Ancient Egypt A Map of Ancient Egypt Background

Ancient Egypt

A Map of Ancient Egypt

Background

Timeline 3100 BCE – King Menes unites Upper and Lower Egypt Geography 2690 BCE – Beginning of Old Kingdom and Age of Pyramids 2600 -2500 BCE – Pyramids at Giza built 2181 BCE – First Intermediate Period 2050 BCE – Middle Kingdom begins and Expansion 1780 BCE – Second Intermediate Period (Hyksos invades) 1550 BCE – New Kingdom is considered Golden Age 1470 BCE – Reign of Hatsheput (one of four female Kings) 1450 BCE – Reign of Tuthmosis III (Expands Egypt’s territory) 1350 BCE – Reign of Arkhenaton (Wanted to change religious beliefs) 1334 BCE – Reign of Tutankhamun (Religious revolution is reversed) 1297 BCE - Reign of Ramses II (Exodus of Jews from Egypt) 1069 BCE – Third Intermediate Period

Timeline Continued 525 BCE – Persians conquer Egypt 332 BCE – Alexander the Great defeats the Persians and considered savior of Egypt 50 BCE – Cleopatra VII is crowned Queen of Egypt 30 BCE – Egypt becomes part of Roman empire after death of Cleopatra VII and Mark Anthony

Populated Areas There were three main areas that were populated in Egypt 1. The Nile Valley The Nile River was the most important factor influencing the culture and civilization of Egypt 2. The Nile Delta This was the largest piece of fertile land in Egypt 3. Faiyum Irrigation from the Nile made the Faiyum the third most populated land it was considered an Oasis

Geographic Effects • Because of the Nile the soil was very fertile • Egypt was a desert so it was a very protected land • They were near the Mediterranean which affected trade • Their culture was one of stability and not rapid change

P o l i t i c s • Pharaohs were the rulers of the land • They were believed to be the earthly embodiment of the god Horus who was the son of Amon-Re • Pharaohs then had the divine right to rule • This allowed them to move between god and their people • People followed their orders because they believed they were from god • No one would challenge the King’s authority and he could rule in relative peace

• Ma’at was the goddess and symbol of equilibrium of the universe and the king had to rule according to her principles • The throne passed on to eldest son of Principal Queen who was usual the eldest daughter of the previous king therefore the king’s sister • Pharaohs owned all the land – they had a hierarchy of government officials to help him rule • Second to the Pharaohs were the scribes who would record the doings of the Pharaoh

Religion • The Egyptians were deeply religious people, their was no separation between secular and sacred • Their roots were in the worship of nature deities – their first gods were in animal forms • Those responsible for creation were the most important gods (Atum is the creator God) • They later developed national gods around the Middle Kingdom Atum

Myths and Mysteries