Ancient Egypt Objective 2.1- Objective 2.1- Compare how different geographical issues of the ancient period influenced settlement, trading, networks, and the sustainability of various ancient Civilizations

Life in Ancient Egypt Life centered around the Nile river Yearly floods brought nutrients to the soil The river was a main route of travel

“Egypt is the gift of the Nile” -Herodotus 3

Egyptian Timeline Old Kingdom (2700-2150) Middle Kingdom (2040-1786) Hieroglyphics and religion develop in Egypt pyramids built Middle Kingdom (2040-1786) extension of Egyptian control into Nubia New Kingdom (1570-1075) militaristic - Hebrews enslaved mummification perfected 4

Social Pyramid of Egypt Pharaoh- Egyptian King Upper Class Royal Family, Government Officials, Army Officers, Priests, Landowners, and Doctors Middle Class Merchants, Manufacturers, and Artisans or skilled laborers Lower Class Unskilled Laborers and Farmers Slaves and Servants

The Pharaoh God-King - unlike Mesopotamia Pharaoh’s cities did not have walls-unlike Mesopotamia Religious significance direct descendant of the Sun god controls access to the afterlife July-Sept, during floods life is controlled by the Pharaoh 365 day calendar. 6

IV. Farmers in Egypt 7

Egyptian Religion Polytheism Death and Funerals EXAMPLES About 2000 gods & goddesses EXAMPLES Amon-Ra (Creator God) Osiris (God of the Dead) Horis (Sky God) Death and Funerals Three souls “ka, ba, and akh” Embalming Burial Tombs

Ka, Ba, Akh Egyptians believed that humans possessed a ka, or life-force, which left the body at the point of death. In life, the ka received its sustenance from food and drink. Each person also had a ba, the set of spiritual characteristics unique to each individual.[30] Unlike the ka, the ba remained attached to the body after death. Egyptian funeral rituals were intended to release the ba from the body so that it could move freely, and to rejoin it with the ka so that it could live on as an akh. However, it was also important that the body of the deceased be preserved, as the Egyptians believed that the ba returned to its body each night to receive new life, before emerging in the morning as an akh.

Egypt’s Economy Pharaoh was at the center of the economy Based upon Agriculture Pharaoh took taxes on the crops that were grown, and goods that were made Goods were “bartered” or traded for other needed goods

A System of Writing Hieroglyphics Used to keep record Scribes Record keepers Original Accountants Papyrus Paper made from plants Rosetta Stone Transcribed Hieroglyphics, Greek, and Demotic

IV. Hieroglyphics Language is written without letters Different pronunciations MNFR as Memphis SR as Osiris TTMS as either Thutmose, Thutmosis, Tatmusa or Atithmese Who learns this writing style? 12

Building the Pyramids Built as tombs for the Pharaohs Afterlife Housed everything needed for the Paraoh Khufu’s pyramid Total number of blocks 2,300,000 One block’s average weight 2.5 tons Number of blocks added each day 285 Tall as a 45 story building

Daily Life in Egypt Cosmetics, cleanliness (bath 3 times a day), shaved bodies, wigs main food is beer and bread Grow many crops: emmer, barley, flax, lentils, onion, beans, and millet common building made of sun-dried mud bricks - up to three stories in height Four social classes - slaves on the bottom Most common job … farming 14

Children in Egypt RICH Children of Pharaoh swam in palace pools Learned their parents trade Spun tops, and played games POOR Swam in canals Worked alongside their parents Little time to play Daily chores

End of Ancient Egypt The Egyptian Civilization lasted over 2000 years. After 1100 B.C. the civilization declined. Eventually The Greeks would conquer under the leadership of Alexander the Great.