Africa

Physical Features Nile River Niger River (North East Africa) North West Africa Nile River runs 4,160 miles 2 main sources are the white and blue nile rivers River flows from north to south Broken by 6 cataracts (rapids) Flood cycle enriched the soil and made agriculture possible

Physical Geography Features Deserts- dry, arid land with little to no water or vegetation(plants growing) Grasslands (called Savannas) Semi-arid land outside of a desert region. Seasonal rains Low vegetation Lots of animals Tropical Rainforests Heavy and consistent rainfall Hot & humid climate Abundance of vegetation & tall trees Animals

Physical Features 2 Major Lakes Victoria Chad

African Civilizations Egyptian

Egypt Agriculture began around 5450 (BCE) in the area. People changed from hunter-gathers to farmers Egyptians came to depend on the Nile River to grow crops and maintain livestock. The Nile floods each summer, bring more water for irrigation and new fertile soil to the river valley.

Egypt Other Natural Resources: Limestone Granite Egyptians use these stone resources to build their huge monuments and buildings Temple at Karnak

Egypt History

Egypt Historians split Egypt’s history into 3 main periods. The Old Kingdom The Middle Kingdom The New Kingdom

The Old Kingdom Namer (Menes) is the first Pharaoh of a united Egypt First pyramids are built during this period, they are royal tombs 2 social classes form Lower: peasants and farmers Upper: Pharaoh, royal family, priests, scribes, and government officials Egypt

Egypt The Great Sphinx We are still not sure who, when, or why It could have possibly been the Pharaoh Khafra, around 2500 BCE

Egypt Great Pyramids at Giza.

Eygpt Old Kingdom Pharaohs begin to lose power towards the end of the Old Kingdom, while Nobles begin to gain power. Power struggles lead to decline and the First Intermediate Period (time in between the Kingdoms)

Egypt The Middle Kingdom Golden Age of Egypt 2080BCE to 1780 BCE Was a time of general prosperity and stability for Egyptians This period came to an end with the Rise of the Hyksos. Nomads from Asia that gained power as the stability of the Middle Kingdom fell apart They had horse-drawn carriages and compound bows

Egypt New Kingdom Strong Leaders from Upper Egypt drive out the Hyksos around 1570 BCE A new line of Kings is established, based out of Thebes Built the Egyptian Empire Empire- a grouping of city-states under one Ruler

Egypt Rulers and Traditions

Notable Pharaohs Hatsheput 1503 BCE to 1482 BCE First Female Pharaoh. Ruled while her son was a child Maintained Egyptian Empire borders Often depicted as a man!

Notable Pharaohs Amenhotep IV Tries to bring Monotheism to Egypt Prays to the sun as the one and only god, Aton Changes his name to Akhenaton Wife is Nefertiti, son is Tutankhamun (Tut) This made him unpopular with the nobles and priests After his death, some tried to erase any signs of his existence.

Notable Pharaohs Tutankhamun The boy king. Came to the Throne when he was 9! Was not a strong or very important Pharaoh. The discovery of his intact tomb, with treasures, in 1922, is what made King Tut famous today. Unfortunately Tut’s body was almost completely destroyed by Archeologists trying to get the amulets and jewels in his wrappings.

Ramses II Last strong Pharaoh of Egypt Called Ramses the Great Could be the pharaoh during the exodus 1279 BCE to 1213 BCE (almost 70 years!!!)

Egypt Religion Polytheistic Believed all creatures had an afterlife. Amon-Re (creator), Osiris (king of the underworld), Isis (fertility)… over 1000 gods! Believed all creatures had an afterlife. Believed that the body must be preserved to have an afterlife Mummification.

Egypt Valley of the Kings tombs were built for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt.

Egypt Valley of the Kings It contains some 60 tombs, starting with Thutmose I and ending with Ramses X or XI. Workers lived in a city called Deir el Medina just a few miles away.

Egypt Architecture: Pyramids Temples Irrigation networks Sculptures and statues

Contributions and Achievements Egypt Contributions and Achievements

Egypt Scribes They were like clerks that recorded information. They were also among the only people that could read and write in the civilization

Egypt Writing Hieroglyphics They are pictures that represent sounds Egyptians had invented papyrus, a type of paper, which they used to write on. The cartouche: These are hieroglyphics that represent someone’s name.

We know what hieroglyphics say because of the discovery of the Rosetta Stone. It contains the same story written in 3 different languages. This allowed archeologists to decipher hieroglyphics using a know language to compare it to.

Egypt Other achievements- First Calendar with 12 months Number system based on 10 Used herbs and medicines to help the sick Middle class began to form Trade and farming were important to merchants.

African Civilizations aka The Black Pharoahs Kush (Nubia)

Nubia Located between the Red Sea and the Nile Important trade routes passed through the area. Nubia was located in the upper region of Egypt and at one time ruled by the Egyptian Pharaohs.

Nubia Nubia was the iron capital of the Ancient World Traded: Gold, ivory, ebony and ostrich feathers.