Ancient Egypt

The Gift of the Nile

Ancient Egypt

Introduction Geography Unification The Old Kingdom The Middle Kingdom The New Kingdom Egypts Legacy Unit Review

Lila Perl
Born in Brooklyn, NY Loved to read as a child Began writing fiction, Fat Glenda series, but soon moved into the challenge of nonfiction

Non-Fiction Texts
Mummies, Tombs, and Treasure: Secrets of Ancient Egypt

The Ancient Egyptians

Ancient Egyptian Time

An Explanation
First, the Egyptians developed a lunar calendar of 354 days. In time, the Egyptians created a more accurate 360-day solar calendar

BC - Means "Before Christ" AD - Means "Anno Domini" (The Year of Our Lord) Both of these terms were adopted during the early formation of the Roman/Christian calendar.

Ancient Egyptian Timeline

Archaic Era 6000 bc

Egypt was a grassland. Nomads traveled in search of food King Menes united Upper & Lower Egypt. Established capital at Memphis. Age of Pyramids. First man made mummies

Early Dynastic 3200 bc - 2780 bc

Old Kingdom 2780 bc - 2258bc

Middle Kingdom 2134 bc - 1786 bc

Rise of the Middle Class trade becomes the center of the economy. Major trading expeditions. Akhenaten and Queen Hatshepsut Alexander the Great conquers Egypt. Cleopatra is the last Pharaoh Romans take control of Egypt. Egypt never rises to greatness again.

New Kingdom 1570 bc - 1085 bc

Ptolemaic Dynasty 304 bc - 30 bc

Roman Period 30 bc - 640 ad

INTRODUCTION TO EGYPT
"Misr" - Ancient name of Egypt Egypt was first settled about 5000 B.C. (7000 years ago) by nomads

Egyptian Civilization developed because of the Nile River

Egyptian Geography
located in the northeast corner of Africa surrounded by natural barriers: desert mountains Mediterranean Sea

PROVIDED PROTECTION

The Nile River

Early people settled this area because of its location near a source of water. The Nile River Valley had virtually no rainfall of its own. Egypt was called "The Gift of the Nile" by Herodotus, a Greek historian.
flows north more than 4,000 miles into the Mediterranean Sea worlds longest river branches create a triangle shaped delta from deposited silt

The Important Uses of the Nile

1. Drinking & Bathing The Nile provided the daily necessities of life in Ancient Egypt Egyptians depended upon the annual flooding of the Nile

The Important Uses of the Nile

2. Agriculture

Inundation: June - October - SHAIT

time of rising flood waters farmers had time to build

Emergence: November - February- PIRUIT

the return of the water to the river planted crops & trapped water for irrigation

Drought: March - June - SHEMU

Harvest time

The Important Uses of the Nile

The Nile provided rich soil (from the silt) and water, producing three to four times more crops than regular rain-fed soil. - made farming very productive, created a surplus The Egyptians invented the shadouf to help distribute water to the fields.

The Egyptians invented the plow.

The Egyptians domesticated animals to assist in farming.

The Important Uses of the Nile

3. Transportation Egyptians built boats and traveled the Nile The Nile linked all Egyptians - encouraged community life Encouraged trade - used the surplus crops for barter

REVIEW
1. _____ Egypt was protected from invaders because: a. the Nile River flooded every year b. it was surrounded by natural barriers; desert, mountains, and the sea c. it was an island 2. _____ The Nile was important to the Egyptians for two main reasons: a. agriculture & transportation b. swimming & bathing c. fishing & water-skiing

REVIEW
3. _____ The flooding of the Nile River is known as: a. inundation b. emergence c. drought 4. _____ The Egyptians planted their crops during the time of the receding flood known as: a. inundation b. emergence c. drought 5. _____ The Egyptians harvested their crops during the time of: a. inundation b. emergence c. drought

REVIEW
6. _____ Egyptian farmers used irrigation to: a. water their crops b. make the soil more fertile c. control flood waters d. travel among the villages 7. _____ Transportation on the Nile was important to the Egyptian civilization because: a. it encouraged trade b. it linked all Egyptians c. both a & b

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BACK

VOCABULARY
nomads: a member of a people who have no fixed residence, but move from place to place usually seasonally and within a welldefined territory

BACK

VOCABULARY
delta: the alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river silt: loose sedimentary material with rock particles deposited by a river

UNIFICATION

Meness Upper Egypt army invades and conquers Lower Egypt

Menes (Narmer) Palette

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Pharaoh's Role in the Old Kingdom

Government
Pharaoh appointed powerful local leaders called governors Governors collected taxes and served as local judges Governors made sure local flood waters were shared equally Governors reported to the Pharaoh in Memphis.

Pharaoh's Role in the Old Kingdom

Religion
Egyptians believed that the Pharaoh was the child of Ra, the sun-god. Egyptians believed that Pharaoh gave life to Egypt & its people Egyptians worshipped the Pharaoh

Pharaoh's Role in the Old Kingdom

Economy
Pharaoh was the center of Egypt's economy. Egypt's economy was based on agriculture Surplus was distributed through taxes: Pharaoh collected a portion of crops for taxes. Craftworkers depended upon the Pharaoh for work. Temple upkeep was the responsibility of the government. Trade was the way in which Egyptians were paid for their services.

The Great Pyramids

Religious Beliefs Religion was at the center of Egyptian life Practiced polytheism worship of many gods Egyptian gods were often pictured as an animal or as a persons body with an animals head.

The Great Pyramids

Egyptian gods:
The story of Osiris & Isis is the basis for the Egyptian belief in the afterlife Osiris: gave Egypt civilization, was killed by his jealous brother, Seth, who scattered his body in the Nile.

Isis: wife of Osiris, gathered up his body parts and returned him to life.

Re (Ra): (Horus) Sun-god, recognized by all Egyptians, son of Osiris & Isis

AFTERLIFE
CENTRAL BELIEF IN EGYPTIAN LIFE
BELIEF
if the body was preserved, then the soul could continue to live

PRACTICE
Mummification-preserving the bodies of the dead by embalming, then wrapping them in linen - Mummies

The dry climate of Egypt helped to preserve the bodies naturally, at first. The Pharaoh was the first to be mummified artificially. During the Old Kingdom, only the Pharaoh's body went through the elaborate ritual of mummification. If the Pharaoh was preserved, then he would see all of his subjects safely to their afterlife.

Pyramids
Mastabas were first used as tombs.

Then, a chief architect, IMHOTEP, built the step pyramid of King Zoser.

This design gave way to the smooth sided pyramids of Giza.

Pyramids

The Great Pyramid

The Pyramids were considered "Houses of Eternity.

Tallest human-made structure until the Eiffel Tower in the 1800's

Took approximately 23 years to build All pyramids had to have a North-facing entrance, to align with the North Star. Built by farmers and other laborers during the Inundation (flood season)

Most stones weigh 2.5 tons, but some weigh up to 80 tons

Laborers used mud-slicked ramps to move the stones.

The Great Pyramid

The Great Pyramid

The Great Pyramid

The Great Pyramids

The Sphinx stands before the Pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre.

The Sphinx was carved from a single block of limestone left over in the quarry used to build the Pyramids.

The Sphinx is said to represent the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh.

The Great Pyramids

A System of Writing
The Ancient Egyptians had no separate word for art, their word for art was the word for writing. This Egyptian alphabet was made up of about 800 picture-symbols called HIEROGLYPHS.

The word HEIROGLYPHICS means sacred writing

A System of Writing
The Egyptians considered HIEROGLYPHS sacred and believed that they conveyed the words of the gods. HIEROGLYPHICS also helped to preserve the memory of deceased people. In order to keep track of government records, taxes, and the passage of time, the Egyptians developed a system of writing called HIEROGLYPHICS.

A System of Writing
PAPYRUS: The earliest form of paper Made from the papyrus reed that grew in the Nile The reeds would be criss-crossed and pounded down to a paper-like thickness.

A System of Writing
Not all Egyptians could read or write hieroglyphics: SCRIBES: Pharaohs record keepers Very Educated in reading, writing & math Highly respected Only boys could become SCRIBES A SCRIBES training started at the age of 10 SCRIBES used rolls of PAPYRUS to write on Only the SCRIBES used HIEROGLYPHICS.

A System of Writing
The Common people of Egypt used a form of writing called hieratic, a form of script writing. Eventually, the responsibility of reading & interpreting the HIEROGLYPHS fell to the priests. Even SCRIBES lost the ability to read the ancient symbols. By 400 AD, no one could read the HIEROGLYPHS anymore.

The Rosetta Stone

The Rosetta Stone was the key that unlocked the mysteries of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Napoleon's troops discovered it in 1799 The inscription is written on the stone three times, once in hieroglyphic, once in hieratic, and once in Greek. Jean Francois Champollion, a French Egyptologist, deciphered the hieroglyphic and hieratic texts by comparing them with the known Greek text. From this meager starting point, a generation of Egyptologists eventually managed to read most everything that remains of the Egyptians' ancient writings.

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VOCABULARY
Economy: the way in which the people of a country manage money and resources for the production of goods and services. PHARAOH
TEMPLES SURPLUS CRAFTWORKERS GOVERNEMNT BUILDING PROJECTS

TAXES

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The End of the Old Kingdom

The economy began to be strained by huge government building projects. People became unhappy with the pharaoh's demands for taxes to pay for these projects. Pharaoh Pepy III ruled for 92 years, he eventually lost control over the central government - local governors took over. This period without any pharaohs lasted about 150 years - there were foreign invasions and disorder during this time.

The Middle Kingdom

2100BC - 1700BC
Order was restored by Mentohotep:
strong military leader restored unity to Egypt moved the capital to Thebes took control of Nubia Nubian gold brought increased prosperity (economy improved)

The Middle Kingdom

2100BC - 1700BC
Egypt's contact with other parts of the world increased, bringing foreign goods and foreign ideas to the Egyptian civilization. Egyptian trade increased with Western Asia, creating a new wealthy class of "common people" - Middle Class Outside groups began moving into Egypt - Hyksos
REVIEW

Lesson 2 Review
1. _____________ The name for the kings of Ancient Egypt. 2. _____________ The man responsible for deciphering hieroglyphics.

3. _____________ The king who unified Egypt into one kingdom.

4. _____________ "Sacred Writing 5. _____________ The way people manage money & resources for the production of goods and services.

Lesson 2 Review
6. _______________ A professional writer of hieroglyphics who kept records & documents. 7. _______________ A reed plant that grows along the Nile, used for making paper scrolls. 8. _______________ A stone discovered in 1799 that helped to decipher hieroglyphics. 9. _______________ The joining of two separate parts into one. 10. _______________ The architect who built the first step pyramid
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HYKSOS
The Hyksos were "hill-people" from Western Asia, who invaded and took over Lower Egypt for 150 years. The Hyksos utilized superior bronze weapons, chariots, and bows to help them take control of Egypt. The Egyptians learned how to build chariots from the Hyksos. Within 50 years, they had managed to take control of the important Egyptian city of Memphis.
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Nubia
May have had a cultural impact on Egypt before 3200bc Located on the Upper Nile in the Sudan between modern day Egypt & Ethiopia. Its name is from the Egyptian word for "gold" "nub Very much influenced by Egyptians

Nubia
Accepted Egyptian religion & art Used hieroglyphics, but later developed their own writing Built pyramids to serve as tombs of kings & queens, but smaller & shaped differently than Egyptian pyramids. Eventually won independence from Egypt

Nubia
Skin color was not a determining factor in "race". If you lived as an Egyptian, you were Egyptian.

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Egyptian Capitals
Old Kingdom
Memphis

Middle Kingdom
Thebes

New Kingdom
Amarna Thebes

Today
Cairo
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Ancient Egyptian Society

A person's position in society depended on what he or she did for a living. SOCIAL PYRAMID- a diagram illustrating the divisions within a culture; usually showing the most powerful person or group at the peak and the least powerful groups at the bottom.
Nubian soldiers made up a large part of the pharaoh's army & police force. Syrian princes were government officials. Government Officials owned most of the land. Syrian & Nubian craftworkers worked side by side with the Egyptians.

SLAVERY - the practice of one person owning another person. Slavery was the lowest level in Ancient Egyptian society. Slaves came from the conquered lands of Nubia and Syria Slaves did the hardest work: Mined gold in Nubia Planted crops Dug canals Worked as house servants Egyptians bought slaves like merchandise. Slaves had the right to be treated fairly under the law. Slaves could own property.

Concept of Middle Class

The middle class are those people who have economic independence, but not a great deal of social influence or power.
PHARAOH
UPPER CLASS

TRADERS
MIDDLE CLASS

MERCHANTS

PROFESSIONALS
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PEASANTS & SLAVES

LOWER CLASS

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The New Kingdom

The defeat of the Hyksos by the pharaoh, Ahmose, began the New Kingdom During the New Kingdom, Egypt became an EMPIRE. Egypts economy now included goods from other lands. Expansion & Trade Lebanon & Syria: silver, timber, wine Greece (across the Mediterranean): olive oil Nubia gave access to other African kingdoms, traded ebony, leopard skins, and elephant ivory. Egypt also gained gold, copper, and other precious stones.
***Traded goods brought new types of furniture, jewelry, and other fine goods for the pharaoh and wealthy families.***

The New Kingdom Pharaohs

Hatshepsut One of Egypts few female pharaohs Expanded trade further than any other pharaoh Her biggest trading expedition was to Egypts neighbors in the south: PUNT Egypt gained gold, perfumes, ivory, leopard skins, and even live apes. Hatshepsuts stepson finally overthrew her and tried to erase all mention of her name from all records.

The New Kingdom Pharaohs

Akhenaton & Nefertiti
Amenhotep IV and his wife, Queen Nefertiti, tried to make Egypt worship only one god - Aton (monotheistic) Changed his name to Akhenaton "servant to Aton" Moved the capital from Thebes to Amarna in the north Ordered officials to destroy the images of old gods Changed the style of art in Egypt
This change angered priest who were considered representatives of the old gods. The priests had lost much of their power. When Akhenaton died, the old religion returned and the priests picked a new pharaoh that they could control - a boy king.

The New Kingdom Pharaohs

The Boy Pharaoh
King Tutankhamen was 9 years old when he was chosen to replace Akhenaton. The priests of Egypt controlled King Tut, who died when he was only 19 years old.

King Tutankhamens Tomb

Howard Carter, a British archeologist, discovered King Tut's tomb in 1922. The tomb contained everything Tut would need in the afterlife.

We know about the Egyptian belief in the Afterlife mainly through the discoveries made by archeologists, like Carter. Tombs which contained riches, food, and other worldly provisions told us that the Ancient Egyptians expected their dead to need these things in the "next life".

The New Kingdom

The Fall of the New Kingdom After Tut, Egypt began to lose power.
Egypt began to fight wars with the surrounding people in present-day Israel, Syria, and Turkey Their fiercest enemy was the Hittites Rameses II, a very strong pharaoh, made peace with the Hittites for 67 years and returned some prosperity to Egypt. In 525 BC the Persian army invaded and conquered Ancient Egypt - it never regained its previous glory.

Egypts Legacy
Moving Ideas
Ideas and skills were also traded throughout the Ancient World. The Egyptians made discoveries and advancements in medicine, mathematics, and astronomy.

Medicine In Egypt
Most Egyptian doctors were actually priests who learned their skills in temple schools. For centuries, various medical knowledge was recorded by scribes. Egyptians performed the first surgeries.

Math & Science

The Egyptians developed the mathematical rules necessary for building the pyramids. They used their knowledge of math to understand and study the stars. Pyramids had to be built facing true north determined by the positioning of the North Star. Identified five of the planets: stars that know no rest Understood the basic concept of an eclipse

These ideas and skills were spread to Egypts neighbors, their knowledge became famous. Egypt also gained knowledge from its neighbors Hyksos (metal-working, chariots) REVIEW

LESSON 3 REVIEW
1. ______________ The man who discovered a famous tomb in 1922. 2. ______________ This pharaoh ruled for 92 years and eventually lost control of the government to local governors at the end of the Old Kingdom 3. ______________ One of the few female pharaohs, she led famous a trading expedition. 4. ______________ He restored order & unity at the start of the Middle Kingdom.

LESSON 3 REVIEW
5. ______________ The boy king, he ruled only 10 years. 6. ______________ The pharaoh who tried to make Egypt believe in only one god.

7. ______________ The pharaoh who drove out the Hyksos at the end of the Middle Kingdom. 8. ______________ The "hill-people" from Western Asia, who invaded and took over Lower Egypt for 150 years.

LESSON 3 REVIEW
9. ______________ Egypt conquered this land for it's gold mines. 10. _____________ Lower Nubia, an ancient & wealthy kingdom that gave Egyptians access to trade routes into Southern African kingdoms. 11. _____________ Egypt traded for olive oil and silver with this civilization across the Mediterranean Sea. 12. _____________ A Southern Kingdom, believed to be present day Ethiopia or Somalia, to which the Egyptians traveled in a huge expedition to trade for gold, perfume, ivory, incense, and live apes. 13. _____________ The capital of Egypt during the Middle & New Kingdoms

LESSON 3 REVIEW
14. _____________ A group of people who go on a trip for a set reason. 15. _____________ A group of lands and people ruled by one government.

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Hittites
Originally from present day Turkey Invaded and warred with Egypt many times during the New Kingdom

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The Amarna Period

The Amarna Period

The Amarna Period

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EMPIRE
A group of lands and people ruled by one government Egypt created an empire by invading and then incorporating Nubia and other ancient city-states.
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WELCOME TO ANCIENT EGYPTS WHO WANTS TO BUILD THE BIGGEST PYRAMID?

RULES
Your team has three lifelines:
Phone a friend Consult the text Eliminate one answer

For each point you earn, your teams pyramid grows. The team with the highest pyramid wins.

1. Egypt was protected from invaders because: a. the Nile River flooded every year b. it was surrounded by natural barriers; desert, mountains, and the sea c. it was an island
2. The Nile was important to the Egyptians for two main reasons: a. agriculture & transportation b. swimming & bathing c. fishing & water-skiing 3. The flooding of the Nile River is known as: a. inundation b. emergence c. drought 4. The Egyptians planted their crops during the time of the receding flood known as: a. inundation b. emergence c. drought 5. The Egyptians harvested their crops during the time of: a. inundation b. emergence c. drought

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6. Egyptian farmers used irrigation to: a. water their crops b. make the soil more fertile c. control flood waters d. travel among the villages 7. Transportation on the Nile was important to the Egyptian civilization because: a. it encouraged trade b. it linked all Egyptians c. both a & b 8. The Rosetta Stone was an important discovery because: a. it was found in the Nile River by soldiers b. it was shaped like a rose c. it led to the translation of hieroglyphics 9. Hieroglyphics mainly helped the Egyptian scribes keep records of: a. taxes b. speeches c. flooding d. all of the above 10. This period of Egyptian history is also called the "Age of Pyramids" a. Old Kingdom b. Middle Kingdom c. New Kingdom

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11. In Egypt's Old Kingdom what did craftworkers receive in return for the objects that they made for the pharaohs? a. land b. money c. clothes & food 12. Trade & building an empire became very important to Egypt's growth during this period: a. Old Kingdom b. Middle Kingdom c. New Kingdom 13. This period of Egyptian history saw the rise of a Middle Class. a. Old Kingdom b. Middle Kingdom c. New Kingdom 14. The Middle Kingdom is best described as a time when Egypt: a. first developed a written language b. began to use irrigation techniques c. increased contact with other cultures 15. In Ancient Egypt most of the land and farms were owned by: a. hard-working farmers b. skilled craftworkers c. government officials

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