Ancient Egypt

Nile River

Natural Defense Barriers

Nile Delta: marshland with no natural ports for ships to dock and attack

Cataracts: rapids from boulders/rocks that prevent attackers from sailing up River into Egypt.

Sahara Desert in the West, Eastern Desert in the East

Geography

Longest River in World Flows from south to north and into the

Mediterranean Sea. Dependable, predictable flooding (July –

October) Gentle, generally not destructive flooding Built basins, canals, and dams, to irrigate crops Papyrus grew along Nile banks – used for

baskets, sandals, rafts, and paper

Nile River

Irrigation needed to be built and maintained,

crops stored and distributed, and disputed needed to be settled.

Governments emerged to handle these things. Earliest Rulers were village chiefs. Chiefs united into small kingdoms. Eventually Lower Egypt (Nile Delta) and Upper

Egypt (up-river) are formed.

Rise of Egyptian Government

In 3100 B.C. Narmer united the two kingdoms

Narmer ruled from Memphis Wore two crowns, one for each early kingdom Rulers passed down power from father to son:

known as a dynasty.

Rise of Egyptian Government 2

Upper

King or ruler, priests, army commanders, nobles Lived in palaces, Had pools, gardens, servants Wore linen clothes and wore makeup

Egyptian Social Classes

Middle

Traders, artisans, shopkeepers Smaller homes, dressed simply

Lower Farmers and unskilled laborers

Lived in villages along Nile, mud homes w/dirt floors, family activities on flat roofs

Egyptian Social Classes 2

Father was head of family Women can own property, buy and sell goods, & get

a divorce Upper class women: in charge of temples & perform

religious ceremony Few kids went to school Had time to play games: board games, spinning

tops, dolls Mother taught daughter to sew, cook, run household Boys learned farming or a trade

Family Life

Egypt prospered

Built cities Expanded trade Set up a strong government

Egyptian kings are called Pharaohs Pharaoh = “great house” Lived in palaces Guided Egypt’s every activity His word was law

Old Kingdom 2600 B.C. – 2300 B.C.

Pharaohs had officials to oversee:

canals, planting crops, grain storage, collecting taxes Egyptians believed strong leader = strong Egypt Egyptians thought Pharaoh was the son of their sun

god, Re. Citizens played music when he appeared in public Bystanders bow down & touch their heads to the earth 1st to cut grain to bring a good harvest, bull ceremony

for rich soil.

Old Kingdom 2

Polytheistic: worshipped many gods.

Poly – many, theo – god Ra: sun god for harvests etc. Hapi: god of Nile River Isis: goddess of mothers and wives married to

Osiris Osiris: god of the dead, afterlife

Egyptian Religion

Egyptian afterlife The next life even better than this one – the

dead find peace and plenty Book of the Dead – collection prayers and spells

to obtain life after death. Osiris meets then at the entrance to the

afterlife. Those that were “good” and knew the prayers/spells were allowed in.

Pharaohs’ spirits would need their bodies and belongings for the journey – mummification.

Egypt Religion 2Life After Death

Egyptian Mummies

I want my mummy!

You can’t take it with

you….or can you?

Embalming: Priests removed the body’s

organs and placed them in jars for preservation.

The body is then rubbed with salt and allowed to dry.

Next, the body if filled with spices and perfumes, stitched up, and wrapped in clean linen and oil.

Mummification

2540 B.C. Egyptians built the tallest pyramid

– The Great Pyramid in Giza. 500 ft. above the desert 9 football fields in area 2 million stone blocks Tallest structure in the world for over 4000

years Tall as a 48 story building

Old Kingdom 3

Egypt became decentralized, nobles fought for

power Finally, a new dynasty of pharaohs took power. Moved capital from Memphis to Thebes New territories paid tribute ( $ ) to the

Pharaoh.

The Middle Kingdom2050 B.C. – 1670 B.C.

Built canal from Nile to Red Sea Arts, literature, and architecture thrived. Pharaohs cut their tombs into the cliffs west of

the Nile. “Valley of the Kings.”

Middle Kingdom 2

Valley of the Kings

Egyptian prince Ahmose lead a rebellion that drove

the Hyskos out of Egypt. Egypt became even richer and more powerful during

the NK. Most Pharaohs during the NK made increasing land

and power a priority. Queen Hatshepsut

1st ruled with her husband until his death. Then ruled on behalf of her young nephew. Eventually made herself a Pharaoh. Dressed like a man so as not to appear weak in public.

The New Kingdom

Hatshepsut greatly increased Egypt’s trade

Traders sailed along the east coast of Africa. Exchanged beads, metal, and tools for gold, ivory,

ebony, and incense. Built monument to herself in the Valley of the Kings

Amenhotep IV: came to power with wife, Nefertiti Change Egypt’s religion to worship only one god,

Aton Amenhotep changed name to Akhenaton which

means ”spirit of Aton.”

New Kingdom 2

1) most Egyptians believed his attack on the gods was an attack on Egypt. 2) he concentrated on his new religion so much that he neglected his job as a pharaoh. 3) Egypt began to lose land.

5. Tutankhame

n a. The Boy King 1.) was 10 years old when he took the throne when Akhenaton died. 2.) he relied on help from priest & palace officials.

b. Accomplishments 1) restored old religion 2.) one of the youngest to rule Egypt

c. Popularity today 1.) King Tut ruled only nine years and then died from an injury, or was murdered. This is a fascinating mystery for people.

2.) British archaeologist Howard Carter, found King Tut's tomb in 1922. The tomb contained incredible treasures.

Ramses II: Regained lands in Asia that

Akhenaton lost. Launched huge building program and built

several major temples. Many temples built by enslaved people captured

during war Last truly great pharaoh of Egypt Under Ramses, Egypt was so prosperous that 9

other pharaohs took his name Had more than 100 children.

Ramses II

After Ramses II, pharaohs had trouble keeping

neighboring countries under control. Egypt was attacked by groups from the eastern

Mediterranean who had strong iron weapons. Egypt had iron weapons too, but they were very costly

because Egypt had no iron ore. Finally the Kush took over and ruled Egypt for 70

years beginning in 760 B.C. Eventually Egypt was conquered by the Assyrians *****Egyptians wrote the world’s 1st medical

books on scrolls of papyrus.

Egypt’s Decline