Here are some slideshows of an activity we did in social studies on ancient Egyptian society. Please enjoy watching them, then write in about your takes on the way society was organized.
Per. 8 Egyptian Society Slideshow from Miss Nichols on Vimeo.
Per. 7 Egyptian Society from Miss Nichols on Vimeo.
Per. 6 Egyptian Society from Miss Nichols on Vimeo.
In social studies, we did an activity in which students were randomly assigned roles in ancient Egyptian society. Four students were selected to be the noble, priest, vizier, and pharaoh, while the rest were either peasants, farmers, or craftspeople and merchants–in other words, the workers.
The workers began sorting their crops and getting ready to pay taxes, under the oversight of the vizier (pharaoh’s helper).
Meanwhile, the noble, priest, vizier, and pharaoh got to sit back and munch on snacks while they waited for the workers to harvest the crops and ready themselves to pay taxes and make offerings.
Tax time came and the workers brought their finest crops up to the priest to make offerings to the gods, the noble to pay their rent, and to the pharaoh and vizier for running the country and keeping them safe.
In the end, all Egyptians were fed, however some realized that the food of the upper class was “better” and more abundant than that of the lower class.
So, what do you think?
- What made the Egyptian social system so stable, for such a long amount of time?
- How do you think this compares with the way we do things today in America?
