LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT EGYPTS EARLY RULERS Old

LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT

EGYPT’S EARLY RULERS Old Kingdom: Big cities, trade, and unified government. � Theocracy. Government run by religious leaders. � Pharaoh- a ruler of ancient Egypt. � The Pharaoh appointed bureaucrats, or government officials to carry out orders. � Bureaucrats oversaw construction and repairs of dams, irrigation systems, canals, and granaries (places to store grain so people would not starve). �

� Egyptians were very loyal to the Pharaoh because they thought he was the son of Re, the sun god. � As a religious leader, he participated in religious ceremonies. Ted Ed: Guide to the Egyptian

RELIGION IN EGYPT � � � Egyptians worshiped many gods (polytheism). They believed these deities (gods) controlled nature and human activities. 2 most important: � � � Re- Sun god Hapi- River god � � Used embalming (the process of treating a body to keep it from decaying) to preserve the body for the afterlife. After embalming process, body was wrapped as a mummy. They believed the afterlife would be better than the present life. Embalming Process

� Animals were embalmed- thought of as sacred. � Cats were worshiped as gods. � Developed medical skills from embalming, created worlds 1 st medical book.

PYRAMID TOMBS Pyramids- great stone tombs built for Egyptian pharaohs. � Pyramids protect dead pharaoh and belongings such as clothing, weapons, furniture, and jewelry. � Pyramids were built in summer months (floods-couldn’t farm). � � The Great Pyramid of Giza was built for pharaoh Khufu on the Nile’s west bank.

DAILY LIFE Men were head of � Lower classes could household, women had improve status. some rights and could be priests. � Scribes could belong to the middle class. � Few children attended school. � Teens got married and had families. � Oldest son took care of elders. � Upper class-nuclear family, lower class lived with extended families. �