EGYPT

“Gift of the Nile”

Impact of Geography

• The Nile is the longest river in the world

• The Nile Delta is Lower Egypt

• The land to the South is called Upper Egypt

• The Nile served to unite the region

The Impact of Geography

• The Flooding of the River– Steady and

Predictable

– Created fertile soil known as the Black Land

– Small villages rather – than massive state

control

Impact of Geography

• Natural barriers (desert/river)• Being around desert helped keep

away invaders. • People felt safe and happy.

The Importance of Religion

• Religious ideas were inseparable from daily life

• Polytheistic Religion with multiple gods

• Poly vs. Mono(theistic)

• Most important gods associated with land (Isis), river (Osiris), and sun (Atum or Re)

The Course of Egyptian History

• Three major periods: Old, Middle, and New kingdom separated by brief periods of chaos

• 3100 b.c. King Menes united upper and lower Egypt

• First Egyptian dynasty• Dynasty a family of rulers

whose right to rule is passed on within the family

The Old Kingdom

• Lasted from 2700 to 2200 B.C.• Age of prosperity• A Pharaoh ruled over a powerful unified

state• King was seen as a god• Government bureaucracy developed

headed by the vizier• Bureaucracy An administrative

organization with officials and procedures

The Old Kingdom

• Building of the pyramids occurred in the time of the Old Kingdom– Pyramids were believed to

be portals to the next life– Contained rooms stocked

with possessions for use in the next world

– Bodies were mummified: a process of slowly drying a dead body to prevent it from rotting

Think about it• What was the purpose of the

great building projects such as the Pyramids and the Sphinx?

The Middle Kingdom

• Lasted from 2050 to 1652 B.C.• Period of militaristic expansion

– Conquered Nubia– Built fortresses to protect borders

• New role for the pharaoh– New concern for his people– Seen as the “shepherd of his people”– Built public works and provided for

the public welfare

The New Kingdom

• Invasion of the Hyksos ended the Middle Kingdom

• Egyptians learned from their conquerors– The use of bronze– Mastered the use of chariots– Used new skills to drive out Hyksos

and reunite Egypt

The New Kingdom

• Lasted from 1567 to 1085 B.C.• Created a military empire that

dominated the Middle East• Massive wealth boosted the

power of the pharaoh• Anmenhotep tried to change the

religion • Social upheaval led to the

downfall of the Egyptian Empire• Dominated by outsiders for the

next 1000 years

Society in Ancient Egypt

• Simple social structure organized like a pyramid– God-king at the top– Upper class of nobles and

priests– Merchants, artisans,

scribes, and tax collectors– Simple farmers, lower

class peasants

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

• Positive attitude towards life• Married young and practiced

monogamy• Marriages were arranged by the

parents• Main concern was family and

property• Worked hard but had fun

The Role of Women• Husband was master of the

house but wives were well respected

• Wives were in charge of the household and education of the children

• Women could own property• Some women could operate

businesses and 4 became Pharaoh

• Hatshepsut first female Pharaoh

Writing and Education• Writing emerged around 3000

B.C.• Hieroglyphics “priest carvings”• Hieratic script was a simplified

version used by most people• Written on papyrus• Training for scribes was strict

and began at the age of 10

Achievements in Art and Science

• Architectural masters• Artists and sculptors were expected

to follow a particular style for thousands of years

• Advancements in mathematics• Developed an accurate 365 day

calendar• The practice of embalming led to

medical expertise in human anatomy

Comparing Egypt and Mesopotamia

• Impact of Geography• Government• Religion• Social Structure• Writing• Art / Architecture• Development of Cities