the ancient eqyptians world history - libertyville hs
TRANSCRIPT
The Ancient Eqyptians
World History - Libertyville HS
Geography• River valley in the middle
of a desert– Desert prevented invaders
from attacking Egypt
• Nile River over 4,100 miles long– Flowed from S to N,
emptying into the Med.
• Traveling the Nile (upriver / downriver)
• “Upper” vs. “Lower” Egypt• Nile Delta: rich farmland
Social Hierarchy• Social Hierarchy– Very stratified society
• Pharaoh and family• Nobility, priests, generals• Merchants, soldiers, scribes• Farmers, laborers• (late in Egyptian history)
Slaves
– Mobility up or down possible
– Women in Egypt• Same rights as men• Could own, trade property• Propose marriage, seek
divorce
Pharaoh & family
Nobility & priests
Merchants, soldiers, scribes
Farmers, laborers
Egyptian Technology• Hieroglyphics– Pictographic writing– Later, picture came to stand of
for a sound (phonetic)– First written on stone and clay– L:ater written on papyrus, an
early form of paper
• Calendar – helped anticipate Nile River flooding, planting seasons
Egyptian Technology• Mathematics– Excellent at geometry– Skillful engineers, architects
• Medicine– Doctors could check pulse– Set bones with splints– Actually performed
successful surgeries
Egyptian Religion
• After 3100 BC, pharaoh worshipped as a god
• Other gods: 2000 +– Ra = sun god– Horus = sky god– Osiris = afterlife god– Isis = mother & wife
goddess
The Afterlife• Egyptian belief in afterlife– Eternal life available to all– Practice of mummification for
elite, royal dead• Embalm, dry corpse• Remove all organs• Wrap in wax cloth bandages• Put in coffin in tomb
surrounded by all things dead person would need in afterlife
– Buried pharaohs in pyramids or tombs
History of Egypt• Early history– 6-7000 years ago: first
people moved into area– River allowed easy
communication
• Great unifier = King Narmer (ca. 3100 BC)– Legendary king who unified
upper, lower Egypt– Established Egyptian state– Earliest hieroglyphics from
this time– Crowns of Lower, Upper
Egypt
Lower Egypt crownUpper Egypt crown
Double Crown of Egypt
History of Egypt• Early Dynastic Period (1st to
3rd Dynasties) (2950-2575 BC)– Highly organized society
• Irrigation projects• Thus, politically unified state
– First step pyramid built
• Old Kingdom Period (4th to 8th Dynasties) (2660-2180 BC)– Primary pyramid building time
(Great Pyramid)– Hieroglyphics developed– Many characteristics of later
Egyptian society established
History of Egypt• First Intermediate Period (9th
to 11th Dynasties) (2175-1975 BC)– State split in two– Rival Egyptians fought for power
• Middle Kingdom (11th to 14th Dynasties) (1975 to 1640 BC)– United under strong pharaohs– Conquered Nubia (gold mines)– Classical period of art, literature
History of Egypt• Second Intermediate
Period (15th to 17th Dynasties) (1630-1520 BC)– Hyksos (Indo-European tribe
from Palestine) invaded Lower Egypt• Composite bows• Metal (bronze) armor• Chariot
– Hyksos were absorbed into dominant Egyptian culture
– Egyptian dynasties continued in South
History of Egypt• New Kingdom (18th to 20th
Dynasties) (1539-1075 BC)– Egyptians overthrew Hyksos
in long war– Egypt became an empire
(Nubia, Palestine)– Pharaohs were warriors, not
priests– Anti-foreigner movement
(Jews thrown out of Egypt)
History of Egypt• Third Intermediate Period
(21st to 25th Dynasties) (1075 -715 BC)– “Sea People” invaded
through Palestine– Nubians conquered Egypt
• Late Period (26th to 30th Dynasties (715-332 BC)– Egypt conquered by
Assyrians, then Persians– Became independent in 404
BC
History of Egypt• Greco-Roman Period (from
332 BC)– Conquered by Macedonians
(Alexander the Great), 332 BC
– Ptolemy, one of Alexander’s generals, est. himself as king in 320 BC
– Romans conquered Egypt in 30 BC after defeating Mark Anthony & Cleopatra
– Rosetta stone carved, 196 BC