Egypt

Preview & Processing What do you think of when you think of Egypt? What river runs through Egypt? What is considered the gift of the Nile? Who was Herodotus? Can you name at least one Egyptian ruler?

Facts about the Nile 4100 miles long Flooding predictable: June=flood Oct.=rich soil Herodotus called the silt the “Gift of the Nile” Worshipped as a god

Pop. Lived close to Nile bec. deserts on both sides of the territory –Libyan (Sahara) and Arabian –Helped to keep invaders out Farming villages: nomes wh = agric. district w/ own gov’t N. & S. Egypt w/ separate rulers

Egypt United 3200 BCE there were 2 Egypt's w/ 2 kings; upper and lower 3100 BCE Menes = upper Egypt Memphis –Egyptian dynasties are born HW: What colors and symbols did Menes place on his newly unified crown?

The Kingdoms of Egypt Old, Middle, New Old Kingdom ( BCE) –Pyramids Lgest. In Giza: 481 ft tall and covers 13 acres Built by peasants and slaves 80 still standing

–Pharaohs=gods –Immortal –Ka: rule from grave wh/ = need for pyramid –1 st illness = Pharaoh's power doubted

Middle Kingdom ( BCE) –Capt. Moved from Memphis to Thebes –Phar. Concerned w/ common people 1.Dug canals for trade 2.Channeled Nile for irigation 3.Drained swamps for farm land 4.Everyone w/ afterlife (no longer just for Pharaohs)

–2 nd illness 70 yrs of civil War Invaders came to Egypt Hyksos “rulers of the uplands” 1.Make bronze 2.Wage war from horse down chariots 3.New kind of bow 4.New technique of spinning & weaving

Hyksos defeated by Pharaoh Kamose New Kingdom ( BCE) –Wealth & power –Pharaohs buried beneath desert cliffs –Tutankhamen –Queen Hapshepsut (1478 BCE) –Rames II ( BCE) 99:150 Temples w/ own likeness

Ramses II

–Need to build empire –Battle of Kadesh Hittites “brothers forever” official tie Ended E’s dominate power Over time E. would be controlled by the Assyrians, Persians Greeks and Romans

Daily life in Egypt Social Classes 1.Nobles: gov. generals, tax collectors, preist, etc. Women: property trade marriage, divorce Homes: gardens, wading pools

2.Peasants Wall painting in tombs Hard work on “borrowed land,” high taxes Tombs, dams, canals Social mobility Pharoah’s service (i.e. army) Read & write Men & women

3.Slaves Homes or gold mines Religion Maat: live a good life; in search of truth & justice Osiris (god of the dead) –Weigh heart –Devourer of the Souls –After life: nothing changed

Priest –Magical charms, chants: Book of the Dead –More power, slaves & land than pharaohs Akhenaton = Aton only = monotheism Tutankhamun = Amun (Amon) & return to polytheism

Education –Writing: hieroglyphics “sacred carvings” 1799 Rosetta Stone Papyrus: reed = paper

The Rosetta Stone

–Arithmetic, geometry, surveying –Calendar: Sirius: 365 days, 12 mos. Of 30 days + 5 for holydays & festivals –Medicine: heartbeat, broken bones, mummification