Global Studies 9
Ancient egypt
Mrs. Hart and Mrs. Bernier
Geography
• Egypt is located in
northeastern Africa.
• The Nile River runs the
length of the country
flowing south to north.
• The river begins in the
mountains of Africa
and empties into the
Mediterranean Sea.
• Most of Egypt is part of
the Sahara Desert.
The Sahara Desert
• The desert created
a climate that was
extremely hot and
dry. It also acted as
a barrier that both
protected the ancient
Egyptians and
isolated them for
periods of time.
Roots of Egyptian Civilization
The ancient Egyptian
civilization began more than
5000 years ago when people
settled along the Nile River.
• The Nile was the lifeblood of
ancient Egypt because of its
fertile soil for farming.
• It made life possible in the
otherwise hot, dry desert of
Egypt.
• It was the major source of
water for bathing, drinking,
cooking, and irrigation.
Religion
• Then Ancient
Egyptians were
polytheistic,
meaning they
believed that many
gods and
goddesses ruled the
world and the
afterlife. Their chief
gods were Amon-Re
and Osiris, god of
the Nile.
Religion
• Because the Egyptians believed in eternal life
after death, they relied on the Book of the
Dead to help them through the afterworld. It
was a collection of spells, hymns, and prayers
intended to secure a safe passage to the
underworld for the deceased.
Religion
The Egyptians believed that each soul had
to pass a test in order to win eternal life.
worthy souls would enter the Happy Field
of Food, where they would live forever in
happiness.
Religion: Mummification
•Egyptians practiced
mummification, the preservation
of the body for use in the next life.
Religion: Mummification
During mummification, the brain of the dead
person was extracted through the nose. The
most important organs were removed and
placed in special jars. Finally the body was
filled with spices, then dried and wrapped in
strips of linen. The entire process took about
60 days.
Ancient Egyptian Government
Ancient Egyptian
government was
dominated by a
single person, the
pharaoh. He was
seen not only as
their leader, but also
a god. He was
assisted by his chief
minister, also known
as a vizier.
Ancient Egyptian Government
Under the vizier, various
departments looked
after such matters as
tax collection, farming,
and caring for the
irrigation systems.
Thousands of scribes
carried out the vizier’s
instructions.
2
Social Structure
PHARAOH & RULING FAMILY
Earthly leader; considered a god
HIGH PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES
Served gods and goddesses.
VIZIER: Assisted in running government.
NOBLES: Fought pharaoh’s wars.
CRAFTSMEN, MERCHANTS, SCRIBES
Made furniture, jewelry, and fabrics for
pharaohs and nobles, and provided for other needs.
PEASANT FARMERS AND SLAVES
Worked in the fields and served the pharaoh.
Ancient Egyptian
Contributions: Hieroglyphics
• Hieroglyphics was the
picture writing used in
ancient Egypt. The word
hieroglyphics is made up of
two Greek words - hieros,
which means sacred, and
glyphe, which means
carving.
• The Egyptian hieroglyphic
writing system consists of
several hundred picture
signs.
Contributions: Rosetta Stone
Contributions: Pyramids
The
pyramids
were built
as tombs
for the
pharaohs.
The Great Sphinx
Contributions: Papyrus
Paper made from a reed
plant.