DISCUSSION QUESTION

Think of a belief that you have that you are convinced to be true. A belief that is important to yourself as a person and defines your culture and your family’s tradition…….

What reaction would you have if a person of great power and influence told you that your belief was no longer valid? How would your life change? Would you be willing to give the new belief a chance?

IMPORTANT WORDS TO DEFINE

INTELLECTUAL

PHILOSOPHICAL

REVOLUTIONARY

HERETIC

A person who engages in critical thinking, research and reflection about society and possessing highly developed intelligence.

A person devoted to the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence.

A person who works or engages in political revolution.

A person holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted.

AkhenatonREIGN: 1351 – 1334 B.C.E

Political, Intellectual, Revolutionaryor

Heretic to Egypt

The bottom 4 statues are all of different Egyptian pharaohs throughout history. Do you notice any similarities?

These 4 statues are of Akhenaton. What do you notice is different?

Akhenaton became pharaoh in 1351 B.C.E. When he did, he made a bold decision. He lifted a sun god named Aten to the highest status a god could have. Akhenaten’s name means, “living spirit of Aten.” He then closed the temples of other gods. By doing this, he attempted to promote the worship of one god for the first time in Egyptian history. He is known by many historians as the world’s first monotheistic (belief in 1 god) ruler.

Discussion Question: What effect do you think this would have had on the Egyptian population? Do you think they would have approved, or disapproved?

WHAT OBSERVATIONS CAN YOU MAKE ABOUT THE PICTURE?

https://safeshare.tv/x/ss5be19e855a6f7#

http://safeshare.tv/v/ss563a843f7b012

Akhenaton’s religious hymn to

the god Aten.

The Armanan

Boundary Stele

Akhenaten died during his 17th year as pharaoh. Genetic tests on his mummified body conclude that Akhenaten probably suffered from Marfan Syndrome, which is a disorder that effects the body’s connective tissue, leading to problems with growth and development. It would Akhenaten’s son, Tutenaten, who would become Egypt’s next pharaoh, and it wouldn’t be long before Egypt went back to it’s old ways of worshiping many gods and dismissing Akhenaten’s changes.

Not long after becoming the new pharaoh, Akhenaten’s son changed his name. History would remember him by that changed name of Tutankhamen, otherwise known as King Tut.

AkhenatonREIGN: 1351 – 1334 B.C.E

Political, Intellectual, Revolutionary?or

Heretic to Egypt

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Based on the evidence presented, which side of the argument are you on? Explain why.