Expanding Knowledge
LEARNING GOAL
Students can describe in detail the religious beliefs,
government, and scientific/cultural contributions of
the ancient Egyptian civilization.
Organize your notebook page with the following 4 terms:
ASTRONOMY
GEOMETRY
MEDICINE
WRITING
Leave enough space between to write. As we talk about each section, you will be writing
a 1-2 sentence summary explaining how the Egyptians used each of these.
Much like many ancient societies,
much of the knowledge of Egypt
came about as priests studied the
world to find ways to please the
gods. Other advances came about
because of practical discoveries.
Astronomy
Egyptian priests studied the sky as part of their
religion. About 5,000 years ago, they noticed
that a star now called Sirius appeared shortly
before the Nile began to flood. The star returned
to the same position in the sky 365 days later.
Based on that, Egyptians developed the world’s
first practical calendar.
Sirius is the
brightest star in
the nigh sky and
is twice as
massive as the
sun.
http://safeshare.tv/v/ss562667ea04942
The ancient Egyptians created a calendar that was 12 months, of 30 days each
(360 days). Because of this, as the years passed, the Egyptian calendar became
out of sink with the solar system. Later civilizations such as the Roman Empire
created new calendars that were more in line with the solar system. The Gregorian
Calendar, which is what we used today wad developed in 1545. Ancient
Egyptians laid the ground work for how we view the idea of a year.
http://safeshare.tv/v/ss5626727618f2c
LET’S SUMMARIZE THIS SECTION:
Use the section in your textbook to help you create a 1-2 sentence summary about
ancient Egyptian astronomy.
POSSIBLE SUMMARY:
The ancient Egyptians observed that the return of the star Sirius came at the same time
as the Nile flood. Based on this, the ancient Egyptians developed the world’s first
practical calendar.
Geometry
The Egyptians developed some of the first geometry. Each year
the Nile’s floods washed away land boundaries. To restore
property lines, surveyors measured the land by using ropes that were
knotted at regular intervals. Geometric shapes such as squares and
triangles were sacred to Egyptians. Architects used them in the
design of royal temples and monuments. Ancient Egyptians used
precise measurements on their monuments and land boundaries.
LET’S SUMMARIZE THIS SECTION
Use the section in your textbook to help you create a 1-2 sentence summary.
POSSIBLE SUMMARY
Geometric shapes were important to the ancient Egyptians. Shapes were
used to create monuments and land boundaries.
Medicine
Egyptian doctors often prepared dead bodies for burial, so
they knew the parts of the body. That knowledge helped them
perform some of the world’s firs t surgery. Some doctors
specialized in using medicines made from herbs. (Coriander,
Garlic, Onion, etc). Egyptian medicine was far from perfect.
Doctors believed that the heart controlled thought and the
brain circulated blood, which is the opposite of what is known
now. Some Egyptian treatments would raise eyebrows today.
One “cure” for an upset stomach was to eat a hog’s tooth
crushed inside sugar cakes.
LET’S SUMMARIZE THE SECTION
Use the section in your textbook to help you create a 1-2 sentence summary.
POSSIBLE SUMMARY
Egyptian doctors were some of the first to perform surgery and use herbs as
medicine, but also were incorrect in some of their medical beliefs.
http://safeshare.tv/v/ss5627a52331259
Writing
Beginning about 3,000 B.C, Egyptians developed a writing
system using hieroglyphs. These were pictures that stand for
different words or sounds. Early Egyptians created a hieroglyphic
system with about 700 characters. Over time the system grew to
include more than 6,000 symbols.
The Egyptians also developed a paper-like material called papyrus
from a reed of the same name. Egyptians cut the stems into strips,
pressed them, and dried them into sheets that could be rolled into
scrolls. Papyrus scrolls were light and easy to carry. With them,
Egyptians created some of the first books.
How are the hieroglyphs
similar/different to
Mesopotamian writing?
Notice anything strange within
these ancient Egyptian
hieroglyphs?
SUMMARIZE THE SECTION IN 1-2 SENTENCES.
POSSIBLE SUMMARY
Egyptians developed a writing system called hieroglyphs which eventually included
more than 6,000 different symbols. They also crated a paper like material called
papyrus which were used to create some of the world’s first books.
Other Ancient Egyptian
Inventions Still Used Today
High Heeled Shoes
The Pen
Makeup
The Bathroom
Vending Machines