ANCIENT KINGDOMS OF THE NILE OBJECTIVES EGYPT Objective

ANCIENT KINGDOMS OF THE NILE

OBJECTIVES- EGYPT Objective: § The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of ancient river valley civilizations, including Egypt, by: § Locating the civilization in time and place § Describing the development of social, political, and economic patterns, including slavery § Explaining the development of religious traditions § Explaining the development of language and writing Essential Questions: § Why did Ancient Civilizations develop in river valleys? § Where were the earliest civilizations located? § When did these civilizations exist? § What were the social, political, and economic characteristics of early civilizations § What religious traditions developed in ancient civilizations? § What forms of language and writing existed in early civilizations?

GIFT OF THE NILE 4, 100 miles long, longest river in the world § Flows northwards (towards Mediterranean Sea) Yearly flooding § Receding of Nile leaves rich organic mud § Cycle: flood, plant, harvest, repeat Stark contrast between Nile Delta and the desert of Egypt Worshipped by Egyptians as a God

UPPER AND LOWER EGYPT Upper Egypt was from the 1 st cataract to within 100 miles from the Mediterranean. Lower Egypt covered the delta -broad, marshy area - agriculturally rich - diverse animals Nile offered transportation § Water highway

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES • Nile ran like clockwork unlike in Mesopotamia • Still sometimes had flooding • Sometimes too low, not enough silt • Natural Barriers • Vast deserts on both sides of Nile • Forced people to live close to the Nile • Also protected from invaders

MOVEMENT OF GOODS AND IDEAS • 3200 B. C. E. - making contact with Mesopotamia • 2000 B. C. E. - traveling down Nile to trade with Kush and Nubia • Cultural Diffusion • Borrowed development of cities • Writing system • Distinct Culture • Combination of Mesopotamia and other African influences

UNITING OF EGYPT • Myth • King of Lower Egypt wore red crown, King of Upper Egypt wore white crown • 3100 B. C. E. King Menes united Egypt • Wore a double crown of red and white, symbolic • Capital at Memphis, near where Upper and Lower Egypt meet • 1 st Egyptian Dynasty • 31 dynasties over 2, 600 years!

OLD KINGDOM Third Dynasty § Little info on first two dynasties § Third dynasty called Old Kingdom § 2700 -2200 B. C. E Pharaohs - divine rule, absolute power - were considered Gods - controlled government, religion and army - massive public works projects - pharaohs controlled well being of civilization - Vizier, to supervise government To carry out Pharaoh's wishes, a government bureaucracy created § Large # of administrators to run departments § Scribes to record

PYRAMIDS Belief that King ruled even after death § King’s eternal spirit (ka) needed special resting place Old Kingdom height of pyramid building Tombs for eternity, Preserved body for afterlife No iron tools or wheels used Suggest strength of civilization § Required a lot of planning

EGYPTIAN CULTURE • Religion • Polytheistic • Important gods: Ra (sun), Horus (light), Isis (ideal mother and wife) • Over 2, 000 gods and goddesses • Belief in afterlife • Judged for deeds • Heart had to be lighter than a feather • If not eaten by a beast, if passed could live in Other World • Practiced mummification • Book of the Dead- guided soul to afterlife

EGYPTIAN CULTURE Society § Social hierarchy § Royal Family § Gov’t Officials, Priest, wealthy landowners § Merhcants/artisans § Peasant farmers/ unskilled laborers § Could change status through marriage § Women § Same rights as men § Own and trade property § Propose marriage or divorce • Writing • Hieroglyphics • Picture represented idea • Invented papyrus to write on

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Inventions § Used copper and other metals § Rode Chariots in combat § Written numbers for counting, adding, and subtracting § Geometry § 1 st to use stone columns § Calendar § 1 st to use 365 days and 12 months Medicine § Used practical knowledge § Checked pulse for heartbeat § Splinted broken bones § Used surgery

MIDDLE KINGDOM End of Old Kingdom around 2180 B. C. E § Old kingdom fails due to: § Power struggles, Crop Failures, Cost of Pyramids § Bad floods Middle Kingdom 2080 - 1640 B. C. E § Improved trade and transportation § Expansion: Nubia, Palestine, Syria § Cultural Golden Age § Especially in Literature § More wealth = more public projects § Cycle of good floods Middle Kingdom plagued with: § High floods § corruption, rebellion § Catastrophe : foreign invaders § Chariot riders = Hyksos § Control Egypt from 1640 - 1570 B. C. E.

NEW KINGDOM OF EGYPT After Middle Kingdom ended with invasion by the Hyksos, Egypt erupted into war and violence Around 1600 B. C. E. new pharaohs rose up and restored Egyptian power New Kingdom lasted from 1570 to 1075 B. C. E. Wealthier and more powerful than ever Became conquerors § Thanks to new bronze weapons and chariots A female Pharaoh § Hatshesput 1472 B. C. E. § Took over for her stepson who was a child

THE NEW KINGDOM Future Pharaohs, such as Thutmose III, encouraged expansion § Moved into Nubia Conflicts § Expansion led to conflicts § 1400 B. C. E. Egypt was at war with the Hittites § Ramses II and Hittite leader reached peace treaty Builders § Built Valley of the Kings § Temple of Karnak § Abu Simbel End of the New Kingdom § Around 1200 B. C. E. Egypt was rocked by a series of invasions from a “people from the sea” Rise of Nubia § Egypt’s domination of Nubia would end

OBJECTIVES- EGYPT Objective: § The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of ancient river valley civilizations, including Egypt, by: § Locating the civilization in time and place § Describing the development of social, political, and economic patterns, including slavery § Explaining the development of religious traditions § Explaining the development of language and writing Essential Questions: § Why did Ancient Civilizations develop in river valleys? § Where were the earliest civilizations located? § When did these civilizations exist? § What were the social, political, and economic characteristics of early civilizations § What religious traditions developed in ancient civilizations? § What forms of language and writing existed in early civilizations?