Grade 1 - Early world Civilizations

182 Early World Civilizations: Supplemental Guide 10A | The Story of Hatshepsut

So the Egyptians needed a new pharaoh. You might think they

would pick Hatshepsut, because she already knew how to do the

job. But tradition said the pharaoh had to be male, not female,

and we know how the Egyptians felt about changing rules.^5 So

Hatshepsut’s cousin became Pharaoh Thutmose the Second.

 Show image 10A-4: Pharaoh and Hatshepsut sitting on thrones

Then Thutmose the Second also died and the royal court chose

Hatshepsut’s young nephew to become Pharaoh Thutmose the

Third. But Hatshepsut had had enough of doing all the work while

someone else got to be pharaoh. She announced, “I have decided

to become co-ruler of Egypt with my nephew, Thutmose the Third.

We will be pharaohs together.”

One of the wise, old counselors hobbled forward and said,

“Excuse me, Princess, but I’m sure you remember that the

pharaoh has to be... a man!”^6

For what she did next, some people have called her “the fi rst

great woman in human history.”^7 Hatsheput simply replied, “That

is no problem. I offi cially declare myself a man!”^8

 Show image 10A-5: Hatshepsut dressed as a man with beard

So Hatshepsut and Thutmose the Third were both called

“pharaoh,” but she ran the country. She directed builders and

artists to put up pictures and statues of her dressed as a man, and

even wearing a beard. It was so hot in Egypt in those days before

air conditioning that, in order to stay cooler, Egyptians shaved their

heads, and the men wore no beards or mustaches. But pharaohs

wore skinny, fake beards in order to look wise. Only now it was a

woman wearing the beard!

 Show image 10A-6: Hatshepsut’s temple

Hatshepsut was an excellent pharaoh. She constructed one of

the greatest temples to the Egyptian gods, and she built up trade

between Egypt and some of her distant neighbors. Every time she

did something good, her builders would carve advertisements into

5 A tradition is doing something the
same way again and again over
time.

6 Counselors are people who give
advice.

7 What do you think she did?

8 Declare means to announce or tell
everyone.