Chapter 3Chapter 3Section 3:

Egypt’s Culture

Section 3: Egypt’s Culture

Wow!Wow!Lasted more than 3,000

years!

Lasted more than 3,000

years!

Social ClassesSocial Classes•Pharaoh•Nobles / officials: governors, generals, tax collectors, priests, etc.•Peasants•Slaves

•Pharaoh•Nobles / officials: governors, generals, tax collectors, priests, etc.•Peasants•Slaves

Egyptian Women

Egyptian Women

•Upper and middle class women had rights

•Government officials and priests•Own land•Propose marriage•Divorce•Kill their husbands and get “off the

hook”

•Upper and middle class women had rights

•Government officials and priests•Own land•Propose marriage•Divorce•Kill their husbands and get “off the

hook”

Noble ClassNoble Class•Most were born into wealthy class•Could rise based on service to pharaoh (army)•Had to be literate •Girls went to school

•Most were born into wealthy class•Could rise based on service to pharaoh (army)•Had to be literate •Girls went to school

PeasantsPeasants•Little know about peasants•Worked hard; few comforts

•Little know about peasants•Worked hard; few comforts

SlavesSlaves•New Kingdom – conquests•Houses slaves – hoped to gain freedom•Others not so lucky

•New Kingdom – conquests•Houses slaves – hoped to gain freedom•Others not so lucky

Religion

Religion

MaatMaat•The idea of justice, right, truth, and order•Should try to live rightly and justly•Example: treatment of slaves

•The idea of justice, right, truth, and order•Should try to live rightly and justly•Example: treatment of slaves

JudgmentJudgment•Osiris - god of dead•Weighed heart against feather of truth

•Heart heavier – Devourer of Souls (fierce beast)

•Feather heavier – soul would live forever

•Osiris - god of dead•Weighed heart against feather of truth

•Heart heavier – Devourer of Souls (fierce beast)

•Feather heavier – soul would live forever

PriestsPriests•Powerful (maybe more than pharaoh)•Magical charms and chants to protect living and dead•Book of the Dead – book of prayers put in coffin

•Powerful (maybe more than pharaoh)•Magical charms and chants to protect living and dead•Book of the Dead – book of prayers put in coffin

Amonhotep / Akhenaton

Amonhotep / Akhenaton

•1375 B.C. – 1362 B.C.•Worshipped sun (Aton)•Believed Aton was only true god

•1375 B.C. – 1362 B.C.•Worshipped sun (Aton)•Believed Aton was only true god

A Monotheistic Egypt

A Monotheistic Egypt•Closed temples

•Moved offerings from taxes to Aton’s treasury

•Changed his name•Moved the capital from Thebes to city he named Akhetaton (“The Place of Aton’s Power”

•Closed temples•Moved offerings from taxes to Aton’s treasury

•Changed his name•Moved the capital from Thebes to city he named Akhetaton (“The Place of Aton’s Power”

Priest’s Reaction:Priest’s

Reaction:

FURIOUS!FURIOUS!

TutankhamonTutankhamon•8-9 years old•Priest back in control•Moved capital back to Thebes•Destroyed images of Aton

•8-9 years old•Priest back in control•Moved capital back to Thebes•Destroyed images of Aton

Contributions

Contributions

WritingWriting•Pictographs•Hieroglyphics – form of writing in ancient Egypt

•Pictographs•Hieroglyphics – form of writing in ancient Egypt

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone•1799 – French soldiers

found near Rosetta•Written in 2 forms of Egyptian hieroglyphics and Greek•1822 – Jean Francois Champollion broke code

•1799 – French soldiers found near Rosetta•Written in 2 forms of Egyptian hieroglyphics and Greek•1822 – Jean Francois Champollion broke code

What was the

importance of Rosetta

Stone?

What was the

importance of Rosetta

Stone?

PapyrusPapyrus•Reed that grew in marshy delta•paper

•Reed that grew in marshy delta•paper

NumbersNumbers•Needed to assess property and collect taxes

•Needed to assess property and collect taxes

GeometryGeometry•Invented mathematical system for determining area

•Assigning plots had to be redone every year

•Invented mathematical system for determining area

•Assigning plots had to be redone every year

Why?Why?

Flooding of NileFlooding of Nile

CalendarCalendar•Kept track of time between floods•12 months of 30 days + 5days (holidays and feasts)

•Kept track of time between floods•12 months of 30 days + 5days (holidays and feasts)

MedicineMedicine•Heart rate•Broken bones•Wounds•Fevers

•Heart rate•Broken bones•Wounds•Fevers