Egyptian notes set 3
Kings of Egypt
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Egypt’s location offers advantages- stable food supply and natural barriers
Natural barriers made it hard for invasions
To the west-the desert was too big and harsh to cross
To the north-the Mediterranean sea kept many enemies away
To the east- more desert and the red sea provided protection
To the south- cataracts & small waterfalls in the Nile made it difficult for invaders to sail
Being protected from invaders, villages in Egypt grew
Wealthy farmers emerged as village leaders
Strong leaders gained control over several villages
By 3200 BC, villages had grown and banded together to create to kingdoms- lower and upper
Egypt
Around 3100BC Menes rose to power in upper Egypt
Historians think Menes is a myth and that his accomplishments were really those of other
ancient kings named Aha, Scorpion, or Narmer
Menes wanted to unify kingdoms of upper and lower Egypt
He had his armies invaded lower Egypt and take control of it
Menes then married a princess from lower Egypt to strengthen his control over the newly
unified country
Historians consider Menes to be Egypt’s first pharaoh
The title pharaoh means “great house”
Menes also founded Egypt’s first dynasty, or a series of rulers from the same family
Menes built a new capital city at the southern tip of the Nile delta
The city was later named Memphis
It was near where upper Egypt and lower Egypt met, close to what is now Cairo, Egypt
For centuries, Memphis was the political and cultural center of Egypt
Many government offices were located there, and the city bustled with artistic activity
Egypt’s first dynasty was a theocracy, that lasted 200 years
A theocracy is a government ruled by religious leaders such as priests or a monatch thought to
be divine
Old Kingdom
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History of Egypt Is also divided into different eras- old kingdom, middle kingdom, and new
kingdom which refer to different periods in Egyptian history with its own unique contributes to
our understanding now
The old kingdom is remembered mostly for its pyramids
The first of Egypt’s pyramids were constructed during 27th century BC
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The step pyramid, built for king Zoster, by his chief architect Imhotep is considered by many to
be the first pyramid ever constructed
Before this most royal tombs were constructed of sun dried bricks Zoster’s step pyramid
attested to the pharaohs power and established the pyramid as a symbol of Egypt
Ancient Egyptians believed that Egypt belonged to the gods
The Egyptians believed the pharaoh had come to earth in order to manage Egypt for the rest of
the gods
He had absolute power over all the land and people in Egypt
But the pharaoh’s status as both king and god came with many responsibilities
People blamed him if crops did not grow well or if disease struck
They also demanded that the pharaoh make trade profitable and prevent war
The most famous pharaoh of the old kingdom was Khufu who ruled in the2500sBC
We know very little about his life
Egyptian legend says that he was cruel but historical records tell us the people who worked for
him were fed well
He his best known for the monuments that were built to him such as the great pyramid of Giza
The great pyramid Is the largest pyramid in Egypt
Society and Trade
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By the end of the old kingdom Egypt had about 2 million people
As the population grew social classes developed
The Egyptians believed that a well-ordered society would keep their kingdom strong
At the top of the Egyptian society was the pharaoh
Just below them were the upper-class- priests and key government officials
Many of these priests and officials were nobles-people from rich and powerful families
Next are the middle class- lesser government officials, scribes, and a few rich craftspeople
Last are the lower class- mostly farmers, slaves, and servants
80 percent of the population were in the lower class
During flood season, when they couldn’t work in the fields, farmers worked on the pharaoh’s
building projects
As society developed during the old kingdom, Egypt traded with some of its neighbors
Traders traveled south along the Nile to nubia to acquire gold, copper, ivory, slaves, and stones
for building
Trade with Syria provided Egypt with wood for building and for fire
Egyptian society grew more complex during the time
It continued to be organized, disciplined, and highly religious