Transcript Ancient Egypt Guided Notes

RIVER VALLEY
CIVILIZATIONS
ANCIENT EGYPT
Essential Question:
What do you already know about
Ancient Egypt?
Ancient Egypt
Egypt’s civilization
began along the Nile
River in North Africa
Egypt was
bordered on
both sides by
miles of
scorching desert
These natural
barriers isolated
Egypt and
protected it from
outside invasion
The Nile River’s
annual floods were
predictable and
provided fertile soil
for farming (a
perfect place to start
a civilization)
The Nile flooded so
predictably that the
Egyptians designed
their calendar
around it
Egypt has been called the “Gift of the Nile”; there
would be no Egyptian civilization without the Nile
LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS
Advanced Cities:
Cities
developed
along the
Nile River
in “Upper
Egypt” and
“Lower
Egypt”
LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS
Ancient Egypt had a hierarchy
of specialized workers
–?
Life in Ancient Egypt
Like Mesopotamia, Egypt also used a class
system.
The Pharaoh and ruling family was at the top
of society.
Below the Pharaoh were the noblemen and
priests. Followed by merchants, scribes, and
artisans.
Most people were peasant farmers
and slaves with a terrible life!
Egyptian women had a higher status and
greater independence than other ancient
civilizations.
They could do almost everything that men
could do!
LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS
Government :
Pharaohs ruled Egypt as
“king-gods” and were
thought to control nature
LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS
Government :
Egyptians constructed
pyramids and elaborate
tombs for the pharaohs
LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS
Religion:
Egyptians were polytheistic
and believed the gods
controlled all aspects of life
LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS
Writing:
Egyptian hieroglyphics
were both pictograms and
a phonetic alphabet
Hieroglyphics were
translated using the
Rosetta Stone
This stone was
inscribed with a
decree from a
pharaoh; it has three
languages on it, so it
provided the basis
for understanding
Egyptian
hieroglyphics
Egyptians created
Papyrus, which was
a thick paper they
used to write on.
They made
the paper
from a reed
plant that
grew along
the Nile River.
LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS
Technology:
Egyptian ideas included a 365day calendar, geometry,
astronomy, and the pyramids
Ending Activity