Chapter 5: Ancient Egypt and Kush

How does geography influence the way people live? Lesson 1: The Nile River How does geography influence the way people live?

The Nile River Valley Occurring at the same time as Mesopotamia Egypt = Northern Nile Valley Kush = Southern Nile Valley Valley civilizations Hunter-Gatherers from Africa and Southwest Asia Built villages and began farms along Nile’s banks Egyptians called the area Kemet Means “black land” due to the rich soil Egyptian ruins Pyramids and the Sphinx Survived due to hot, dry climate Very little water

The Gift of the River For drinking and bathing For growing crops The “Creator of all good” and “Lifeblood” of Egypt Two separate rivers Blue Nile in the snowy mountains White Nile in the tropics Meet just south of Egypt Cataracts - The Nile: Then and Now

A Protected Land Nile created a valley Ends in a fan-shaped area of fertile marshland - delta Borders the Libyan Desert (part of the Sahara) and the Eastern Desert “Red lands” Kept Egypt isolated Cataracts, delta marshes protected Rarely invaded Peaceful civilization Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea provided trade Used wind patterns to travel and trade

People of the River Flooding was seasonal and predictable Farming Floods in Summer Normal in late fall Left silt Farming Wheat, barley, and flax Irrigated crops during dry season Canals connected to basins Shadoof - lifts water from Nile Used geometry to measure land Papyrus - reed plant used to make paper

Writing First were thousands of symbols that represented objects and ideas Later, represented sounds Combination of pictures and sound symbols - hieroglyphics Used on stone walls and monuments Few could read Scribes could and worked in government and businesses Used simpler text on papyrus

Uniting Egypt Trade lead to influences from other cultures Life and Government Forming kingdoms Needed government Organize farms and trade Oversee irrigation systems Process of storing and distributing food Conflicts over land ownership Small villages merged to make small kingdoms with kings Weaker kingdoms fell under control of stronger ones By 4000 BCE, Egypt was two kingdoms Upper and Lower

Narmer Menes King of Upper Egypt Conquered Lower Egypt Married a Lower Egyptian princess Unified the two kingdoms Memphis as capital city Hierarchy Family rule - Dynasty 30 dynasties over 3 time periods Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom

Lesson 2: Life in Ancient Egypt What makes a culture unique?

Egypt’s Early Rulers A Political Leader Built cities, increased trade, unified government Ruler was both religious and political Theocracy King later called a Pharaoh “Great House” Held total power Subjects extremely loyal Pharaoh appointed bureaucrats - government officials Carried out pharaoh’s orders Pharaoh distributed land to officials Son of Re (Sun God) Participated in ceremonies

Religion in Egypt Worshipped many gods and goddesses Controlled natural forces and human activities Two crucial gods Re (controlled the sun) Hapi (the river god) Gods Osiris - An early pharaoh who gave people laws and taught farming Isis - His wife Together they ruled the underworld Thoth - God of learning

The Afterlife Life after death would be better The Book of the Dead Prayers and magic spells Pharaoh’s soul resided in his body Body had to be protected Continued to rule from the afterlife Later, everyone’s souls and bodies were important Began embalming bodies Wealthy were placed in tombs Poor were in caves or in the sand Animals were sacred Basic Medical Skills Sutures and broken bones First to use splints, bandages, and compresses First medical “books” on papyrus scrolls

Pyramid Tombs Pyramids were great tombs for the pharaohs Protected the bodies from floods, animals, and robbers All the pharaoh’s belongings were buried with him to take to the afterlife How were they built? Textbook pg 113 - 115 Create a graphic organizer as a group

Daily Life

How the Egyptians Lived Project Create a reality show episode about one of the social levels of Egypt as well as family life 6 groups of 5 students 2-5 minutes long Pharaoh Upper class Middle class Farmers Unskilled workers Families

Lesson 3: Egypt’s Empire Why do civilizations rise and fall?

A Golden Age Pharaohs in Memphis weakened Conquests The Arts Nobles fought over control for 200 years A new dynasty came into power Moved capital to Thebes Began the Middle Kingdom Conquests Expanded to Nubia and Syria Grew in wealth from tributes Added more farmland Built canal between Nile and Red Sea Easier trade route The Arts Painted walls of temples and tombs Carved into limestone

The Hyskos Civil war began in 1900s BCE Weakened Middle Kingdom Hyskos came from Asia New ways of warfare Horse drawn chariots, bronze and iron weapons Ruled Egypt for 100 years Egyptians disliked the Hyskos Learned to use their weapons and fought back Ahmose - Egyptian prince Drove out the Hyskos Began the New Kingdom