The New Kingdom period was from about 1570 to 1070 BCE. This is when the kings were first called pharaohs. The word pharaoh means great house. During the last kingdom, the term had referred to the palace, but it came to mean the ruler.

One pharaoh was Thutmose (thoot MOH suh). When he died, his son, Thutmose the Second took over and the new king's half-sister became queen. He only served seven years before dying. The next king should have been the oldest male in line for the throne. This time that would would be Hatshepsut's nephew, Thutmose the Third, but there was a problem. He was only ten years old. It was decided to let Hatshepsut rule until her nephew was old enough to take over.

It turns out that Hatshepsut was ambitious though. Once she got the throne, she refused to give it up, and made herself the new pharaoh. She ruled the remaining twenty years of her life, and proved herself to be powerful and talented. Pyramids were no longer being built. Rulers were now buried in secret tombs in what we call the Valley of the Kings. Hatshepsut still managed to make sure she would be remembered though, by having a grand temple built in her honor.

Hatshepsut was not an empire builder. She was more interested in improving her country. She restored old temples, mined for ore, and sent trading exhibitions to find supplies. Her rule was peaceful and prosperous.

Once she died, her nephew took back the throne his aunt had stolen from him, and proved that skilled leadership ran in the family. He was a militant leader who conquered Syria and Palestine. His kingdom eventually stretched from where Sudan is now to the Euphrates River. Each nation he conquered was forced to send expensive gifts to Egypt each year, to prove their loyalty. He was so feared that nearby countries who were not owned by him sent gifts anyway, just to stay in his good graces.

During the New Kingdom, the Egyptians created a new calendar, one more accurate than the Babylonian calendar. In fact, it almost exactly matched up to the seasons. They had noticed that the brightest star in the sky was Sirius, and that although it was invisible for several months each year, it reappeared just at the same time the floods began. Using Syrius and the moon both, they created their new calendar.

The first known scientific document was written by an Egyptian doctor, and is thought to have been written for army doctors. This told us the illnesses that were common then, and how they were treated.

The artists taught us a great deal about daily life in their time. Remember that the drawings on the tombs were of daily life, and we are able to learn from them. If you can find reproductions of ancient Egyptian art, spend a little time learning from them. Notice how people are dressed and what they are doing. The most important person in the picture is drawn larger than the others, and that will give you some clues as to who the people are. Look at the tools. What does the clothing tell you about climate?

One good activity for this time period is to read Egyptian mythology and find out what it tells you about the beliefs and values of the people. You could also make the hats of the rulers, build pyramids, make models of tombs, or make mummy models. The book, The Egypt Game is excellent, but read it before deciding if it will be right for your child.It can be purchased in my bookstore (another shameless plug.) Try some hieroglyphics. This is a unit with a lot of potential for having fun.