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Ancient Egypt. Ms. Means' 6 th Grade Social Studies Class October 2013. Geography. The Nile River runs 4,000 miles north to the Mediterranean Sea. The land was dry and hot until the Nile flooded it.
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Ancient Egypt Ms. Means' 6th Grade Social Studies Class October 2013
Geography • The Nile River runs 4,000 miles north to the Mediterranean Sea. • The land was dry and hot until the Nile flooded it. • The Nile flooded Upper Egypt in midsummer and Lower Egypt in the fall, coating the land around the river with rich soil. • These branches formed a Delta, a triangle shape area of land made of soil deposited by a river.
Government • Egyptian kings and queens were called Pharaohs. • Pharaohs were believed to be both a king and a god. • To help with his duties, the pharaohs hired government officials. • Egypt also founded some of the first dynasties (a series of rulers from the same family).
Religion • Egyptians believed in polytheism. • The afterlife was a big part of Egyptian religion. • Egyptians believed someone’s ka (life force) became a spirit when they died. • Mummification had to be performed to preserve the body for afterlife.
Egyptian Art • Artisans were sculptors, builders, carpenters, jewelers, metal, workers, and leather workers. • Artisans made statues, furniture, jewelry, pottery, footwear, and other items. • Artists were employed by the state temple. • Artists often worked in the pharaohs tombs painting detailed pictures.
Trade • Queen Hatshepsut helped the people of Egypt by sending traders faraway places. • They traded with Asia Minor, Greece, Kingdom of Punt, Sarai, and Nubia. • They traded turquoise, copper, wheat. • They received gold, ivory, slaves, stone, and wood.
Social Order • 2 million people in 2200 BC were in the Egyptian society. • The social order: Pharaohs, nobles, scribes, craftspeople, farmers, slaves, servants. • A complex society required people to take on different jobs.
Architecture • The science of building was called architecture. • Egyptians were most famous for their pyramids. • Near Giza lies the biggest pyramid, The pyramid of Kufu. • The Egyptians also built the famous Sphinx and Obelisk.
Written Language and Major Achievements • Their written language was called hieroglyphics. • They wrote on papyrus or carved in stone. • Rosetta stone: a stone slab inscribed with hieroglyphics helped us to understand the language. • Major achievements: pyramids, temples