Pyramids on the Nile KEY IDEA The earliest civilization in Africa arose along the Nile River. A ruler called the pharaoh brought people together in a united kingdom

The Geography of Egypt Another civilization arose along the banks of the Nile River of East Africa. The Nile flows to the north, toward the Mediterranean Sea. It, too, floods each year, and the waters leave rich soil on the river banks. The change from fertile soil (Black Land) to desert (Red Land) was so abrupt that a person could stand with one foot in each. There the people of ancient Egypt grew food and began to build their own culture.

The Gift of Yearly Flooding The flooding of the Nile was very predictable unlike the flooding of the rivers in Mesopotamia. Farmers were able to accurately predict the floods and take full advantage of the fertile soil. They could grow 3 crops a year. The River was so important to the Egyptians that they worshipped the river as a god.

Upper and Lower Egypt For many centuries, the people of Egypt lived in two kingdoms, Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. Lower Egypt extended from the Nile’s marshy delta region north to the Mediterranean, just 100 miles away. For most of their history, Egyptians only knew this region. Upper Egypt began at the Nile delta and extended south to the Nile’s first area of churning rapids (cataracts).

Transportation System The Nile provided a reliable system for transportation between Upper and Lower Egypt. For northward travel, boats would drift with the current toward the Mediterranean Sea. For southward travel, sailboats were used to capture the prevailing winds of the region which blew from north to south.

Transportation Technology

Environmental Challenges Farming along the Nile was much more prosperous than farming along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers because of the predictable flooding cycle of the Nile. The flooding of the Nile did not always insure prosperity. Some years too little flooding occurred which resulted in starvation, while in other years, the flooding was too great resulting in death and destruction.

Protection of the Deserts The deserts on either side of the Nile river provided a natural barrier between Egypt and other lands. There was a reduction in contact with outsiders and invaders. Egypt was spared the constant warfare experienced by the people of Mesopotamia.

Movement of Goods and Ideas By 3200 B.C., Egyptians were coming in contact with the people of Mesopotamia. It is at this time when ideas of Sumerian civilization were adopted by the Egyptians. At first, the cultures became blended but over time, a very unique Egyptian culture emerged.

Egypt Unites into a Kingdom By 3200 B.C., Egypt was ruled by two kings; one ruled over Upper Egypt while another ruled over Lower Egypt. In 3100 B.C. King Menes of Upper Egypt united the kingdom and blended the royal crowns representing both region. He established his capital at Memphis and the dynastic period begin in Egypt.

King Menes Unites Egypt

In the years between 2660 and 2180 B.C.(Old Kingdom), the basic marks of the culture of Egypt arose. It is during this time that the great pyramids are built as tombs for the pharaohs. Ruling over the land was the pharaoh, who was not only a king but also seen as a god. Pharaohs believed that they had an eternal spirit that allowed them to rule the land after their death. So these kings built themselves magnificent tombs

Egyptian Religion Egyptians spent their lives preparing for death. They had a very pleasant concept of the afterlife. Mummification of the body was done to preserve the body for use in the afterlife. One god, they thought, weighed the hearts of each dead person. Hearts judged heavy with sin were eaten by a beast. Good people, with feather-weight hearts, would live forever in a beautiful Other World. This was a brighter outlook of the afterlife than the Sumerian afterlife.

Egyptian Social Divisions The pharaoh and his family were at the top of Egyptian society. Below them were people of wealth who owned large amounts of land, the priests, and members of the government and army. Then came the middle class—merchants and people who worked in crafts. At the base were the peasants. In later times, the Egyptians had slaves. People could move from one rank of society to another. Those who could read and write held important positions.

Pharaoh & Family Priests and Gov’t Officials Middle class- merchants and craftsmen Slaves Egyptian Social Structure

Egyptian Writing The Egyptians, like the Sumerians, developed a way of writing. They used pictures to stand for sounds. The pictures could be put together to make words and sentences. At first they wrote on stone, but later they began to make a kind of paper out of a water plant (papyrus).

The Rosetta Stone The Rosetta Stone was key to unlocking the ancient Egyptian language. It was found in 1799 by French soldiers. It had inscriptions in three languages, one being Greek. Scholars used their knowledge of Greek to decode the message on the stone.

Egyptian Technology The Egyptians a calendar that had 12 months, each of which had 30 days.

Important Egyptian Inventions Geometry for setting property boundaries after the annual floods Columns used inside homes 365-day calendar based on the movement of the stars. 12 months of 30 days + five days for feasting. Medicine and surgery

Chariot Riders Invade Egypt After 2180 B.C., the pharaohs lost power. Egypt went through a time of troubles until strong rulers once again took control. They ruled for four centuries until the land fell prey to the Hyksos, invaders in 1640 B.C.

Hyksos Rule Egypt The Hyksos ruled Egypt for 70 years. This time is called the “Second Intermediate Period”. In 1570 B.C., the pharaohs regained control and established the New Kingdom.

Egyptian Time Line Old Kingdom: 2660 BC –2180 BC Building of the Egyptian civilization, pyramids. 1 st Intermediate Period: 2180 BC – 2080 BC Time of chaos and turmoil Middle Kingdom: 2080 BC – 1640 BC Building of dykes to control floodwaters, and irrigation systems 2 nd Intermediate Period : 1640 BC-1570 BC Hyksos invasion and occupation New Kingdom: 1570 BC – 1075 BC

Answer these Questions 1.What was the main difference between the flooding of the Nile and that of the rivers in Mesopotamia? 2.What were the main achievements of the ancient Egyptians? 3.What effects did the geography of the region have on the Egyptian civilization? Restate the question and answer in complete sentences