First Civilizations: Africa and Asia Ancient Egypt/Sumerian Civilization Old Kingdom (2700 B.C B.C. )also known as Pyramid Age Middle Kingdom (2050 B.C B.C) Hyksos conquer Egypt New Kingdom (1550 B.C B.C.) Egypt gains power and then begins to decline*

Early Egyptian Rule Egyptians believe in:  Life after death  Pharaohs were viewed as gods  Caste system: - Pharaohs>High Priests and Priestesses> Nobles>Craftspeople and Merchants> Peasant farmers> Slaves*

Important Egyptian Term Hieroglyphics- used to keep records of Egyptian culture for thousands of years Mummification- process of preserving the dead Delta- triangle area formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of a river Satrap- governor of a province of the Persian empire Ziggurat- pyramid shaped temple built by the sumerians*

More terms and facts Papyrus- reed used to make paper-like material Sumer was made up of independent city-states The Epic of Gilgamesh is a poem recounting the adventures of a Sumerian hero The Code of Hammurabi was the first major collection of laws*

More facts about Egypt Egyptian society relied on the Nile River for much of its natural resources Most Egyptians were farmers The Phoenicians were responsible for spreading much of Middle Eastern civilization*

Important People Tutankhamon (King Tut)- pharaoh who died young and was made famous when his tomb was discovered Amon-Re- Egyptian sun god Hammurabi- ruler who published a code of laws to help unite his empire Hatshepsut- Egyptian queen who declared herself pharaoh Ramses II- pharaoh who spread Egyptian rule northward as far as Syria*

More Important People Osiris- god of the Nile and ruler of the underworld Moses- led enslaved Hebrews out of Egypt Zoroaster- Persian thinker who rejected the old gods and taught that a single god ruled the world Isis- wife of Osiris*

Even More Important People Sumerians- credited with creating the wheel Lydians- developed the first coined money Hittites- the first to work with iron Phoenicians- developed the first alphabet Babylonians- they created the first written code of laws*

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