Rameses the Great



Oakland Unified School District

6th Grade – Ancient World Assessment Pilot

Fall Semester, 2007-2008

Topic: Ramses the Great?

| | |

| |[pic] |

INTRODUCTION

Ramses II is often referred to as “Ramses the Great.” During the next few days, you are going to read documents and study images from Ramses II’s reign in Egypt and determine whether he really deserves that title based on the evidence you find.

As you study each of the different sources you can note whether you believe it shows Ramses as being

▪ a “really great” leader (α+)

▪ an “almost great” leader (α)

or

▪ a not “so great” leader (α -).

1. In order to get you thinking about the topic, brainstorm a few accomplishments and characteristics that you believe would make for a great leader.

|Accomplishment or Characteristic |Why is this important for a great leader? |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

2. What accomplishment of characteristic is most important to you? ___________ Why?

| |

| |

3. Historians have used a number of categories to determine Ramses’ II greatness. Two of these categories are military leadership and architectural contributions.

Review your list. Are either of these categories on you list? Yes No

Think about the categories the historians chose. What is important about them?

| |

| |

4. Thinking about what you already know about Egypt - write notes about why you think they might use one of these areas to assess his contributions to Egypt.

| |

| |

You will now begin examining sources – pictures, statements, and ideas about Ramses. Remember, as you read, note whether you believe the source shows evidence that Ramses was

▪ a “really great” leader (α+)

▪ an “almost great” (α) leader

or

▪ a “not so great” leader (α-).

PART I - Architectural Achievements

Read about some sites Ramses constructed, study the pictures, and begin making some determinations about Ramses II.

SOURCE 1 – ABU SIMBEL

Part I Architectural Achievements, continued

The following passage describes how the Pyramids at Giza might have been built – not the structures that Ramses built. But, they do tell us something about how many people, how much time and what the cost might have been for Ramses’ structures.

Read the passages, and based on what you have read, rate Ramses according to whether it shows him being a “really great” ruler (α+), an “almost great” (α) ruler, or a not “so great” leader (α-).

|SOURCE 3 - Construction in Ancient Egypt |Rate and Explain |

|An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 workers built the Pyramids at Giza over 80 | |

|years… | |

|The stones would likely… be polished by hand and pushed up ramps to their… | |

|positions. | |

|Architects achieved an accurate pyramid shape by running ropes from the outer | |

|corners up to the planned summit. | |

| | |

|Priests-astronomers helped choose the pyramids' sites and orientations. | |

|From stone pusher to priest, every worker would likely have recognized his or | |

|her role in continuing the life-and-death cycle of the pharaohs, and thereby | |

|in perpetuating the glory of Egypt. | |

| | |

| | |

Complete Part I

PART II - Military Leadership, continued: The Battle of Kadesh

1. Read the sources in each column and then answer the questions below the sources.

|The following inscription is taken from Ramses’ monuments. Source 4a|Source 5 is an eyewitness account of the |Source 6 Hittite version of the battle. |

|is a description from someone else describing the battle. Source 4b|Hittite attack. | |

|is Ramses’ description of the battle. | | |

|SOURCE 4a |SOURCE 5 |SOURCE 6 |

| | | |

|"He grabbed his weapons, and set off at a gallop, completely alone. |"The Hittite [leader], with his army, |Because my brother Muwatalli [fought] |

|His majesty was an unstoppable fighting force. Everything near him |[moved to] the river south of Kadesh, |against the king of Egypt… when he |

|was ablaze with fire. All the foreign lands were blasted by his |smashing into [Ramses’] army when it |defeated the kings of Egypt and Amurru, |

|scorching breath… His majesty struck them down and killed them where|least expected an attack." |he went back to Apa [a region in Syria]. |

|they stood." | | |

|(Source: Tyldesley, J.A., "Egypt's Golden Empire", London, 2001) |(Source: Tyldesley, J.A., "Egypt's Golden|-Beal, The Organization of the Hittite |

| |Empire", London, 2001) |Military (1992) 307 (with modifications) |

|SOURCE 4b | | |

| | | |

|“There was no officer with me, no charioteer, no soldier… Everything| | |

|which I attempted I succeeded… I found the enemy chariots scattering| | |

|before my horses. Not one of them could fight me. Their hearts | | |

|quaked with fear when they saw me, and their arms went limp so they | | |

|could not shoot…. I made them plunge into the water like crocodiles.| | |

|I slaughtered them at will….Behold, I am victorious, me alone!” | | |

| | | |

|(about 1270-1212 BCE, The Ancient Egyptian World – Oxford textbook)| | |

|According to these sources, who won the battle? |According to this source, was Ramses |According to this source, who won the |

| |prepared for battle? |battle? |

| | | |

| |Y N | |

|Underline the words that support your answer. |Underline the words that support your |Underline the words that support your |

| |position. |answer. |

2. Fill in the three blanks in the following sentences.

According to Source 4a and Source 4b, _______________________ won the battle, but Source 6 indicates that __________________________ won the battle. Source 5 shows that Ramses ___________________________________.

3. The following images/documents describe Ramses’ battle with the Hittites over Kadesh, a land north of Egypt. This was one of the only battles Ramses was involved in.

SOURCE 7 – Temple Scenes

[pic] [pic] [pic][pic]

Hittite

Question - Study these images Ramses had etched in his temple. What kind of leader do you think Ramses was based on these images alone?

4. Ramses had to create an army in order to go to battle. A historian suggests how he might have done that in Source 8.

SOURCE 8: I can't imagine what it must have been like to be a soldier in pharaoh's army. First, in all likelihood, you don't want to be there. You've been [forced to fight]. Second, you're rather poorly fed, you're rather poorly clothed, you have a spear, or if you're lucky, a bow and arrow, and that's it. You are expected to give your all.

-Professor Kent Weeks, American University Cairo, Tyldesley, J.A., "Egypt's Golden Empire", London, 2001

Question - What would have been the worst part about serving in the army to you? Why?

5. Complete part II

PART III – Historians’ Thoughts/Opinions

1. Read the following quotes from historians about Ramses. This time, rate Ramses according to what the historian might say.

Source A

"a brash young man...not overburdened with intelligence and… lacking in taste... [who had] tremendous energy and personal [charm]."

- William C. Hayes, Curator, department of Egyptology, Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, New York

Based on the quote, this historian would give Ramses a: α+ α α-

Why?

Source B

“Egypt enjoyed [stability in its] government that was the envy of the ancient world. Whether by luck, or good kingship, Egypt flourished under Ramesses II and [the] people were grateful.

- Jimmy Dunn, “Ramesses II: Anatomy of a Pharaoh, An Introduction”

Based on the quote, this historian would give Ramses a: α+ α α-

Why?

Source C

“Ramses'… glories surpassed all other pharaohs… He is known in history as the builder of so many magnificent temples all over Egypt, and not only as a great warrior but also as a peacemaker. He was the first king in history to sign a peace treaty with his enemies - the Hittites… The treaty can still be considered a… model, even [by] today’s standards.”

- Dr. Sameh M. Arab,

Based on the quote, this historian would give Ramses a: α+ α α-

Why?

2. Complete Part III

Name __________________________ School

Teacher

PART IV: Writing

I. Getting ready to write:

At the end of each of the three sections, you rated Ramses II as either

a “really great” (α +), “almost great” (α) or “not so great” (α-) leader.

Use the chart below to summarize your conclusions in the areas of

1. The construction of temples and monuments during his reign (from page 4)

2. Military leadership (from page 6)

3. Historians’ Ideas/Opinions (from page 7)

|Leadership category |Rating |Why? |

|Construction | | |

|of Temples and Monuments | | |

|Military Leadership | | |

|Historians’ Thoughts/Opinions | | |

II. Putting it all together, what kind of leader would you say Ramses was? ___________

Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name __________________________ School

Teacher

III. Your final task will be write an essay that explains your thinking on the question of whether Ramses II was a “really great,” “almost great,” or “not so great” pharaoh of Egypt. The question…

“Was Ramses II a ‘really great,’ ‘almost great,’ or ‘not so great’ ruler of Egypt?”

Your “thesis statement” or “controlling idea” will be a sentence stating whether you believe was Ramses II a ‘really great,’ an ‘almost great,’ or ‘not so great’ pharaoh of Egypt.

1. Write your statement in the space below.

____________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2. What evidence will you use to support or backup your statement?

(Jot down 2-4 pieces of evidence from the packet)

3. Below is a possible introduction to the essay that you may use to start writing – just fill in the blanks to begin. Then continue writing your essay on the following pages. (You may recopy the introduction if you’d like, but you don’t have to.)

You may write, if you want to say this in a different way, your own introduction.

Between 1279 - 1212 BCE, Ramses II was the Pharaoh who ruled Egypt. His rule was the longest of any pharaoh in Egyptian history. He was also known as “Ramses the Great.” Evidence from his construction projects and military leadership, and also from what historians have said, demonstrates that he was a _________________ pharaoh of Egypt.

Name __________________________ School

Teacher

-----------------------

SOURCE 2 - The Ramesseum

!#}~?ƒ„…†‰Š—º»ÌÍõ ö

- $&(LXZ\^bdfln?ñáñÒÄÀÄÀ¸À±§ž˜ž˜ž˜‹?‹si‹i‹?\‹s‹i?‹i‹hðI-h½J[?]B*[pic]CJphhðI-hyØB*[pic]CJphhDCJhðI-hyØCJhðI-hyØ>*[pic]CJ

h¢9õ>*[pic]CJjh¢9õU[pic]h¢9õjh¢9õU[pic]mHnHu[pic]hèch¢9õ Building began early in Ramses’ reign and took twenty years to complete… Ramses built the temple too close to the Nile River and the floodwaters ruined most of it. Only a single colonnade [A building that has columns placed at regular intervals] remains of the First Courtyard.

Ramses

Arial view of The Ramesseum, the memorial temple

for Ramses.



Front of the Temple at Abu Simbel

Notice the size of the people in comparison to the statues.



Nefetari’s Temple at Abu Simbel.

The statues are of Ramses and Nefetari



OVERALL GRADE ON MILITARY LEADERSHIP:

Considering all the information you have studied regarding the Battle of Kadesh, how would you rate Ramses? α+ α α-

Why?





OVERALL GRADE BASED ON HISTORIANS:

The historians have said different things about Ramses. What do you think? Based on their statements, how would you rate Ramses?

α+ α α-

Why?

OVERALL GRADE ON BUILDINGS:

Thinking of all of the temples and monuments Ramses’ built during his reign, how would you rate him? α+ α α-

Why?

\\

Ramses

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download