Social Classes

Nate Jones
6th Period
September 9, 2009
Egyptian society was set up like a steep pyramid.
• The Pharaoh was alone at the top of the pyramid because he
or she was the most powerful person in Ancient Egypt.
• The group of people below the Pharaoh was the royal family,
court officials and priests.
• Right below that group, and sometimes in it was the scribes.
• Skilled laborers and artists made art and other goods for the
people socially below them.
• Laborers were the most numerous social classes and also the
hardest working.

The Pharaoh ruled Egypt but he needed others to help him

rule.
• The Pharaoh rewarded loyal nobles with land and power.
• The Pharaoh needed priests to help him please the gods and
perform religious ceremonies.
This is a picture
of a temple in • Tax collectors and advisors also helped the Pharaoh.
Ancient

Egypt. To see
Becoming a scribe was
original picture hard work, but it paid off.
go to • Scribes went to school for a long time to read and
http://touregypt.
net/dendera.htm
write Hieroglyphics, the language of Egypt.
• If you did become a scribe you could become wealthy
and powerful because scribes were needed as record
keepers.
• A place at a school for scribes was a coveted position.

Skilled laborers, artists and laborers worked hard

Here is a pyramid at at their jobs.
Giza laborers would
• Most people in Ancient Egypt were laborers.
have built in the
inundation. Go to • Laborers worked all year round. During the
http://www.greatbuil inundation when they couldn’t farm they
dings.com/buildings/
worked for government building projects like
Great_Pyramid.html
to see original pyramids, canals, levees and dams.
picture. • Skilled laborers made jewelry, furniture and other
forms of art for rich or important people in Ancient
Egypt.

Bibliography
“The Temple of Dendera”. http://touregypt.net/dendera.htm,
Carnegie Museum. Web. September 8, 2009
Kevin Matthews and Artifice, Inc. “Great Pyramid of Khufu”.
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Great_Pyramid.html
1994. Web. September 8, 2009