Ancient Egypt © 2000 Wadsworth / Thomson Learning

Standard Divisions of Egyptian Political History:  Early Dynastic Period (1-2)= BC  Old Kingdom (3-6)= BC –Great Pyramid built by Khufu, circa 2540 BC  1 st Intermediate Period (7-10)= BC  Middle Kingdom (11-12)= BC  2 nd Intermediate Period (13-17)= BC –Hyksos domination  New Kingdom (18-20)= BC –Imperial expansion into Palestine  Post Empire (21-31)= BC –Cleopatra=last ruler

Egyptian Society  King considered divine (son of Re), but power actually limited –Pharaoh (“palace”) came to be king’s title –Principle of Ma’at: spiritual necessity of truth, justice, right order & harmony –Vizier = chief steward who ran bureaucracy –22 provinces (nomes) in Upper Egypt & 20 in Lower Egypt, ruled by governors  3 classes: –Nobles & priests –Merchants & artisans –serfs

Egyptian Worker’s House

Family Life  Monogamy was general rule, unless wife was childless (except for Pharaoh)  Women had equal legal rights, but denied education  At least 1 female Pharaoh: Hatshepsut Hatshepsut’s Temple

Egyptian Religion  Myth of Osiris’ death & resurrection was basis for belief in afterlife  Heart weighed against feather of ma’at  Mummification preserved body so spirit (ka) could continue life  Pyramids = royal tombs Anubis Opening the Mouth

Great Pyramid of Giza

Hieroglyphics

New Kingdom  Amenhotep III ( BC) – empire reaches its height  Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten ( BC) tried to introduce monotheism  Tutankhamen ( BC) restored traditional religion  Ramses II ( BC) reconquered Palestine