Ancient Egyptian Culture

Section 4

Social Classes Egyptian society

resembled a Pyramid. 1st Top:

o Pharaoh. 2nd: Small Upper Class.

o Priests.o Members of the

Pharaohs court. o Nobles.

3rd Middle Class:o Merchants o Skilled Workers.

4th Bottom:o Largest class.o The Peasants .

Social Classes Peasants:

o Did farm labor mostly.

o Others built roads and temples.

Social Climb:o A person could

rise to a higher class.

o Through service to the Pharaoh.

Slavery Formed a separate

class. Not large. Made up of:

o Prisoners captured in war.

Had Rights:o Could own personal

items. o Inherit land from their

masters. o Could also be set free.

Checking for Understanding

How was Egyptian Society Organized?

Was organized by a class structure that resembled a pyramid.

Top: Pharaoh. 2nd: Small Upper class

o made of priests, nobles and members of the Pharaohs court.

3rd: Middle classo Merchants and skilled

workers. 4th Peasants: Largest

class.

A New System of Writing

Hieroglyphs:o Pictures and other

written symbols that stood for Ideas, things, or sounds.

Pictures could stand for:o Ideas or things. o Ex:

• Picture of two legs stood for the word “Go”

• Drawing of an Owl stood for the “m” sound.

Unlocking a Mystery. After A.D. 400 Egypt's

meaning of their hieroglyphic writing system was lost.

1799:o Large Black Stone

discovered by the Nile. o Had 3 different types of

writing on it. • Upper part: Hieroglyphs.• Middle: Egyptian script

called Demotic. • Lower: Greek Letters.

Named: The Rosetta Stone. 1820’s:

o French Scholar Jean Francois Champollion completed the translations.

Checking for Understanding

What was the significance of the Rosetta Stone?

It was important because it translated hieroglyphs into other languages so modern people could learn what the hieroglyphs meant.

Keeping Track of Time

Astronomers:• Scientists who study the stars and other objects in the

sky. • Egyptian Farmers needed to predict when the floods

would occur.Mathematics Used basic Mathematics (+ - X /), simple Fractions, and

Geometry to cut stone and find area.

MedicineReligion and Medicine were closely related.Doctors:

• Were specially trained Priests.• Used Religious practices and knowledge of

illnesses to heal the sick. Mummification:

• Gave them great knowledge of the human body.

Checking for Understanding

Why was it important for the Egyptians to figure out the length of their year?

They needed to know when the water of the Nile would flood.