Government of Ancient Egypt Mrs. DelGrosso/ Ms. West

Why is government necessary? Turn and talk with a partner and discuss why a government is essential for a civilization

Early Government In the earliest days of Ancient Egypt, there were villages with chiefs in charge Over time, chiefs united villages into kingdoms

Rise of power By 4000 B.C.E., two kingdoms overpowered others: the kingdom of Lower Egypt and the kingdom of Upper Egypt By 3100 B.C.E., the two kingdoms united to become one under a man named Narmer (sometimes known as Menes)

Why would he want to unite Lower and Upper Egypt? To have control over the fertile land Because a united country would be stronger than two separate lands

Narmer’s legacy Narmer became the first pharaoh – an all-powerful king http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/egyptianpharaohs/

Keeping it in the family After Narmer passed away, the power remained in his family Dynasty: A line of rulers from one family Ancient Egypt was ruled by 32 dynasties

What type of government was Ancient Egypt Egypt was both a monarchy and a theocracy A monarchy is a government where the king has all of the power A theocracy is a government where the king has all of the political power AND religious power

Job Description of a Pharaoh They created all laws They hired officials to make sure irrigation canals and grain storage places were built and repaired They made sure crops were planted They controlled trade They collected tax payments of grain from farmers They directed temples to be built and helped with religious ceremonies They were in charge of the army

Why did people respect the pharaoh? They respected the pharaoh because they believed a strong leader was important They also thought he was the son of the Egyptian sun god, Ra

Vizier The vizier was the second in command. He was the “right hand man” to the pharaoh He helped the pharaoh with anything that was needed He was also the highest judge in the court Many officials like scribes and tax collectors would report to the vizier

How do historians organize the history of Egypt? They divided ancient Egyptian history into three periods: Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom that range over 1,500 years. Read the article with a partner and highlight two important facts about each period of time Then, record what you find on your timeline

Old Kingdom 2700 – 2200 B.C.E. During this period, the Egyptians focused on making pyramids Pyramids became known as one of Egypt’s greatest legacies. Legacy: A gift left from a period of time

Middle Kingdom 2100 – 1800 B.C.E. Egypt became stronger Egyptians achieved a great deal in literature, art and architecture

New Kingdom 1500 – 100 B.C.E. The Egyptians became a world power They conquered many other nations