Bell Ringer: Why were the pyramids built (culturally)? Who built them? What were they used for? Turn in homework- Vocabulary handout- Due: Tuesday 9/28/10 Unit Essential Question: How did geography shape the economic and political institutions of Egypt and Nubia? Homework : Read pgs:89-94 Answer the ‘Examining the Issues’ questions on page 88

 Everything in Egypt centered around the Nile River  Annual floods provided fertile silt for growing crops  Floods very predictable / unlike Mesopotamia  Upper and Lower Egypt  Upper Egypt is the elevated southern region  Lower Egypt is the recessed northern delta  Winds blow south, river flows north – aids transportation

 Source – Lake Victoria  Rain and melting snow cause flooding  Flooding very regular  June – October Nile flooded  Floods provide fertile soil “Gift of the Nile”  Cataracts  Rapids prevent travel south of Aswan  Prevents trade with Nubia

 Early Civilization in Ancient Egypt  Isolated by deserts / prevents invasions  Nomes  Small agricultural districts  Nomes are united by early kings  Trade with Mesopotamia evident

 3200 B.C. two kingdoms of Nomes  Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt  Narmer  United Upper and Lower Egypt 3200 B.C.  Combined crown as symbol of power  Memphis - Capital city of Old Kingdom  Built where Upper Egypt meets Lower Egypt  Established 1 st Egyptian dynasty

 3200 B.C. Lower & Upper Egypt united by King Narmer  Memphis-capital city, first dynasty Pharaohs Rule as Gods  Rulers believed to be divine (to be gods): theocracy  Different from Mesopotamia who believed rulers were sent by god

 Pyramids served as eternal resting places  Built from granite and limestone  Replenishment of Ka (eternal life force) leads to mummification  Pharaohs and elites buried with possessions

  eature=related eature=related

 Egyptian’s were polytheistic (like Mesopotamians) – more than 2,000 gods  The Nile’s cycle is viewed as a cycle of life  Reborn every year bringing new life  Re, god of the sun  Osiris, god of the dead  Anubis, god of underworld  Afterlife consisted of a judgment: (Unlike Mesopotamia’s dark view of afterlife)  Pure souls would enter the afterlife: weigh less than a feather  Sinful souls would be consumed by a fierce beast  Souls purified by priests reciting the Book of the Dead

 Egyptian Society  Three dominant social classes: Upper, Middle, & Lower  Social mobility possible through marriage or military  Women given many of the same rights as men  Think-Pair-Share: 5 minutes   Read Pg. 40 Section ‘Life in Egyptian Society’  With your partner, write in your notes at least 5 examples of how the Egyptians excelled in astronomy, calendar development, geometry, architecture, & medicine

 Egyptians used a Hieroglyphic form of writing  Written on papyrus paper – not stone or clay tablets  Tomb paintings give insight to the daily and spiritual lives of the Egyptians  The paintings depicted special events in the person’s life.  oglyphs/introduction.html oglyphs/introduction.html  On your paper use the hieroglyphics to spell out your name, then use symbols and pictures to create a tomb painting that illustrates at least 5 aspects of your life and/or beliefs

 1640 B.C. Egypt conquered by the Hyksos  Hyksos ruled Egypt for 100 years  Hebrews Migrate into Egypt during the period of Hyksos rule / obtained high positions of honor