Chapter 4 Section 2

The Old Kingdom

2700BC3
rd
dynasty rose to power
This began the Old Kingdom
The Political system was based on the belief that the Pharaoh
was both a king and a god
The people believed the Pharaoh came to Egypt to manage the
land and people for the other gods
Pharaohs responsibilities:
--- blamed if the crops wouldnt grow
--- blamed for diseases
--- demanded that he made trade profitable
--- He had to keep the peace
To help the Pharaoh, he would hire government officials

Social Hierarchy --- see chart on page 91
The lowest class (farmers, servants and slaves) contained 80%
of the Egyptian people.

Egypt and its neighbors
- Egypt was well protected but not isolated
- Other cultures influenced Egypt
- Traded with their neighbors (other cultures)

Religion and Egyptian life
- Strong religious beliefs

The Gods of Egypt
- Polytheism
- Officials tried to give some structure to religious beliefs
- People were expected to worship the same gods
- The people built temples to their gods
- Certain cities became centers for certain gods (the city of
Memphis was the center for the god Ptah)
Emphasis on the Afterlife page 92
- The Egyptians believed that the afterlife was a happy place
and their religion focused on it
- They believed everyone had a KA (kind of like a soul).
- When a person died the Ka left their body and became a
spirit
- The Ka remained linked to their human body and couldnt
leave the burial site
- People were buried with their stuff, food and beverages
for their Ka
Burial Practices page 93
- Developed a method for preserving the dead called
Embalming
- Mummyis an embalmed body that is wrapped in cloth
- Elite- people with wealth and power
- The elite people were the ones who could afford to be
mummified
- Poor or lower class families had to bury their dead in
shallow graves at the edge of the desert where the heat
and low humidity would keep the bodies preserved.

How did religious beliefs affect Egyptians burial practices? They
believed that the Ka would remain attached to their body, so
they preserved the bodies of the dead by mummification and
filled the tombs with food, water and items.

Pyramids page 94
Huge stone tombs with 4 triangular shaped walls that met
in a point at the top
The people believed that the Pharaoh was their link to the
other gods, and that he controlled their afterlife.
In order to keep the Pharaoh happy after he died he was
buried in a spectacular pyramid with many of his
belongings

Section 2 Study guide Answers
1. The 3
rd
dynasty rose to power (2700BC)
2. That he was both king and god. He came to earth to manage
the people for the gods
3. He was blamed if the crops didnt grow, had to make trade
profitable, prevent wars
4. Khufu
5.
6. Ptah
Anubis
Re
Osiris
Isis
Horus
7. afterlife --- young and healthy
8. Ka- a persons life force (soul) The Ka stayed linked to the
dead body and could not leave the burial siteit had the same
needs as the living person
9. filled their tombs with food, beverages, tools, weapons,
clothes, jewelry and furniture
10. method called embalmingpreserved the body for many
years as mummies.
11. in shallow graves at the edge of the desert and the hot dry
sand would preserve the bodies.
12. pyramids
13. during the old kingdom
14. The Great Pyramid of Khufu near the town of Giza
15. because it points to the sky it rep. the Pharaohs journey to
the afterlife.
16. they believed the pharaoh as a link to the gods controlled
their afterlife and they wanted him to be happy



Lesson Assessment page 95 answers