EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION“The Gift of the Nile”

LESSON ESSENTIAL QUESTION

What were the main features and acheivements of Egypt’s three kingdoms?

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Old Kingdom Middle Kingdom New Kingdom

THE IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHY

The Nile is the longest river in the world flowing northward from the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea

The Nile splits into 2 major branches before reaching the Mediterranean, forming a triangular territory, also known as a delta

The Nile Delta is also called Lower Egypt Egypt’s important cities developed

The land upstream, to the south, is called Upper Egypt

THE IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHY (CONT)

The most important feature of the Nile is its yearly flooding Very predictable Left mud and silt creating an area of rich

soil – “Black Land” Served as a unifying factor in Egypt

Fastest way to travel Made transportation and communication

easier

THE IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHY (CONT)

Egypt was blessed by natural barriers which lessened the threat of invasion Deserts to the east and west Red Sea to the East Rapids on the southern part of the Nile Mediterranean Sea to the North

The regularity of the floods and relative isolation of the Egyptians created a feeling of security and changelessness Confidence in stability and continuity

THINK-PAIR-SHARE

Explain how flooding patterns of rivers in Egypt and Mesopotamia caused the two civilizations to develop differently. Flooding patterns were regular in Egypt,

leading to a feeling of stability. The flooding in Mesopotamia was unpredictable, leading to a belief that the world was at the mercy of harsh and unreliable gods

THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION

Religion helped provide a sense of security polytheistic

2 groups of gods had special importance Sun god- Atum/Re

Sun was worshipped as the source of life Ruler was called Son of Re, the sun god in earthly from

Land Gods- Osiris and Isis Osiris- important role as a symbol of rebirth

Led Egyptians to place dead in tombs to await rebirth Isis- symbolized new life brought by the floods each year

THE COURSE OF EGYPTIAN HISTORY

Historians have divided Egyptian history into three major periods Old Kingdom Middle Kingdom New Kingdom

These periods were characterized by long-term stability marked by strong leadership, freedom from invasion, the building of temples and pyramids, and considerable intellectual and cultural activity

Between these periods were intermediate periods, periods of chaos and invasion

THE COURSE OF EGYPTIAN HISTORY (CONT)

Begins around 3100 BC King Menes

United the villages of Upper and Lower Egypt into a single kingdom and created the first dynasty- a family of rulers whose right to rule is passed on within the family

THE OLD KINGDOM

2700-2200 BC Age of prosperity and splendor Egyptian pharaohs (rulers) possessed absolute

power- complete unlimited power to rule their people However, did have help in ruling

Bureaucracy Administrative organization with officials and regular

procedures Vizier- “steward of the whole land”

Directly responsible to the pharoah In charge of the government bureaucracy

THE OLD KINGDOM (CONT)

Tombs were well prepared for their residents Stocked with all necessities for life

Egyptians believed humans had two bodies, one physical and one spiritual (ka) Believed even though the physical body was

dead, the ka could return and continue its life as long as the physical body was properly preserved and tomb was furnished with objects of regular life

Mummification- slowly drying a dead body to prevent it from rotting

THE PYRAMIDS

Building of pyramids occurred during the Old Kingdom Built as part of a larger complex of

buildings dedicated to the dead Large pyramid- pharaoh’s burial Smaller pyramids- pharaoh’s family Mastabas ( rectangular structures with flat

roofs)- pharaoh’s officials

THE GREAT PYRAMID

Built under King Khufu at Giza around 2540 BC Took more than 20 years to complete Built with incredible precision “Guarded” by the Great Sphinx

240 feet long, 66 feet high Face thought to be of Khafre, Khufu’s son

Largest pyramid ever built Could be seen for miles and served to remind

people of the glory, might, and wealth of the ruler

THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

2050-1652 Egypt began a period of expansion

Conquered Nubia; Sent armies to Palestine and Syria Sent traders to Kush, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Crete

New concern of the pharaohs for the people Pharaohs portrayed as the shepherd of his people

Expected to build public works and provide for the public welfare

Pharaohs undertook many helpful projects Drained swampland in Nile Delta

Provided thousands of acres of new farmland Dug canal linking Nile River to Red Sea

Aided transportation and trade

THE MIDDLE KINGDOM (CONT)

The Middle Kingdom ended around 1652 BC, when it was invaded by the Hyskos Western Asia Used horse-drawn war chariots

Egyptians fought from donkey cart

Egyptians learned a great deal from the Hyskos Learned to use bronze in making farm tools and

weapons Mastered many of the military skills of the Hyskos

Horse-drawn chariots

THE NEW KINGDOM

1567-1085 BC Egypt created an empire and became

the most powerful state in Southwest Asia

Massive wealth boosted the power of the New Kingdom Pharaohs Showed wealth by building new temples Hatshepsut-first woman pharaoh

THE NEW KINGDOM (CONT)

Amenhotep IV introduced the worship of Aton, god of the sun disk as the sole god Changed his name to Akhenaton (“it is well

with Aton) Closed temples of other gods

Tutankhamen (Akhenaton’s son) restored the old gods Become pharaoh at age of 9 and ruled for

10 years before his death

THE NEW KINGDOM (CONT)

Akhenaton’s religious revolution caused upheavals that led to a loss of Egypt’s empire

Under Ramses II (1279-1213 BC), the Egyptians regained control of Palestine but were unable to reestablish the borders of their earlier empire

New invasions in the thirteenth century BC by the “Sea People” drove the Egyptians back within their old frontier, and ended the Egyptian Empire

The New Kingdom collapsed in 1085 BC Egypt was dominated by Libyans, Nubians, Persians,

and Macedonians for the next 1000 years

THINK-PAIR-SHARE

What were the major differences between the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom? Old- divine rulers, built pyramids Middle- pharaohs concerned about people,

expanded New- militaristic, created an empire,

religious upheavals

READING ACTIVITY

Read the Section titled Society in Ancient Egypt.

After reading make a graphic organizer to list the different social classes and the contributions each made to society.

DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT

Very positive attitude Married young and monogamous (one wife)

Arranged marriages Purpose was to produce children, especially sons

The husband was master of the house Wives were respected, in charge of the

household and the education of the children Marriages could end in divorce

Compensation for the wife

WRITING AND EDUCATION

Writing emerged around 3000BC Hieroglyphics- “priest-carvings” or “sacred

writings” Used for painting on temple walls and in tombs

Very complex Used both pictures and abstract forms Took much time to learn

Hieratic script- a highly simplified form used fro business transactions, record keeping, and general needs of daily life

WRITING AND EDUCATION

Hieroglyphs were first carved in stone Hieratic script was written on papyrus Scribes-masters of the art of writing

Taught reading and writing At age of 10, boys in upper classes

went to schools run by scribes Took many years to become a scribe Learned to read and write by copying texts

ACHEIVEMENTS IN ARTS AND SCIENCES Pyramids, temples, and other monuments are some of the

artistic achievements of the Egyptians Also made advances in mathematics

Helped in building massive monuments Able to calculate area and volume and used geometry to

calculate flooded area Developed an accurate 365 day calendar

Based on movement of the moon, as well as the bright star Sirius, which rises in the sky just before annual flooding of the Nile

Medical advancements Embalming Directions for using splints, bandages, and compresses for

treating fractures, wounds, and disease

EXIT TICKET

Using your notes and the book, answer the following question.

What were the main features and achievements of Egypt’s three kingdoms?