Ancient Egypt

Location• Egypt was located in the Nile River Floodplain• Predictable flooding• Fertile farmland• Three Seasons of the Nile

• Farming Season• Floodwaters disappear which left rich farmland

• Harvest Season• Farmers harvest crops

• Flood Season• No one could work because their farmland was flooded

so they worked for the Pharaoh• Silt was deposited into the soil during the floods for the

Farming Season

Religion• Polytheistic• Pharaoh was divine• Egyptians belief in an afterlife led to

mummification • “Book of the Dead” outlines

requirements for afterlife• Pyramids represent importance of

afterlife in Egyptian thought

Government• Bureaucracy• Pharaoh a living god• Vizier chief administrator of

Pharaoh’s government• Local nobility and priests administer

government responsibilities

Economics• Nile river = strong economy

• Fertile farmland from silt deposits meant enough crops for the entire year

• Surplus used for trade and to support the less fortunate

• Season of flood meant farmers worked for Pharaoh

• Middle Kingdom began to become a world trade power

Old Kingdom EgyptThe Pyramid Age2600 BC – 2150 BC

• 2600 BC• 1st Pyramid Building• Tombs of Pharoahs

• 2500 BC• Great Pyramids & Sphinx constructed at Giza• Hieroglyphics standardized

• 2100 BC • Regional nobles competed for control• Dynasty loses control

Middle Kingdom EgyptWorld Trading Power2100 BC – 1700 BC

• 2000 BC • Egypt becomes an international power by

reconquering Nubia and expanding trade routes• Foreigners called Hyksos from eastern

Mediterranean settle in Egypt during good times

• 1500 BC• Hyksos eventually gain control of Lower Egypt• Native Egyptians still control Upper Egypt from

Thebes

New Kingdom Egypt The Age of Empire1550 BC – 1075 BC

• 1550 BC • Rulers from Thebes reassert control and drive out Hyksos• Expand borders of Egypt in military campaign designed to

strengthen the empire• Take control of Nubia

• 1400 BC• Leading military power in the region• Many surrounding areas such as Nubia, Assyria, and

Babylon had to pay gifts to Egypt

• 1320 Ramses II• Strong, warrior Pharaoh

Ancient Egypt• Three Kingdoms

Old Middle New

Accomplishments• Pyramids

• Hieroglyphics

• Papyrus

• Medicine

• Astronomy

• Math

• Literature

Important People• Menes

• Foundations

• Hatshepsut• Trade

• Akhenaton• Monotheism

• Tutankhamun• Tomb

• RamsesII• War / treaty• Exodus?

Reasons for Decline• Old Kingdom

• Disunity / greed of local nobles

• Middle Kingdom• Hyksos

• New Kingdom• Assyrians