EGYPT
INTRO: ANCIENT EGYPT
The Land
The Kingdoms
The Classes
Advances
Special Unit Topics:
Architecture, Religion, Daily Life, Leadership
Egyptian Empire ~ 1450 BCE
Geography of the Ancient Nile Valley
“Egypt is wholly the gift of the Nile.” – Herodotus
•Settled & established farming villages along Nile.
•Egyptians depended on annual floods to soak the
land & deposit a layer of silt or rich soil.
•Egyptians had to cooperate to control the Nile,
building dikes, reservoirs and irrigation ditches.
•Rulers used Nile to link/unite Upper/Lower Egypt.
•Nile served as trade route connecting Egypt to
Africa, the Middle East and Mediterranean world.
Egypt & Nubia
For centuries, Egypt traded or fought with Nubia.
During the New Kingdom, Egypt conquered Nubia.
• Nubians served in Egyptian armies and
influenced Egyptian culture.
• Egyptian art from this period shows Nubian
soldiers, musicians, or prisoners.
When Egypt declined, Nubia conquered Egypt.
• Nubians did not see themselves as conquerors.
• They respected Egyptian traditions.
•Actual borders of Nubia shifted over time, and
•Peoples of Nubia formed several kingdoms and
civilizations.
•Today, Nubia is defined as the Nile area between Aswan of
Egypt and Khartoum (capital of Sudan), bordered by
•Red Sea in the east
•Libyan desert in the west
•Northern border of Nubia @ 1st cataract at Aswan -known as “Wawat.”
•Southern end at 2nd cataract (now inundated by Lake
Nasser) was referred to as “Cush” by the Egyptians, and as
Ethiopia by the ancient Greeks.
•“Nubia” either comes from the Nubian word “nob” <gold>,
or “nugur” / “nub” <meaning black>. Both are plausible
•Nubia was, in ancient times, both a great producer of gold mainly
for the Egyptian market, and inhabited by African Blacks.
• Early Dynastic (2920-2575)- unification of upper and
lower Egypt into a single Kingdom by Pharaoh Narmer
• Old Kingdom- (2575-2134 BC)- development of
despotic Pharonic dynasties- construction of Pyramids
– 1st Intermediate- (2134-2040 BC)- Chaos and disunity
• Middle Kingdom- (2040-1640 BC)- reestablishment of
Kingdom with Thebes as political center- beginning of
powerful cult of Amun
– 2nd Intermediate- (1640-1530 BC)- Hyksos invasion
• New Kingdom- (1530-1070 BC)- Imperial period
(Valley of the Kings)
• Late Period- (1070-332 BC)- decline of Kingdom;
conquest by Alexander the Great
OLD
KINGDOM
Pharaohs organized a
strong central state,
were absolute rulers,
and were considered
gods.
Egyptians built
pyramids at Giza.
Power struggles, crop
failures, and cost of
pyramids contributed
to the collapse of the
Old Kingdom.
MIDDLE
KINGDOM
Large drainage project
created arable
farmland.
Traders had contacts
with Middle East and
Crete.
Corruption and
rebellions were
common.
Hyksos invaded &
occupied the delta
region.
NEW
KINGDOM
Powerful pharaohs
created a large
empire
that reached the
Euphrates River.
Hatshepsut
encouraged trade.
Ramses II expanded
Egyptian rule to
Syria.
Egyptian power
declined.
Class System in Ancient Egypt
PHARAOH
Earthly leader; considered a god
HIGH PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES
Served gods and goddesses
NOBLES
Fought pharaoh’s wars
MERCHANTS, SCRIBES, AND ARTISANS
Made furniture, jewelry & fabrics for
pharaohs & nobles, & provided for other needs
PEASANT FARMERS AND SLAVES
Worked in the fields and served the pharaoh
Advances in Learning
Developed a form of picture
writing called hieroglyphics.
Doctors diagnosed and cured
illnesses, performed surgery, and
developed medicines still used
today.
Developed 12-month calendar on
which modern calendar is based.
Astronomers mapped
constellations and charted
movement of the
planets.
Developed practical geometry.
Skilled in design and engineering.
Advances in the Arts
Statues, paintings, and writings
tell us about ancient Egyptian
values and attitudes.
Developed painting style that
remained unchanged for
thousands of years.
Wrote hymns and prayers to the
gods, proverbs, love poems,
stories of victory in battle, and folk
tales.
Built pyramids and other great
buildings, such as temple of
Ramses II.
Overview of religion in Ancient Egypt
Belief that many gods and goddesses ruled the
world and the afterlife.
Pharaoh was believed to be a god as well as a
monarch.
Belief in eternal life after death.
Relied on the Book of the Dead to help them
through the afterworld.
Practiced mummification, the preservation of
the body for use in the next life.
More to
follow…