1. Ancient Egypt 5000 B.C. to 3000 B.C. Chapter 2 Section 1 Pages 38-46

2. Vocabulary Cataract Delta Papyrus Hieroglyphics Dynasty Narrow cliffs and boulders in the Nile that form wild rapids. An area of fertile soil found at the mouth of a river. A reed plant that grew along the shores of the Nile. It was used to make paper. Egyptian writing system made up of hundreds of symbols that stood for objects or ideas. A line of rulers from the same family.

3. Settling The Nile The Egyptian civilization began in the fertile Nile River Valley, where natural barriers discouraged invasions A Mighty River Egyptians relied on the Nile River for water to: Drink Bathe Farm Cook Clean The Nile is the world’s longest river, approximately 4,000 miles. It flows North to the Mediterranean Sea. It contains narrow cliffs and boulders that form rapids called cataracts.

4. A Sheltered Land The Nile forms branches near the Mediterranean Sea. These branches fan out over an area of fertile soil called a delta. Deserts unfold on both sides of the Nile Valley. To the west is the vast Sahara, the largest desert in the world. To the east is the Eastern Desert. The ancient Egyptians referred to the deserts as “the Red Land” because of the burning heat.

5. A Sheltered Land (cont.) These deserts could not support farming or human life, but they were useful. They kept outside armies away. The Nile’s cataracts blocked enemy boats from reaching Egypt. The delta marshes kept invaders from approaching from the sea. Because of the natural barriers Egypt was able to grow and prosper. Egyptians were able to trade with people outside Egypt because of the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Egyptian villages used the Nile for trade and transportation and had friendly relations with each other.

6. The River People The Egyptians depended on the Nile’s floods to grow their crops The Nile floods were more dependable and gentle than those of the Tigris and Euphrates. The Egyptians were able to farm and live securely. From July – October the Nile flooded leaving behind dark, fertile mud that the Egyptians referred to as Kemet, “the dark land.” Regular Flooding

7. How Did Egyptians Use the Nile? Egyptians were successful farmers. They planted: wheat, barley, and flax seeds They used irrigation wisely. They dug basins to trap water. Then dug canals to carry the water from the basins to the fields. They also built dikes to strengthen the basin walls. http://egypt56.wikispaces.com

8. A Shadoof Egyptian farmers developed other technology to help them work. They used a shadoof, a bucket attached to a long pole, to lift water from the Nile to the basins. Many Egyptian farmers still use this device today. http://wallpapers.istvanberta.eu

9. Early Egyptians developed geometry to survey, or measure, land. When floods washed away boundary markers they used geometry to resurveyed the field. Papyrus, a reed plant that grew along the Nile was used to make: Baskets Sandals River rafts Later papyrus was used to make paper.

10. What Were Hieroglyphics? Egyptians developed their own system of writing called hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics was made up of hundreds of picture symbols. Some symbols stood for objects or ideas Other symbols stood for sounds Scribes carved hieroglyphics onto stone walls and monuments. For everyday use they invented a simpler script and wrote on papyrus.

11. Hieroglyphics In ancient Egypt, few people could read and write. However, some men went to special schools in Egyptian temples to study reading and writing and learn to become scribes. Scribes kept records and worked for rulers, priests, and traders. http://apworldhistory-rochester-k12-mi-us.wikispaces.com

12. A United Egypt Egypt grew enough food to have a surplus (extra) so people were freed to work as artisans instead of farmers. These artisans: Wove cloth Made pottery Carved statues Shaped copper into weapons and tools As more goods became available, Egyptians traded with each other. Some traded as far away as Mesopotamia. While there they picked up new ideas about writing and government.

13. The Rise of Government Advances in farming, crafts, and trade created a need for government. Irrigation systems had to be maintained. Surplus grain had to be stored. Disputes over land ownership and to be settled. The earliest rulers were village chiefs. A few strong chiefs united groups of villages into small kingdoms. Strong kingdoms overpowered smaller ones. By 4000 B.C., Egypt was made up of two large kingdoms, Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt.

14. A United Egypt Around 3100 B.C., Egypt’s two major kingdoms, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, were combined into one. http://mrbrunken.happykidsschool.com.tw/middl eschool/news/ancientegyptmaps

15. Egypt’s Ruling Families About 3100 B.C., the two kingdoms united to become one. Credit for this belongs to Narmer, also known as Menes (MEE-neez). As king of Upper Egypt, he led his armies north and took control of Lower Egypt. Narmer ruled from Memphis.

16. The Crown of Egypt To symbolize unity Narmer wore a double crown: the helmet-like white crown which represented Upper Egypt, and the open red crown representing Lower Egypt. Yozzer.com

17. Dynasties and Kingdoms Narmer’s united kingdom survived long after his death. Members of his family passed the ruling power from father to son to grandson. Such a line of rulers from one family is called a dynasty. Over time ancient Egypt was ruled by 31 dynasties. Historians group Egypt’s dynasties into three main time periods: The Old Kingdom The Middle Kingdom The New Kingdom Each marked a long period of strong leadership and stability.

18. Comparing Mesopotamia to Egypt MesopotamiaEgypt Natural Defenses:Flat mud plains; fewMany defenses: Nile delta natural defensesSahara and Eastern Deserts and cataracts Rivers:Tigris and EuphratesNile River Floods:Unpredictable, and a constantDependable and regular Threat to the people.Not feared Economy:Farming and tradeFarming and trade Government:City-state led by kinds andVillages led by chiefs, than united Eventually empires formedinto kingdoms; kingdoms later united and ruled by pharaohs Work of Artisans:Metal, pottery, clothmetal, pottery, cloth Advances:Cuneiform writingHieroglyphic writing Number system based on 60number system based on 10, fractions 12-month calendar365-day calendar Wagon wheel, plow, sailboatMedicine and first medical books

19. Early Egyptian Life Egyptian society was divided into social groups based on wealth and power. A diagram of the social groups in Egyptian society looks like a pyramid. At the top is the king and his family. The next level was a small upper class of priests, army commanders, and nobles. Next came the skilled middle-class people, such as traders, artisans, and shopkeepers. At the bottom was the largest group – unskilled workers and farmers.

20. Egyptian Social Classes http://socialstudiesextensions.wikispaces.com/Tour+Egypt

21. Egypt’s Social Classes Upper Class Priests, nobles, and other wealthy Egyptians who worked as government officials. Lived in cities, on large estates along the Nile. Had elegant homes with beautiful gardens. Had servants. Middle Class Ran businesses and produced goods. Lived in smaller homes Artisans formed an important group within the middle class. They produced linen cloth, jewelry, pottery, and metal goods.

22. Social Classes (cont.) Farmers made up the largest group. Some rented land from their ruler, paying with a portion of their crops. Most worked the land of the nobles. Lived in simple one-room huts. Simple diet of bread, beer, vegetables, and fruit. Many city dwellers were unskilled workers who did physical labor. Unloading cargo from ships Making and stacking mud bricks They lived in crowded city neighborhoods in small mud-brick homes with dirt floors. On flat rooftops they played and slept, and the women worked at drying fruit, making bread, and weaving.

23. Family Life Men The father was head of the family. Women Could own and pass on property Buy and sell goods Make wills Obtain divorces Upper class women were in charge of temples and could perform religious ceremonies.

24. Children Mothers taught their daughters to sew, cook, and run the household. Boys learned farming or skilled trades from their fathers. Few Egyptians sent their children to school. Egyptian children played with board games, dolls, spinning tops, and stuffed leather balls.

26. Review Questions What was Egypt’s physical setting like? What crops did the ancient Egyptians grow? What is a dynasty? Who made up the largest group in Egyptian society? Along the Nile was a narrow green valley. To either side was desert. Wheat, barely, and flax seeds. A line of rulers from one family. Farmers