When did the ancient Egyptian civilisation begin?
The Ancient Egyptian Civilisation began over 5000 years ago, It was in north-east Africa.
Around 3000BC, people began to build settlements next to the River Nile because it gave them water and they could grow crops.
This civilisation (a large group of people who follow the same rules and ways of living) lasted for around 3000 years.
Important words
Important words on who the Ancient Egyptians were.
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Civilisation | A large group of people who follow the same rules and ways of living. |
| Hieroglyphs | Pictures and symbols used by Ancient Egyptians. |
| Pharoah | A ruler in Ancient Egypt. |
| Preserved | To stop from rotting away. |
| Sphinx | A statue with the body of a lion and the head of a human. |
| Tomb | Special places where people were buried after they died. |
Watch: An introduction to Ancient Egypt
Watch the video for an introduction to Ancient Egypt.
Child: The ancient Egyptian civilisation began 5,000 years ago and lasted 3,000 years!
It was located along the River Nile in north-east Africa. I better write this down!
Oh! I’ve lost my pen.
Ancient Egyptian: You’re clearly not Egyptian, are you?
Child: No, I’m from Britain.
Ancient Egyptian: Haha! No wonder you don’t have a pen. I’m surprised you even know what they are. We’re way ahead of anyone in Britain.
Stonehenge is nothing, compared to these!
Child: Woah!
Ancient Egyptian: What have you got in this linen sack thing anyway? Oh, a calendar! Now that is useful. It’s similar to our own solar calendar which has 365 days in it.
You do have bread at least!
We have some of the most efficient tools for making flour. And we use the River Nile to provide water for our crops. And you’re even using papyrus.
Child: It’s paper actually.
Ancient Egyptian: Well, whatever you call it, we invented it.
We use it to write down our language using small pictures called hieroglyphs.
It’s quite complex, so it takes a scribe like me to do it.
Child: Can you see my pen in there?
Ancient Egyptian: No, which is a shame as record keeping, organisation and planning are key to any successful civilisation.
All these things have helped us become one of the greatest civilisations in world history!
Child: Wow, it’s true what they say. The pen is mightier than the sword.
Ancient Egyptian: Swords have helped a little along the way…
Timeline: Ancient Egypt
Image caption, Click the arrows learn more about the timeline of Ancient Egypt!
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What was life like for the ancient Egyptian people?
The Ancient Egyptians were good farmers and builders.
They made paper and invented a writing system called hieroglyphs (pictures and symbols used by Ancient Egyptians).
Kings and queens were called pharaohs.
Ancient Egyptians had lots of gods, and believed in life after death.
They preserved bodies of pharaohs as mummies, to stop from rotting away. The mummies were buried them in tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and some in huge pyramids.
What were the pyramids?
The pyramids are giant tombs.
Each side is a triangle, and they meet in a point at the top.
The biggest is the Great Pyramid of Giza.
It is built from 2.3 million big blocks of stone.
Near the group of pyramids at Giza is the sculpture of the Great Sphinx.
A Sphinx is a mythical animal which is half lion, half human.
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to the questions. You could even write it down on a piece of paper or discuss it with somebody else if you want to.
Why did Ancient Egyptian civilisation begin near the River Nile?
Why did pharaohs build huge pyramids?
Did you think about the River Nile as a reliable source of water in a hot, dry desert? They could use the water to drink and cook. The annual flooding of the River Nile made the soil fertile, which allowed them to grow crops and produce food. They could also fish for food and use boats to carry goods and travel along the river.
Perhaps you thought about what was kept inside the pyramids? Pharaohs built huge pyramids as tombs to bury themselves with their treasure, like gold, for the afterlife. Building pyramids gave lots of people jobs, because many workers were needed to move huge stones. The Great Pyramid of Giza took about 100,000 workers and 20 years to build! The pyramids also became a symbol of Ancient Egypt and are still famous today.
Activities
Activity 1: Quiz – Introduction to Ancient Egypt
Activity 2: Make your own pyramid treasure tomb
Make your own pyramid treasure tomb
Make your own pyramid treasure tomb. document
Download our pyramid treasure tomb template. Follow our step-by-step guide to make your own pyramid. What secrets will you bury inside?
Activity 3: History Explorer game
Play this game to test your knowledge and learn even more facts about Ancient Egypt.
History Explorer: Secrets through time
History Explorer: Secrets through time: KS2 History
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
KS2 History: Ancient Egypt
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
KS2 History: Ancient Egypt - Society and culture
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
KS2 History: Ancient Egypt - The River Nile
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
More on Ancient Egypt
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