The word important means something different to every person. The dictionary states that the word important means “of much or great significance or consequence.” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/important). To me, the people I love, school, and sports are important. To the Egyptians, death was the single most important aspect of life. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/egypt_importance_01.shtml). The term important is not just what matters to someone, it can be a time in history that contributed to something significant. For example, there were battles that led to new nations, ideas that led to inventions and discoveries that led to advances in medicine. “Important” can mean a lot of different things, and everyone knows who or what that one is.
To determine the importance of an item, event of person, think of your life without that one object or person. My life without my family or friends would not be the same. I would not be able to talk about my problems or listen to theirs. My family supports me in whatever I do, and without that help, I would not be the person I am today. My friends make me laugh for hours, and give great advice. There are also material things that do not mean as much to me as the people I love, but are still important to me. I love to play sports and be active. I am very passionate about working towards a goal. Whether it’s getting the ball back after losing it, or getting a good grade on a test, I always try my hardest. I would be lost without soccer, lacrosse, or school work. I live for these important things, and without them I don’t know what I would do.
Egyptians believed that death was “a transitional stage in the progress to a better life in the next world.” It was so important to them, that moving toward death was a part of their everyday lives. There were specific ceremonies that were held to guide the three parts of a person’s soul into the afterlife. (http://www2.sptimes.com/Egypt/EgyptCredit.4.3.html). One of the most well known is the mummification process. The bodies were wrapped and cleansed, because in order for the person to reach the afterlife, the body had to be in perfect condition. Ordinary Egyptians were not mummified. The “normal” people were buried in the dry desert which ended up preserving the body in a natural way. During the transformation into the afterlife, the person’s soul, the ka, is reunited with the body. The mummification process includes removing all of the internal organs except the heart. Egyptians believed that the heart was an important object to have in the afterlife. Other objects that were said to be important were amulets and other jewelry. The only organ that was thrown away was the brain. (http://www.yourdiscovery.com/egypt/dead/afterlife/index.shtml). This is because at the time, the brain was not known to control people’s thoughts and actions, therefore no importance was placed on it. (http://djeserkara-mummification.blogspot.com/). Every other organ was placed in special jars called canopic jars. After the organs were removed, it was important to dry out the body for 40 days. Once the body was completely dried out, the wrapping process would begin. The person was then soaked in oils and was then wrapped by priests laying the valuable amulets in the layers. The total mummification process lasted about 70 days. The process was so precise that the bodies stayed preserved for thousands of years. (http://www.yourdiscovery.com/egypt/dead/mummification/index.shtml). Once the mummification process was complete, the body was placed in a tomb. The tombs in Egypt were usually massive pyramids. Which took many years and many workers to build, but were so well constructed that some are still standing today. (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/pyramids.html). Death was so important to the Egyptians, because the afterlife was believed to be the place where a person could reach their ultimate potential.
In history, there were many important events that led to our world as we know it. The Revolutionary War created our nation, and separated us from England. Many important factors led the thirteen colonies to escape the control of Britain. The colonies were big in size, and there wasn’t enough power in Europe to continue to control them. Also, it was hard for the British to bring weapons and supplies across the ocean. If the soldiers needed something, it would take a while for the shipment to come. Not only was England trying to maintain control of their colonies, Parliament also had to control its own territory. Some of the English people pro-war, and others were against it which caused serious confusion among the British people. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris ended the war and created a new nation; The United States of America. (http://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/). Another important historical event was the invention of the plow. Created before 1000 A.D., the plow led to many more advancements in agriculture. Originally, the design of the plow was as simple as two sticks put together, but in reality it was so much more than that. One stick would drag in the ground loosening up the soil while the other one was attached to the oxen pulling the plow. The plow is still used today to help famers plant and harvest crops. (http://www.historylink101.com/lessons/farm-city/plow.htm). In the 1950’s, Polio had claimed many lives, and crippled even more. At one point, so many people were infected, that they had to wait outside a hospital to get examined. The symptoms would gradually get worse potentially causing death. It was hard for researchers to find enough of the polio virus to create a vaccine from it. In 1948, a man named John Enders figures out a way to grow the virus in a lab. Other scientists used his discovery to create a vaccine from the human-grown virus. This important discovery saved many future generations from getting a horrible disease. (http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/10.08/JohnEndersBreak.html). Discoveries, inventions and factors of war are very important things we take for granted every day.
What I think is important is different than what my friends think is important. What we think is important is much different then what the Egyptians thought was important. Egyptians were focused on death, while we focus on what makes us happy. Designating something as important is not only what makes us happy, but what also what caused advancement in society. Events in history were extremely crucial to this advancement.
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