Egyptian Civilization: The Gift of the Nile

1. Egyptian Civilization: The Gift of the Nile Glencoe World History pages 45-53

2. Terms to Define • Define the following terms in the vocabulary section of your notebook: • Dynasty • Pharaoh • Bureaucracy • Vizier • Hieroglyphics

3. Standards SSWH1 The student will analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE. • b. Describe the relationship of religion and political authority in Ancient Egypt.

4. Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions The student will understand that the culture of a society is the product of the religion, beliefs, customs, traditions, and government of that society. • What are the building blocks of culture? • How did early cultures develop? • How do unique cultures emerge from common elements? • What was the impact of religion on the development of early societies? The student will understand that as a society increases in complexity and interacts with other societies, the complexity of the government also increases. • How did the earliest societies create civilizations? • In what ways did the interactions of early civilizations contribute to the greater complexity of their societies? • What was the role of the earliest governments? • How did the role of governments expand over time? • In what ways were early governments similar or different? • Why did more complex societies develop a need for writing? The student will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. • How did the physical features of a region affect the development of the beliefs, customs and traditions of that society? • How did the physical features of a region and limited natural resources necessitate trade between societies? • What was government’s role in protecting and expanding the economy of early civilizations?

5. People to Identify • Menes • Hyksos • Hatshepsut • Akhenaton • Tutankhamen • Ramses II • Cleopatra VII

6. Places to Locate • Nile River • Lower Egypt • Upper Egypt • Giza

7. Preview of Events • 3100 BCE King Menes unites villages of Upper and Lower Egypt • 2540 BCE Great Pyramid is built • 1652 BCE Hyksos invade Egypt • 1085 BCE New Kingdom collapses

8. Impact of Geography • The Nile is a unique river, beginning in the heart of Africa and coursing northward for more than 4000 miles. • It is the longest river in the world. • The Nile Delta is called Lower Egypt; the land upstream, to the south, is called Upper Egypt. • To the ancient Egyptians, the most important feature was the yearly flooding.

9. Impact of Geography Continued… • The fertile land the Egyptians called the “Black Land” • Blessed by natural barriers, the regularity of the Nile floods created a feeling of security.

10. Importance of Religion • Religion also provided a sense of security. • The ancient Egyptians had no word for religion. • Religious ideas were an inseparable part of their world order. • Polytheistic- Were divided into two groups sun gods and land gods

11. The Importance of Religion Continued… • The Sun, source of life, took different forms and names, depending on his role. • He was known as Atum in human form, but as Re with a human body and the head of a falcon. • River and land gods included Osiris and Isis. • Osiris took on an important role for the Egyptians as a symbol of resurrection. • By identifying with Osiris, people could hope to gain new life after death.

12. Egyptian History • 3 Major Periods: Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom • These were periods of long term stability • The history of Egypt begins around 3100 BCE when Menes united the villages of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt into a single kingdom and created the first dynasty. • Dynasty - a family of rulers whose right to rule is passed on within the family.

13. The Old Kingdom • Lasted from around 2700 to 2200 BCE • Was an age of prosperity and splendor • The most common title for Egyptian monarchs was pharaohmeaning “great house” or “palace” • Kingship was a divine authority in Ancient Egypt • A breakdown in royal power could only mean that citizens were offending the gods and weakening the world order .

14. Egyptian Government • The pharaoh possessed absolute power • Did have help ruling- a bureaucracy developed during the old kingdom (An administrative organization with officials and regular procedures) developed • The vizier was especially important as they were the steward of the whole land; the vizier was directly responsible to the pharaoh and was in charge of the bureaucracy

15. The Pyramids • The building of the pyramids occurred during the Old Kingdom. • Pyramids were built as part of a city of the dead. • The area included a large pyramid for the pharaoh’s burial, smaller pyramids for his family, and mastabas for his officials. • Well prepared for their residents including chairs, boats, chests, weapons, and a variety of foods.

16. The Pyramids Continued…. • The Ancient Egyptians believed humans had two bodies, a physical one and the spiritual body, known as the ka. • Surrounded by its earthly comforts the ka could continue to live despite the death of the physical body. • To preserve the bodies they practiced mummification, a process of slowly drying a dead body to keep it from rotting. • After the 70 day process, a lifelike mask was placed over the head and shoulders of the mummy. The mummy was then sealed in case and placed in its tomb.

17. The Great Pyramid • Largest and most magnificent of all the pyramids • Built under King Khufu at Giza around 2540 BCE • It covers 13 acres, is 756 feet at each side of its base, and stands 481 feet high. • Guarding the Great Pyramid is a huge statue known as the Great Sphinx. • Still stands as a visible symbol of the power of the Egyptian pharaohs of the Old Kingdom.

18. The Great Pyramid

19. The Middle Kingdom • Lasted from about 2050 to 1652 BCE • Egyptians later portrayed the Middle Kingdom as a Golden Age – an age of stability. • Egypt began a period of expansion during this period. • One feature was a new concern of the pharaohs for the people. He was portrayed as the shepherd who provided for his people.

20. The Hyksos • The Middle Kingdom was brought to an end by the invasion of the Hyksos, a people from western Asia. • The Hyksos used horse drawn war chariots and overwhelmed the Egyptian soldiers who fought on donkey carts • They ruled for almost 100 years

21. The New Kingdom • A new dynasty used the new weapons and drove out the Hyksos, establishing the New Kingdom in 1567 BCE. • The New Kingdom lasted until 1085 BCE. • Egypt created an empire and became the most powerful state in Southwest Asia. • Massive wealth boosted the power of the New Kingdom Pharaohs

22. Pharaohs of the New Kingdom • Hatshepsut- the first woman to become pharaoh built a great temple at Deir el Bahri. • Thutmose III, her nephew, lead 17 military campaigns into Syria and Palestine. • Amenhotep IV introduced the worship of Aton, god of the sun disk, as the sole god. He changed his name to Akhenaton and closed the temples of the other gods. • The boy pharaoh Tutankhamen restored the old gods.

23. Pharaohs of the New Kingdom Ramses II, who reigned from 1279 to 1213 BCE, helped regain control of Palestine but they could not regain the borders of their empire lost under Akhenaton. The New Kingdom collapsed in 1085 BCE. For the next 1000 years Egypt was ruled by many foreign powers. In the first century BCE, Cleopatra VII tried to reestablish Egypt’s independence, but despite her efforts they became a part of the Rome’s mighty empire.

24. Society in Ancient Egypt • God-King (Pharaoh) • Upper Class of Nobles and Priests • Merchants, Artisans, Scribes, and Tax Collectors (The Middle Class) • Peasants – the largest number of people in Egypt simply worked the land

25. Daily Life in Ancient Egypt • Had a very positive attitude toward daily life on Earth • Arranged marriages at an early age; Monogamy was the general rule • Husband was master but wives were very well respected • Women’s property and stayed in their hands • Most careers and public offices were closed to women, but some did operate businesses • 4 queens even became pharaohs

26. Writing and Education • Writing in Egypt emerged around 3000 BCE • The Greeks called this earliest writing hieroglyphics, meaning sacred writings. • Eventually a simplified version called hieratic script came into being. • Written on stone and then papyrus • Scribes were the masters of the art of writing and its teaching. • At the age of 10, boys of upper classes went to schools run by scribes

27. Achievements in Arts and Sciences • Artists were expected to follow particular style. The human body was often portrayed as a combination of profile, semi profile, and frontal view. • Egyptians also made advances in mathematics. • Developed an accurate 365 day calendar. • Embalming led to medical expertise in anatomy

28. Temple of Ramses