Government and Religion Onesheet

Trade helps form kingdoms and a need for Governments p. 106

Traders learn about ways of life and governments of other societies

Increase in farming and trade -- Now more goods are available so villages along the Nile trade with each other

Increase of trade with others -- Egyptian caravans start carrying goods to Nubia in the south; to Mesopotamia in the northeast; and other places outside Egypt’s border – Look at Early Trade Routes Map online textbook

The increase of farming and trade causes a need for a government that will keep everything organized. Trade increased, causing a unified government and building of cities.

Egyptian Government

• Type of Egyptian Government: Theocracy is when the political leader and

the religious leader are the same.

One United Kingdom p. 106-107

Weak kingdoms fall to stronger kingdoms

Jobs of the Government--Government organizes : 1.Construction and repair of irrigation ditches and dams (engineers)2.Process for storing and distributing grain during famines (architects – design granaries)3.Settle conflicts over land ownership

Villages merge to form small kingdoms ruled by a king

By 4000 BC there are two large kingdoms – Upper Egypt (in the south) and Lower Egypt (in the northern Nile River Delta)

Narmer (Menes) king of Upper Egypt King Menes = first pharaoh

Who was King Menes/ King Narmer? P. 107• Led his armies down the mountains into the delta• Conquered Lower Egypt and married one of Lower

Egyptian princesses • This unified the kingdoms – for the first time, all of

Egypt was ruled by one king• He established a new capital at Memphis which is

a border city between Upper and Lower Egypt• He governs both parts of Egypt from Memphis

causing it to be the center of government and culture along the Nile and a VERY POWERFUL civilization

One United Kingdom

After his death

• His kingdom lasts a very long time creating the first dynasty (line of rulers from one family)

• There are over 30 dynasties organized into time periods known as the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom

• Egypt’s dynasty system created a stable and unified system of government = powerful civilization for many years!

Vizier – the most important court official and advisor to the pharaoh,

Priests, nobles – rich, important families, bureaucrats –gov officials,

army officers, doctors

Pharaoh/ gods, pharaoh’s wife and

family

Traders, merchants, artisans, engineers, architects, scribes,

teachers, shopkeepers

Farmers, herders, fishers, foot soldiers

Unskilled workers , tomb

builders, slaves,

Pharaoh as Political Leader p. 108 - 109

Theocracy is when the political leader and the religious leader are the same.

• Egyptians were fiercely loyal to the pharaoh because they believed that a strong ruler unified their kingdom.

• The pharaoh held total power!

• He issued commands that had to be obeyed

• Wisdom and far-reaching leadership would help their kingdom survive disasters like war and famine

Government Jobs of the Pharaoh: 1.appointed government officials, bureaucrats to oversee his commands.2.Supervised construction and repair of

– dams– Irrigation canals– Brick granaries

3. Owned all the land, so taxes of grain were collected to pay for building projects4. Distributed land to officials, priests, and wealthy Egyptians whom he favored

Egyptian Religion

Pharaoh as Religious Leader p. 109-110

Theocracy is when the political leader and the religious leader are the same.• Egyptians believed the

pharaoh was the son of Re, Egyptian sun god.

• Believed their pharaoh was a god on earth who protected Egypt.

• To honor him in public, people played music on flutes and cymbals and bowed their heads

• They had to make laws, fight battles, and carry out religious ceremonies to help the kingdom thrive.

• They were blamed if crops did not grow or disease spread.

• Example ceremonies:The pharaoh rode a bull around Memphis

because the Egyptians believed that this would help keep the soil fertile.

The pharaoh also was the first person to cut the ripened grain at harvest time to produce abundant crops.

1. Religion played a major role in Egyptian daily life.2. At first each city-state had their own god but eventually it became more organized.3. Temples were built to honor the gods.4. Egyptians were polytheistic like the Mesopotamians, but Egyptians thought theirs were more

powerful5. Deities – gods and goddesses that controlled natural forces and human activities 6. Egyptians depended on the sun to grow crops and the Nile River for fertile soil – so, most

important gods were the sun god Re and the river god Hapi7. Deity appearance resembled both human and animal forms8. Other Important and Famous Egyptian gods include:Osiris- god of the underworld; Isis- goddess of magic and life; his wife; representing faithful wife and motherThoth – god of learningHorus- god of the sky; child of Osiris and Isis; is thought to have a connection to Narmer -- go falcons!!

Religion in Egypt: The Gods of Egypt p. 110

Religion in Egyptpp. 110-112

Emphasis on the Afterlife Burial Practices

1. Egyptians believed in the afterlife.

2. They believed that life after death would be even better than the present life.

3. After a long journey, the dead arrived at a place of peace.

4. They believed every person had a life form called “ka” similar to a soul

5. When a person died the spirit or “ka” left the body but lived at the burial site.

6. When people died they were buried with things they thought they would need in the afterlife, like furniture, art, jewelry, clothes and food.

1. Thoughts about the afterlife shaped burial practices.

2. In order to keep the “ka” happy the body had to be well preserved.

3. They believed that the body needed to be protected in order for the “ka” to complete the journey to the afterlife.

4. If the body decayed after death, the “ka” would not have a place to live and would not survive in the afterlife.

5. They embalmed the bodies and made them into mummies.

6. Priests removed the organs, stored them in jars buried with the body. Then the priests covered the body with a salt called natron which dried up all the water in the body causing it to shrink. The body was then filled with spices and tightly wrapped with long strips of linen (mummy). The mummy was sealed in a coffin and placed in a decorated tomb.

7. This took weeks to do but was suppose to keep you happy in the afterlife.

8. Only Egyptian elite, rich people had nice tombs or pyramids. Poor was buried in caves or in the sand.

9. Even animals were embalmed – pets were sacred creatures that honored their gods and goddesses.

Anubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in Egyptian mythology.

Book of the Dead p. 111• One of the most

important writings of ancient Egypt

• contained prayers and magic spells to prepare for the afterlife.

• After a long journey, the dead arrived at a place of peace

• Osiris would greet you at the gate to the afterlife. If you knew the spell and lived a good life, you got in.

Medical Skills p. 112• Turn and Talk• What do you think

Egyptians learned about the human body by embalming?

• _______________ • _______________• _______________• _______________

Medical Skills p. 112• Turn and Talk• What do you think

Egyptians learned about the human body by embalming?

• anatomy • internal organs• blood circulation• other?

Medical Skills p. 112• Sewed up cuts and

set broken bones• First to use splints,

bandages, and compresses

• First medical books -- Used papyrus scrolls to write down medical information/records

The Pyramids1. Burial sites played an important part in the Egyptian afterlife.2. Egyptians built amazing tombs to honor their rulers.3. Most pyramids and temples were built (with taxes

collected from people) during the Old Kingdom, about 2000 years before Christ was born.

4. Some are still standing today, The most famous are the Pyramids at Giza built for Khufu pharaoh from the 4th dynasty in the Old Kingdom.

5. The Egyptians were considered among the best engineers of the ancient world.

6. They wanted to keep their pharaohs happy in the afterlife because they believed the pharaoh controlled everyone else’s afterlife.

3-2-1 Turn and TalkReligion: *3* *Government:2 * *Other:1 *

Ancient Egyptian Beliefs WS

• This side only for today!

Vizier – the most important court official and advisor to the pharaoh,

Priests, nobles – rich, important families, bureaucrats –gov officials,

army officers, doctors

Pharaoh/ gods, pharaoh’s wife and

family

Traders, merchants, artisans, engineers, architects, scribes,

teachers, shopkeepers

Farmers, herders, fishers, foot soldiers

Unskilled workers , tomb

builders, slaves,