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Chapter 2

Chapter 2. The first Civilizations—Egypt—The Gift of the Nile. Egypt. Nile River Valley. Narrow strip of land about 10 miles wide Early people learned to control river – canals, dikes, reservoirs, irrigation ditches. Nile River. River Flows north

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Chapter 2

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  1. Chapter 2 The first Civilizations—Egypt—The Gift of the Nile

  2. Egypt

  3. Nile River Valley • Narrow strip of land about 10 miles wide • Early people learned to control river – canals, dikes, reservoirs, irrigation ditches

  4. Nile River • River • Flows north • Originates in the highlands of Ethiopia (Blue Nile) • White Nile comes from lakes of central Africa-main source is Lake Victoria • Ends in the Mediterranean Sea • Longest river in the world at 4,160 miles

  5. Nile River • Floods • Until recently, flooded annually in July-Sept • Floods predictable • Added moisture to the soil • Deposited silt, replenishing the soil with nutrients-food, water and transportation • delta to form at the mouth of the river • Provided papyrus-reed that grows along the banks of the Nile

  6. First People • 5,000 to 4,000 B.C.E. • Divided into two regions • Upper Egypt – first cataract to 100 miles of the sea • Lower Egypt – from delta inland 100 miles

  7. Natural Barriers • Deserts- Lybian, Nubian, Arabian • Seas- Mediterranean and Red • Cataracts- waterfalls and rapids which interrupt Nile six times • Only real access into Egypt was across the Sinai Peninsula- invaders and traders used this route into Egypt

  8. The Nile River Valley

  9. King Menes 3100 B.C.E. • Unites the two kingdoms • First Egyptian dynasty

  10. Ruling Dynasties • Approximately 31 dynasties (ruling families) from 2700 B.C.E. to 1090 B.C.E. • Dynasties ruled Egypt for a total of ~ 2700 years • Years between kingdoms without ruling dynasty usually marked by civil wars and/or invasion

  11. Egyptian Historical Periods • Ancient Egyptian history divided into three periods • Old Kingdom • Middle Kingdom • New Kingdom

  12. AKA - The Pyramid Age Rulers called Pharaohs (great house) - claimed to be divine and worshiped as gods on Earth Chief god – Amon-Re (pharaohs sons of Sun god) Pharaohs had absolute power ( owned all land and water) Viziers – supervisors that ran the government Old Kingdom 2700 B.C.E. to 2200 B.C.E.

  13. OLD KINGDOM • Era was remarkable for prosperity, artistic flowering, and the evolution of religious beliefs • Pharaoh commanded the wealth, resources, and people of all Egypt • Pharaoh cared for his people

  14. The Great Pyramid of KhufuAbout 2560 B.C.E.

  15. The Great Pyramid of Khufu • Egypt had great enormous quantities of stone for building • Took 20 years to build • 481 feet tall- tallest structure in the world for 43 centuries • Each side perfectly aligned North, South, East, & West

  16. The Great Pyramid of Khufu Each side 751 feet long – error of less than 9 inches per side Covers 13 acres Used more than 2 million stones – each more than 2 tons some more than 15 tons

  17. The Great Sphinx • Located in Giza • Body of a lion and face of a man (the pharaoh Khafre) • Faces the rising sun—tall as a six-story building

  18. Step Pyramid at Sakkara is oldest stone building in the world which was built for the pharaoh Zoser

  19. Old Kingdom ended about 2200 B.C.E. • Reasons: • Cost of Pyramids • Crop failure • Power struggle • Results: over 100 years of chaos • Princes from the city of Thebes reunited Egypt

  20. Middle Kingdom- 2050 B.C.E. to 1800 B.C.E. • Marked by troubles – • corruption, rebellions, Nile failed to flood regularly • Accomplishment: • Drainage projects • Canal from Red Sea to Mediterranean Sea • Pharaohs more concerned with common people-allowed mummification

  21. Middle Kingdom • Increased trade • Egyptian Army invades Nubia and occupied rich gold lands

  22. End of Middle Kingdom • About 1700 B.C.E. invaded by the Hyksos • Hyksos had advance military technology-the horse drawn chariot

  23. Hyksos • Adopted Egyptian customs, language & beliefs • Fully introduced bronze age to Egypt • Ruled for about 100 years • About 1600 B.C.E. overthrown by the Egyptians

  24. New Kingdom 1550 B.C.E. to 1100 B.C.E. • Powerful Pharaohs created a new larger empire – all the way to the Euphrates River • Egypt at the height of wealth and power—widespread slavery became a feature of Egyptian life for the first time • Hordes of slaves brought home

  25. Hatshepsut- firstfemale ruler known in history 1501 B.C.E.- 1482 B.C.E. Increased trade Important rulers of the New Kingdom

  26. Thutmose III • Known as the Napoleon of Egypt because of his military victories • Not allowed to rule in his own right because of his age • Ruled Egyptian Empire at its greatest size • Tried to wipe out the memory of Hatshepsut

  27. Pictures of Thutmose III

  28. Ramses II • Last great ruler of the New Kingdom • Signed first known treaty in history with the Hittites • Ruled for 67 years—he was in his nineties when he died • It is believed he fathered more than 150 children

  29. Mummy of Ramses II

  30. Foreign Invaders • Nubia – 750 B.C.E. • 650 B.C.E. Assyrians • Persians • Later the Greeks & Romans • All wanted the Nile Valley for its food

  31. Religion (polytheism) • Amon-Re – Sun god- Chief god

  32. Osiris and Isis

  33. God of the Under World-ruler of the Nile Judges the dead Rise & Fall the Nile believed to be the death & rebirth of Osiris Father of Horus Wife of Osiris Brought him back to life after Set killed him-symbol is the ankh-mother of Horus Taught women how to grind corn, spin flax, care for children Osiris and Isis

  34. Horus • Son of Osiris – kills Set – god of the sky

  35. Bastet and Anubis • Goddess of fertility, sensuality and fire prevention • Symbolized by cats • god of mummy wrapping/embalming • Holds the scales of justice while your heart is weighed

  36. Pictures of Bastet

  37. Pictures of Anubis

  38. Egyptian Afterlife • Believed in a life after death • Each soul needed to pass a test • Weighed the heart against the feather of truth • Sinners were fed to the Eater of the Dead • Worthy souls entered the “Happy Field of Food”

  39. Mummification—presevation of the body after death • At first just for Pharaohs • Process took 70 days • Removed all organs and preserved them in jars • Needed body in afterlife-home for the Ka-eternal spirit

  40. Valley of the Kings

  41. Amenhotep IV • Religious rebel • Akhenaton • Tried to outlaw all gods except Aton • Introduced monotheism

  42. Nefertiti • Wife of Amenhotep IV • Helps her husband • Husbands rule started the downfall of the New Kingdom

  43. Tutankhamen • Reestablished Amon-Re • “Boy King” • Howard Carter

  44. Old Middle New Corrupt government suffered frequent rebellions Pharaohs organized centralized state Pharaohs created a large empire Government Built enormous tombs, the pyramids Land drained for farming Traded with lands along eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea Achievements Power struggles, crop failures and cost of pyramids caused collapse Hyksos invaded and conquered Nubians, then others invaded Decline

  45. Egyptian Society • Social Class • A persons social position and occupation determined at birth • Parents taught their children their own trade

  46. Egyptian Society • Social Structure • Top = Pharaoh (royal family) • Ruling class of vizier, priests and nobles • Scribes and soldiers • Middle class of merchants, artisans, doctors • Peasant farmers were majority of population and slaves

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