1. Objectives Students will discover how geography influenced Egypt’s early history. Students will apply the six themes of history when studying Egypt. Students will explore the contributions of the Egyptians to Math, Science, arts and trade. Main Idea Egypt was one of the most stable and long-lasting civilizations of the ancient world. Egypt

2. Geography of Egypt The Nile flooded every year –Predictable floodwaters with spring rains –Left rich, black silt Narrow band of fertile soil Became home of Egyptian civilization Geography and Early Egypt The Nile –Most important physical feature in Egypt –4,000 miles long; flows through the Sahara Desert Without the Nile’s waters, no one could live there.

3. Unification of Egypt Two kingdoms unified around 3100 BC Upper Egypt ruler Menes conquered north – Founded capital city of Memphis – Adopted both symbols, the snake and the vulture First of 31 dynasties Theme 1: Government of Egypt The Pharaohs The head of the government was the king Became known as pharaoh (“means great house”) Had great power because he was believed to be a god Egypt a theocracy, a state ruled by religious figures

4. Egyptian Bureaucracy Pharaoh could not rule Egypt alone Aided by bureaucracy, many of whom were pharaoh’s relatives Most powerful official was the vizier Hundreds of lesser officials kept Egypt running smoothly Old Kingdom collapsed around 2100 BC New dynasty began Middle Kingdom 2055 BC – Strong leadership brought stability – Trade with surrounding lands encouraged Trade routes not always safe – Fortresses built along the Nile – The Hyksos invaded, conquered around 1650 BC

6. Egypt expanded empire Fought campaigns in Nubia and Syria A new foe around 1250 BC Hittites invaded from Mesopotamia Ramses’ rule Reign marked with extravagant splendor Built more temples and monuments than other pharaohs Many political and artistic achievements Confrontation with Hittites Ramses the Great led army Accounts of battle vary, but two armies signed truce Ramses married Hittite princess and conflict ended Ramses the Great

7. Egyptians worshipped many gods “polytheism” Some from the earliest days of the Old Kingdom Believed that gods controlled all natural events Theme 2: Egyptian Religion Monotheism in Egypt Amenhotep IV, 1353 –Worshipped only one god, Aten –Banned worship of all other gods Built temple to Aten at Akhetaten The next pharaoh restored worship of traditional gods Tried to remove all traces of Amenhotep

8. Temples built to honor, provide homes for gods Ruins can still be seen in Egypt Features – Decorated with massive statues – Elaborate paintings, detailed carvings Obelisks – Tall, thin pillars with pyramid-shaped tops – Made from single piece of stone – Carved with intricate designs

9. Central to Egyptian religion was the belief in an afterlife, a land of the dead where souls would go to live. Because of this belief, Egyptians developed elaborate rituals regarding death and burial. Physical body dies, releases ka Ka was individual’s personality Ka needed food and drink to survive Sought to prevent decomposition so ka would not vanish Teachings Developed process to prevent breakdown of body Mummification only for kings, royal family at first Process available later to any who could afford Mummification Internal organs removed Heart left in body Body wrapped with linen strips Features painted on mummy to help ka recognize its body Process Mummification and Burial

10. Egyptians used the pulp of the papyrus plant that grew along the Nile to make paper like sheets. Many papyrus scrolls are still readable today. The main Egyptian writing system Uses picture symbols to represent objects formal writing, stone monuments, religious texts Difficult to learn, time consuming Hieroglyphics Theme 3: Egyptian Writing

11. Egyptian Writing Historians could not decipher hieroglyphs Rosetta Stone – Discovered near Nile Delta village of Rosetta in 1799 – Long passages of writing on the broken stone Same text in hieroglyphic, demotic and Greek – Using Greek as guide, hieroglyphs and demotic meanings revealed – Unlocked the mystery of Egyptian writing

12. Theme 4: Egyptian Math and Science Science Greatest scientific advances were in medicine Egyptians masters of human anatomy Doctors treated wounds, performed surgery, used medicines made from plants and animals Prescribed regimens of basic hygiene to prevent illness Math Egyptians had thorough understanding of basic arithmetic Also understood basic principles of geometry This along with grasp of engineering helped them build pyramids Buildings still standing, so skills were great

13. Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted more than 2,000 years and made many tremendous advances, particularly in art, literature and science. Very distinctive and easily distinguished from art of other ancient civilizations Paintings – Detailed and colorful – Stories of gods – Pictures of daily life – Most on walls of tombs, temples – Some in manuscripts Egyptian Art Statues – Large, imposing – Most show gods, pharaohs – Show power and majesty Great Sphynx, the largest and most famous Egyptian Statues Theme 5: Egyptian Art

14. Most famous symbols of Egypt Largest located near Giza Built as tombs for rulers – Hollow chamber for burial – Treasures buried with them – Deadly traps within Design changed to smooth-sided over time The Pyramids Took great planning and skill Ordered when kings took the throne Built from the inside out Not built by slaves – Peasants required to work one month per year – Professional craftspeople like architects, artists Building Pyramids

15. Theme 6: Egyptian Trade Pharaohs encouraged sailors and merchants to import goods from surrounding lands. Historians have found evidence that Egyptians traded with Nubians, Phoenicians, the Minoans of Greece.