Pharaohs ruled Ancient Egypt. When a pharaoh died, his or her child became the new pharaoh. Power stayed in the family.
Pharaohs were thought to be divine. They were a link to the gods. Some thought they were half man, half god.
Pharaohs wore a headdress. They carried a sceptre. They symbolized power. They showed that they ruled. Kings and queens do this today.
Hatshepsut was a famous pharaoh. She was a powerful queen. She ruled Egypt for a long time. She ruled Egypt longer than any other woman. Before her, there was just one queen of Egypt. All the other pharaohs were kings.
She was the daughter of a pharaoh. He did not have any sons. Her own son was too young to rule. When he died, there was no one to be pharaoh. No one but her.
She ruled Egypt for more than twenty years. She made Egypt strong. She made a lot of new art for Egypt. She found many new partners for Egypt.
Lots of structures were built for pharaohs. Temples were built to worship them. Pyramids were built for pharaohs. They were a place for them to rest after death. They were buried with their riches. They believed they would need it in the afterlife
Their bodies were prepared for the afterlife. They turned the body into a mummy. They put salt on the body. The salt made the body dry. They wrapped the body with cloth. The cloth made the body clean. They put a mask on the body. The mask made the body beautiful.
Pharaohs were the first kings and queens. Some countries have kings and queens today. It is one of the many things that we have today because of Ancient Egypt.