Lesson 2: The Old Kingdom (Kingdoms of the Nile)
🏺 Life in the Old Kingdom
The Old Kingdom lasted from around 2700 to 2200 BCE. It was a time of strong pharaohs, big building projects, and growing trade.
👑 Early Pharaohs
Pharaohs were kings of Egypt — but not just kings. Egyptians believed pharaohs were like gods on earth! One famous pharaoh was Djoser. He built the first step pyramid.
📖 Story: When people came to see the pharaoh, they had to bow down and sometimes kiss the ground. They believed the pharaoh controlled the sun, the river, and even life itself!
🏘️ Society and Trade
Egyptian society had many levels:
At the top was the pharaoh.
Then came nobles, priests, and government workers.
Most people were farmers and craftsmen.
At the bottom were slaves.
Egypt traded goods like gold, papyrus, linen, and grain with other lands. They brought back cedar wood from Lebanon, copper, and beautiful animals like monkeys and leopards.
🛕 Religion and Egyptian Life
✨ The Gods of Egypt
Egyptians believed in many gods:
Ra, the sun god ☀️
Osiris, god of the dead ⚖️
Isis, goddess of magic and motherhood 🕊️
Anubis, god of mummification 🐺
Gods were part of everyday life. People prayed, gave offerings, and built temples.
⚰️ The Afterlife and Burial Practices
Egyptians believed in an afterlife — a life after death. But you had to be ready! People were mummified to keep their bodies safe for the next world.
📖 Story: Egyptians believed the god Anubis weighed your heart against a feather. If your heart was heavy with sin, a monster called Ammit would eat it!
🏗️ The Pyramids
🧱 Building the Pyramids
The most famous pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built for Pharaoh Khufu. It took thousands of workers and many years to build.
Workers used wooden sleds and rolled stones on logs. They worked hard in the hot sun, but they were paid in bread and beer!
📖 Fun Fact: The blocks in the Great Pyramid are so big that each one weighs as much as a small elephant! 🐘
🏜️ Significance of the Pyramids
Pyramids were tombs — homes for pharaohs in the afterlife. They showed the pharaoh’s power and connection to the gods.
Even today, the pyramids are standing — over 4,000 years later. They remind us how amazing Old Kingdom Egypt was!
💡 Why It Matters
The Old Kingdom was Egypt’s first great age of power and building.
Religion was at the center of life.
Pharaohs were honored with giant pyramids that still amaze people today.