Explore the past and discover intriguing historical facts with our curated collection of articles, and Explore the world of Ancient Egypt with our collection of Pharaohs, dating back to 3100 BC. Uncover their fascinating histories and learn about their incredible legacies that still influence us today.

•  TERM TO KNOW The ruler of ancient Egypt was called a PHARAOH. A pharaoh was believed to be a living god. The role of the pharaoh was passed down through generations of the same family.

• Ramses II was one of the longest-ruling pharaohs. He ruled for 66 years, from about 1279 BCE to 1213 BCE, and came to be known as “Ramses the Great.”

• The Egyptians built large pyramids as burial places and monuments for their pharaohs who had died.

• “Tutankhamun was only nine years old when he became the pharaoh of Egypt around 1333 BCE.

• Hatshepsut was Egypt’s first woman pharaoh. She ruled from about 1473 BCE to 1458 BCE. Hatshepsut increased trade and started huge building projects throughout ancient Egypt. Tall columns called OBELISKS were built in her honor.”

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• How are mummies made?

• “Ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. To preserve bodies for the afterlife, they created mummies of their dead using a process called embalming. All of the organs except the heart were removed. The body was then filled with salt and herbs.

• STAT FACT It took 70 days to create a mummy.

• When making a mummy, embalmers used a hook to pull the brain out through the nose. The brain was placed in a special jar with other organs and put in the mummy’s tomb. Egyptians believed this would protect the organs so the person could use them in the afterlife.”

• “When a mummy was ready for burial, it was placed in a coffin inside a tomb. The tomb often contained objects from everyday life, including furniture, clothing, and jewelry.

• Some Egyptians had their pets mummified. These animal mummies were placed in the tomb with their owners so they could remain together in the afterlife.

• Egyptians mummified hundreds of crocodiles to honor Sobek, the god of crocodiles.”

• “Egyptian Gods and Goddesses”

•  TERM TO KNOW The ancient Egyptians worshipped thousands of gods and goddesses. Belief in many gods is called POLYTHEISM.

• Egyptians believed Anubis, the god of death, weighed each person’s heart when they died. Bad behavior created a heavy heart, and good behavior created a light heart. If the heart was light, the reward was a happy afterlife. If the heart was heavy, Anubis fed the person to a monster.

• FAST FACT The ancient Egyptians believed Geb, the god of the earth, caused earthquakes with his laughter.”

• “ Thousands of Egyptians participated in a yearly festival that honored Bastet, the goddess of cats. Festival activities included singing, dancing, and feasting.

•  One of the most important Egyptian gods was Ra, who was believed to control the sun. Ra was also thought to be the creator of the world. He was the king of all gods and goddesses.“