9781422283394

THE UNTOLD HISTORY OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

EGYPTIANS

The Untold History of Ancient Civilizations AZTECS EGYPTIANS GREEKS

ROMANS VIKINGS

THE UNTOLD HISTORY OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS EGYPTIANS

MASON CREST PHILADELPHIA MIAMI

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Copyright © 2019 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-3519-5 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-3517-1 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-8339-4

Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

Developed and produced by Mason Crest Editor: Keri De Deo Interior and cover design: Jana Rade Production: Michelle Luke

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: LIFE ALONG THE RIVER 7 CHAPTER 2: A PLACE FOR EVERYONE 13 CHAPTER 3: MORE THAN MUD PIES 17 CHAPTER 4: DOING FOR FAMILY 21 CHAPTER 5: BREAD AND BEER 27 CHAPTER 6: MEDICINE AND MAGIC 31 CHAPTER 7: STYLE AND STATUS 35 CHAPTER 8: EVERYDAY RELIGION 41 CHAPTER 9: LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR 45

CHAPTER 10: MEET ME

IN THE AFTERLIFE 49

CHAPTER 11: YOU CAN TAKE IT

WITH YOU 53 EGYPTIAN FACTS 58 FURTHER RESOURCES 60 EDUCATIONAL VIDEO LINKS AND PHOTO CREDITS 62 INDEX 63

KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR: WORDS TO UNDERSTAND: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. SIDEBARS: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

RESEARCH PROJECTS: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis.

ContentS 5

The Ancient Egyptians relied on the Nile River for survival.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND CIVILIZATION: any type of culture or society DESERT: a dry place with little or no rain all year REEDS: a straight, tall stalk of grass that grows in wet areas, such as next to a river

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CHAPTER 1

LIFE ALONG THE RIVER T he Egyptians did amazing things—such as building the pyramids at Giza, inventing a calendar, and creating papyrus (paper). But perhaps the most amazing thing they did was adapting to live in Egypt! Egypt is a dry, hot country with very little rainfall. Most of the land is desert . How is it that such an amazing civilization was able to grow there so long ago? Then, like today, the people depended on the Nile

River, which runs through Egypt. Each year, between July and October, the Nile River flooded. It covered the land beside the river. When the water went down, it left a thick layer of mud behind. This mud was the only soil in Egypt that could grow crops. The ancient Egyptians called the desert “the red land” and the mud from the Nile “the black land.”

Watch this video for an overview of Egypt.

Chapter 1: LIFE ALONG THE RIVER 7

Crocodiles made it dangerous to go to the water’s edge.

ANOTHER REASON TO HATE DOING LAUNDRY

The river provided much

more than farmland. The ancient Egyptians also hunted fish and birds there. They grew reeds along the riverbank to make boats, baskets, and paper. The fastest way to travel was on the river, too.

Surprisingly, it was men, not women, who washed the clothes in the Nile in ancient Egypt. In most other societies, washing was seen as women’s work. But in ancient Egypt, washing the clothes could be pretty dangerous—thanks to the large crocodiles that live and hunt at the water’s edge!

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Ancient Egyptian civilization began in about 3100 bc .

Most people say the ancient Egyptian civilization began in about 3100 bc . The ancient Egyptians began to settle by the Nile River about 4,000 years ago. They lived there for about 3,000 years, until Egypt was taken over and ruled by people from other countries.

The Nile River provides many resources for the Egyptians.

Chapter 1: LIFE ALONG THE RIVER 9

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TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS 1. Between July and October, what does the Nile River bring to Egypt that helps Egyptians survive? 2. What are the Egyptians known for? 3. What helped the Egyptians survive in such a dry, hot place? RESEARCH PROJECT The ancient Egyptians planted different crops to help sustain them. You can grow your own garden like the ancient Egyptians! What you will need: • Seeds (beans grow pretty quickly) • Biodegradable pots (or a big pot if you don’t plan to place your plants in the ground) • Soil • Craft sticks • Small hand shovel or something to scoop soil • Spray bottle filled with water Instructions: 1. Scoop soil out of the bag and into the pot until it’s almost to the top of the container. 2. Place two or three seeds (or more depending on the size of the pot) into the soil and push them down lightly with your finger. You can cover the seeds with more dirt if needed. 3. Mist the soil with the water from the spray bottle. You’ll need to keep it moist, so do this every day. 4. Label the craft stick with the kind of seed you planted, and place this in the dirt straight up along the edge of the pot. 5. Repeat this process for each kind of seed you want to plant. 6. Make sure to water your plant every day. 7. Watch it grow! 8. As your plant grows, you can move to a bigger pot or plant it outside, depending on the type of plant. Make sure to follow the directions on the seed packet about how much sun it needs.

Chapter 1: LIFE ALONG THE RIVER 11

The pharaoh was at the top of Egyptian society.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND GOVERNOR: a person who ruled part of ancient Egypt for the pharaoh, living there and making sure the pharaoh’s orders were carried out MINER: a person who digs something valuable, such as coal, copper, or gold out of the ground PHARAOH: a ruler of ancient Egypt, usually a man

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CHAPTER 2

A PLACE FOR EVERYONE E veryone had a place in Egyptian society. At the very top was the pharaoh . He ruled everyone, and everyone treated him like a god. At the bottom were the poor and slaves. Their lives were controlled by the richer people. Life was not easy for them in Egypt. The pharaoh was said to have been chosen by the gods. Some believed that the pharaohs actually were gods. A pharaoh had the most power, but he had to look after everyone in Egypt, too. That meant feeding everyone from his own food stores when crops did not grow very well. The

pharaoh’s job was so big that he could not run the whole of Egypt by himself. Therefore, he chose people called governors to run different parts of the country for him to make sure his orders were carried out. Men and women had different roles in ancient Egyptian society. Men were miners, for example, whereas women wove cloth. Women were not supposed to be pharaohs, but a few were. They dressed like male pharaohs and even wore a false beard.

PAY IT FORWARD In ancient Egypt, children followed in

their parents’ footsteps. The father passed his skill on to his son. For example, if a man was a miner , then his son would become a miner, too.

Chapter 2: A PLACE FOR EVERYONE 13

The pharaohs could not run Egypt alone. They relied on governors, many whom are buried in the Tombs of the Nobles.

Everyone in ancient Egypt had to work for the pharaoh for a set number of days each year as a kind of tax. Wealthy people often paid someone to do their duty (or dirty) work for them. Often this work was building temples, pyramids, or tombs.

Neferneferuaten Nefertiti was a woman pharaoh who reigned from 1353 to 1336 bc .

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