Today's Class

In today's class, we got back our quizzes on Guns, Germs, and Steel.  When we got them back, we went over the answers, so we could study for our exam with it.  After that, we continued the Prezi by Mr. Schick on Ancient Egypt.  We started talking about the classes of people.  The social classes acted as a pyramid.  The highest rank was at the top and went down to the bottom which was the lowest class.  The social classes in order from highest to lowest were: Pharaoh, Government Officials- (Nobles, Priests), Soldiers, Scribes, Merchants, Artisans, Farmers, Slaves and Servants.  This what all of the social classes did.  The Slaves and Servants helped the wealthy with household and child raising duties.  Farmers raised wheat, barley, lentils, onions - benefitted from the irrigation of the Nile.  Artisans would carve statues and reliefs showing military battles and scenes in the afterlife.  Merchants would use the money/barter system - merchants might accept bags of grain for payment - later, coinage came about.  Scribes kept records, told stories, wrote poetry, described anatomy and medical treatments.  Also, scribes wrote in hieroglyphs and in hieratic.  Soldier used wooden weapons (bow and arrows, spears) with bronze tips and might ride chariots.  Upper class, known as the "white kilt class"- priests, physicians, and engineers.  Religious and political leader.  The Pharaoh was the religious and political leader of the Egyptian people, holding the titles: 'Lord of the Two Lands' and 'High Priest of Every Temple.'  As 'Lord of the Two Lands' the Pharaoh was the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt.  He owned all land, made laws, collected taxes, and defended Egypt against foreigners.