Akhenaten

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/akhenaten

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Akhenaten born?Circa 1370 BCE
2. Where was Akhenaten born?Thebes, Egypt
3. What is the reign?Approximately 1353–1336 BCE
4. Who was Akhenaten and what did he do?Akhenaten was an Egyptian pharaoh who made the sun disk, called Aten, the main god and built a brand‑new city for his new religion.
5. Why did Akhenaten build a new city called Akhetaten?He built Akhetaten to move away from the old temples and let the sun shine directly on his new temples and buildings.

Atenism: The religious system established by Akhenaten, focusing on the worship of the sun disk Aten.
Henotheism: The worship of one god without denying the existence of other gods.
Amarna Period: A distinct phase in Egyptian art and culture during Akhenaten's reign, characterized by realism and naturalism.
Priesthood of Amun: A powerful religious institution whose influence Akhenaten sought to diminish by promoting Aten worship.