptian doctors often prepared dead bodies for burial, so they knew the parts of the body, which helped them perform some the world’s first surgery. Heart – Thought & Brain - Circulate Blood (opposite from now) Upset stomach – eat a hog’s tooth crushed inside sugar cakes Hieroglyphs – pictures that stand for different words or sounds Papyrus- paper made from papyrus reeds and rolled into scrolls

Beliefs and Religion Egyptians had a positive outlook on life. Believed that their prosperity could continue with a happy afterlife. Afterlife- a life believed to follow after death. Polytheistic- Religion that worships many gods. Important Egyptian Gods: Ra or Re- the sun god Osiris- a god who judged Egyptians after death Isis- Fertility goddess (wife of Osiris) Anubis- a god of the dead

Making Mummies Embalm- to preserve a body after death Mummy- created by wrapping a body in hundreds of yards of linen. How to make a mummy: 1. Embalmers remove all organs except the heart. 2. Fill the body with a mixture of salt and herbs. 3. When dry, the body is wrapped in hundreds of yards of linen strips (mummy). Embalming and wrapping process takes about 70 days 4. The mummy is placed in a coffin inside a tomb. How to Make a Mummy

Exit Slip Economy expands, cities emerge as centers of power, and specialized jobs are all a result of what? A. TradeB. Food Surplus C. Social RolesD. Religion Name one ancient Egyptian IMPORT and one EXPORT. The person at the top of the social pyramid is known as the _________. Name one important ancient Egyptian god or goddess. What does embalm mean? A. Build a pyramidB. Preserve food C. Wrap a bodyD. Preserve a body after death