http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544450
Interview with a Pharaoh
On my "Egypt Adventure" I got to have the chance of a lifetime, I got to meet Hatshepsut, a woman pharaoh. During my interview, I wrote down all of her answers so I could share them to the world.
https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/ssh/book.lesson.do?bookId=R394COYN47111OV9CRWP9C9JHO&nodeId=QZ8X1636KDMBXBZENR24P1R2H4
Please note that this encounter may have never happened and could be based on information found in the textbook.
https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/ssh/book.lesson.do?bookId=R394COYN47111OV9CRWP9C9JHO&nodeId=QZ8X1636KDMBXBZENR24P1R2H4
Please note that this encounter may have never happened and could be based on information found in the textbook.
Q: Why did you make yourself appear as a male during your reign?
A: I am going to be honest with you. I wanted to be excepted by my people. Pharaohs were usually males so in order for me to be thought of as a good leader I dressed in clothes of a male a wore a false beard.
Q: So...Why were you so interested in trade?
A: I wanted to restore the trade relations we had before the Hyksos invaded Egypt. Also, in Egypt we does not have very many trees so we valued produces made of wood. By trading we are able to gather wood and use it for making items such as boats and furniture.
Q: Alright, next question, why did you establish trade in eastern Mediterranean?
A: Well, trade in the eastern Mediterranean helped increase Egypt's wealth and who ever said a rich kingdom is a bad one?
Q: Ok, I want to ask you one more thing, what did you do with the money you earned from trade and what else did you do to create relationships with other kingdoms?
A: I, Hatshepsut used the wealth to build monuments in Egypt. To create other relationships us pharaohs make political ties. For example, we can become joined by marriages and treaties with other kingdoms. Egypt also exchanged envoys (see vocabulary page) to maintain close political ties.
A: I am going to be honest with you. I wanted to be excepted by my people. Pharaohs were usually males so in order for me to be thought of as a good leader I dressed in clothes of a male a wore a false beard.
Q: So...Why were you so interested in trade?
A: I wanted to restore the trade relations we had before the Hyksos invaded Egypt. Also, in Egypt we does not have very many trees so we valued produces made of wood. By trading we are able to gather wood and use it for making items such as boats and furniture.
Q: Alright, next question, why did you establish trade in eastern Mediterranean?
A: Well, trade in the eastern Mediterranean helped increase Egypt's wealth and who ever said a rich kingdom is a bad one?
Q: Ok, I want to ask you one more thing, what did you do with the money you earned from trade and what else did you do to create relationships with other kingdoms?
A: I, Hatshepsut used the wealth to build monuments in Egypt. To create other relationships us pharaohs make political ties. For example, we can become joined by marriages and treaties with other kingdoms. Egypt also exchanged envoys (see vocabulary page) to maintain close political ties.
Egypt United
According to McGraw-Hill, before Egypt had two kingdoms, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, small kingdoms had formed because of conflicts and increase in trade and farming. The smaller kingdoms became steadily larger then formed Upper and Lower Egypt. The two kingdoms were united by the king of Upper Egypt, Narmer (McGraw-Hill). It also states that Narmer gathered his armies, conquered lower Egypt and got married to a Lower Egypt princess. This united the two kingdoms so for the first time Egypt had one all powerful leader, Narmer. His kingdom lasted a long time and is now called the Old Kingdom. Narmer, their leader was the one who made political ties to join the kingdoms and got his armies to conquer Lower Egypt.
Egyptian Government
The pharaoh (see vocabulary page), or in earlier years the king was the all powerful ruler of Egypt. Egypt prized unity so they created unified government by having a leader that ruled it all. The pharaoh acted as both a religious and political leader. This system of government is called a theocracy (connected.mcgraw-hill.com). Although the pharaoh was the one ture lruler he still had help. According to connected.mcgraw-hill.com, "The pharaoh appointed bureaucrats or government officials, to carry out his orders." Additionally, Egyptian government required taxes which consisted of crops, livestock, jewelry or precious stones. (Ancient-egypt-online.com).
By connecting Egyptian religion and government it gave the pharaoh more power. In Discovering Our Past: A History of the World, in states that Egyptians were loyal to the pharaoh because they believed his father was Ra, the Egyptian sun god. It also says they thought he was a god meant to protect Earth. In addition to the pharaoh's power the priests had power too. Connected.mcgraw-hill.com also says," Amenhotep believed that Egypt's priests had grown too powerful and wealthy." This proves that the priests also had power in ancient Egypt.
By connecting Egyptian religion and government it gave the pharaoh more power. In Discovering Our Past: A History of the World, in states that Egyptians were loyal to the pharaoh because they believed his father was Ra, the Egyptian sun god. It also says they thought he was a god meant to protect Earth. In addition to the pharaoh's power the priests had power too. Connected.mcgraw-hill.com also says," Amenhotep believed that Egypt's priests had grown too powerful and wealthy." This proves that the priests also had power in ancient Egypt.
The Rulers Affect
"The pharaoh was the absolute monarch of the country and, at least in theory, wielded complete control of the land and its resources," says egyptan.sk. The pharaoh had complete power over ancient Egypt so he had many affects on it. The pharaoh affected Egyptian conflict, trade and politics. Egyptan.sk calls the pharaoh the "supreme military commander." He would have affected conflict because he had the authority to make decisions on resolution. Pharaohs were also able to establish trade. For example, Hatshepsut, a woman pharaoh restored trade relations that had been interrupted by the Hyksos invasion (McGraw-Hill). Additionally, the pharaohs of Egypt affected their government. McGraw-Hill states that, "He issued commands that had to be obeyed."
Power
Advantages
Pharaohs, military leaders and the upper class had power like no other in Egypt. There are quite a few advantages to this. Advantages to having power are the Egyptians are loyal to you, you can do whatever you want and you are very wealthy. Connected.mcgraw-hill.com states, "Egyptians were also loyal to the pharaoh because they thought he was the son of Re (RAY), the Egyptian sun god." This shows that the Egyptians were loyal to the pharaoh. Ahmose was a military leader. He wanted to conquer the Hkysos and he got his wish. According to Discovering your past: A History of the World, he formed an army and drove the Hyksos out of Egypt. This proves power allows you to do what they want. Connected.mcgraw-hill.com says, "Egypt's upper class lived in elegant homes and on estates along the Nile River." This evidence shows they are wealthy because elegant homes would have been expensive.
|
Disadvantages
A disadvantages of having power is the people may want to take your power away. An example of this is "Egypt's priests had grown too powerful and wealthy. He felt threatened by their power. To lessen the priests' authority, Amenhotep started a new religion," states connected.mcgraw-hill.com. This proves that people may want to take your power away because Amenhotep wanted to take the priests power away. Another example of this is when bbc.co.uk says, that Thutmose III possible murdered Hatshepsut, for she suddenly died. Thutmose the III knew that he would come in power after she died so he killed her to take her power away for himself.
|
This primary source demonstrates the Hyksos intruding ancient Egypt. This proves that the key individual Ahmose was major part in Egyptian life. According to McGraw Hill, Ahmose is an Egyptian prince who created an army and drove the Hyksos out of Egypt. This primary source shows how powerful the Hyksos were so Ahmose would have had to be very brave and strong to gather an army to defeat them.
https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/ssh/book.lesson.do?bookId=R394COYN47111OV9CRWP9C9JHO&nodeId=QZ8X1636KDMBXBZENR24P1R2H4&edition=STUDENT
https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/ssh/book.lesson.do?bookId=R394COYN47111OV9CRWP9C9JHO&nodeId=QZ8X1636KDMBXBZENR24P1R2H4&edition=STUDENT