Egypt The Nile The Nile is the longest

Egypt

The Nile • • The Nile is the longest river in the world It stretches over 4, 000 miles north to south

The Nile Cont. • • The land in the north makes the Nile Delta and is known as lower Egypt. The land in the south is known as upper Egypt.

The Nile Delta • A delta is a triangular shaped piece of land formed by the split of a river. • The land in between the split is the delta.

The Nile Floods • The Nile flooded every September or October • The floods left a thick black mud that was good for growing. • Crops were then planted and harvested in the spring.

Barriers for Defense • The desert to the west • Red Sea to the east • Churning rapids called cataracts to the south • Mediterranean Sea to the north

Barriers on the map

Egyptian Religion • • • Polytheistic Two groups, sun and land gods Sun God Ra, the most important.

Religion Cont. • • The other two most important land Gods were Osiris and Isis represented the ideal mother and wife.

Religion continued • • Osiris the God of the dead, weighed each dead person’s soul If the soul was heavier than a feather a beast called the devourer of souls emerged to eat the person.

Religion Cont. • • • Pharaohs means God King Pharaohs continued to rule after death To appease them the pyramids were built as lavish tombs

Egyptian History • Egypt’s history begins around 3100 BC when Menes unites the villages of upper and lower Egypt.

The Old Kingdom • Lasted from 2700 -2200 BC • Powerful kings • Developed a bureaucracy or an organization with officials and regular procedures. • Pyramids built

Middle Kingdom • 2050 -1652 BC • Golden age • Attacked and colonized neighbors. • Ended with attack of the Hyksos in 1652

New Kingdom • • • 1567 - 1085 BC The pharaoh Kanose began driving Hyksos out Hatshepsut drove the Hyksos completely out.

Hatshepsut • First woman pharaoh • Built a massive temple • Killed by her nephew Thutmose III

Thutmose III • Lead 17 military campaigns • Built massive buildings and temples

Amenhotep IV • • • Made Aton the sun disk god the only god Changed name to Akhenaton Closed temples of other gods

Tutankhamen • • “King Tut” Restored all Gods, reopened all temples Became king at age 8. Murdered

Ramses II • • • Reigned from 12791213 BC Lived to age 99 had 150 kids Less than 200 years after his death the empire fell.

Egyptian Society • Organized like a pyramid • God Kings at the top • Upper class nobles and priests • Merchants artisans and scribes (middle class) • Slaves

Society cont. • Husband master of house • Wives respected in charge of educating children • Practiced monogamy (one wife) • Boys got married and left home between the ages of 12 -14.

Technology • • Early Egyptian writing were hieroglyphics meaning priest carvings or sacred writings. Eventually written on temple walls for all.

Technology Cont. • Used geometry to survey property lines • Used splints to set broken bones • 365 day calendar, 12 30 day months, 5 days set aside for feasting