Chapter 4: Ancient Egypt and Nubia

1. Chapter 4: Ancient Egypt and Nubia Section 1 Egypt Under the Pharaohs

2. Section 1Egypt Under the Pharaohs Important Vocabulary cataract: groups of rocky rapids Delta: an area of sediment; soil or minerals carried by water and deposited at the mouth of the river artisan: skilled workers who practice handicraft Pharaoh: a king of Egypt dynasty: a ruling family Bureaucracy: a system of offices and officials that handle business of government Mummy: a body preserved by a special process

3. Important InformationEgypt Under the Pharaohs • Egypt was located by a river valley by the Nile river. • The Bile River is the worlds longest river; it flows about 3500 miles • The river has 2 main sources (the White Nile and the Blue Nile); the two rivers meet in present-day Sudan ( Nubia or Kush: in ancient times) • The region upstream from the Mediterranean is called Upper Egypt • The Nile delta forms in the region known as lower Egypt. • A narrow strip of fertile soil lines both banks of the Nile and covers its delta. This dark soil was call Kemet (the Black Land) • The Nile flooded yearly creating the black land.

4. On both sides of the Black Land there were deserts called the Red Land. The Red Land was very hot with burning sand. • Egyptian farmers began to build earthen walls around fields to trap the flood waters of the Nile River. This allowed grains to grow • This form of irrigation allowed farmers to produce a surplus of food • Powerful people began to control regions of Egypt by collecting the farmers’ surplus crop as taxes. • Local rulers used this surplus to buy rich cloth and luxury goods from merchants and artisans • Artisans began to settle around the homes of local rulers. Farmers production of surplus supported the artisans and eventually these settlements grew into cities • Egypt’s cities brought together wealth and skilled people. It became the center of culture and power

5. Two kingdoms developed in Egypt. • The kings of Upper Egypt (wore white crowns) • The kings of Lower Egypt (wore red crowns) • Narmer united the two kingdoms in about 3000 BC • This made him the first pharaoh of Egypt • Control passed between members of a dynasty • The Old Kingdom ranges from a period of 2686 BC to 2125 BC • After many civil wars, the Middle Kingdom began (2055-1650 BC) • During this kingdom, pharaohs dealt with Egypt’s major environmental challenges (the Nile Floods) • The new kingdom followed more civil wars and invasions from about 1550 BC to 1070 BC • The Pharaohs of the New Kingdom conquered lands in Asia and Africa

6. The New Kingdom eventually weakened and broke apart • The pharaoh relied on the system of bureaucracy • The head of the system was an official called the vizier • Farmers paid taxes usually in the form of surplus crops • The bureaucracy took some surplus for itself and distributed the rest to priests, the pharaoh, and to artisans and merchants who worked for the pharaoh • Egypt had two great rulers who shaped its history • Hatshepsut and Ramses II • Hatshepsut was the daughter of one pharaoh and the wife of another • Hatshepsut decided to make herself Egypt’s new pharaoh when her husband died and his son was too young to rule

7. She built Egypt’s wealth and power through trade. She sent traders to a land called Punt in East Africa and they returned with wood, ivory, gold and perfumes. • Ramses II ruled about 200 years after Hatchepsut. Ramses tried to prosper through war • The first half of his time as pharaoh was done fighting Canaan and Syria in the Fertile Crescent • Ramses II built more monuments than any other pharaoh. • Egypt’s social order provided the needed loyalty and labor of the people • Society was shaped like a pyramid. They believed that the gods controlled everything. The pharaoh controlled Egypt, therefore people saw him as a god-king who deserved loyalty

9. The nobles, priests, and officials helped the pharaoh govern Egypt as well as the scribes • Merchants and artisans made up a middle level • Farmers were lower on the social pyramid. • During the year, many worked as laborers on the pharaoh’s buildings • Slaves were at the bottom; many were prisoners of war or people who owed money who were freed after serving a period of time. • Ancient Egyptians were polytheists. • One of the most important gods was Amon-Re (sun god) • Osiris was the god of the underworld or the god of the dead • According to the egyptian legend, Osiris was killed and chopped up to a rival god named Seth • Isis, the wife of Osiris was the mother goddess of Egypt • Isis brought her husband back to life after finding the pieces of his body

10. Isis represented love, caring, and protection. Egyptians looked to Isis for protection in both life and death • Horus was the son of Isis and Osiris; he defeated Seth and united the two lands of Egypt. Every pharaoh was thought to be Horus in the human form • People obeyed the pharaoh and his officials for fear of angering a god • Egyptians believed they could overcome death. They believed there was a required preparation • First: they had to live a good life; they believed Osiris decided who would have an afterlife • Second: they had the bodies preserved after death in order to have an afterlife • Wealthy Egyptians had their bodies made into mummies; this was one of Ancient Egypt’s great achievements