Hatshepsut: The Female Pharaoh
Hatshepsut: The Female Pharaoh
Imagine a time when only men ruled Egypt. But then, a woman named Hatshepsut became pharaoh! That's like being king, but in ancient Egypt.
A Princess and Queen
Hatshepsut was born a princess. Her father was a pharaoh named Thutmose I. She grew up learning important things like how to read, write, and rule. Later, she married her half-brother, Thutmose II, and became queen. But when he died, their young son, Thutmose III, was too young to rule. So, Hatshepsut stepped in as regent, ruling for him.
From Regent to Pharaoh
But Hatshepsut didn't just want to be a regent. She wanted to be pharaoh! After a few years, she declared herself pharaoh. She even started dressing like a man, wearing a fake beard and men's clothing. She wanted everyone to see her as a powerful ruler.
A Time of Peace and Building
Hatshepsut's time as pharaoh was mostly peaceful. She focused on making Egypt richer through trade and building amazing temples and monuments. One of her most famous projects was the Temple of Deir el-Bahri. It was a beautiful temple built into the side of a cliff.
After Her Reign
- Pharaoh:
- A ruler of ancient Egypt.
- Regent:
- Someone who rules when the king is too young.
- Trade:
- The activity of buying, selling, or exchanging goods.
- ancient:
- Belonging to a time long ago in the distant past.
- declared:
- Stated or announced something in a clear, firm, and official way.
- monuments:
- Statues, buildings, or other structures built to honor and remember an important person or event.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Who was Hatshepsut?
- 2Who was Hatshepsut's father?
Where this passage belongs
You Might Also Like
About this biography passage for Upper Elementary
“Hatshepsut: The Female Pharaoh” is a biography reading passage about Ancient Egypt, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (247 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.