1. Ancient Egypt
"The Gift of the Nile"

2. Ancient Egypt: Why so stable?
Ancient Egypt lasted for 3500 years due to factors in:
Geography
Government
Social structure
Education
Economy
Religion
= Stability was goal and change slow and cautious

3. The Geography of Ancient Egypt
Egypt is located on the Nile River
The Nile begins in the Highlands of Ethiopia with two branches:
The White Nile and the Blue Nile
These rivers unite and flow north where they empty into the Mediterranean Sea.
Where the river empties into the Mediterranean Sea it forms the Nile Delta, a rich area of alluvial soil.

4. Geographic Effects on Egypt’s stability and history
Fertile soil
deserts provided protection and shelter from outside influences
Access to Mediterranean increased and expanded trade and culture
culture was one of stability and not rapid change
Deserts were an important source of minerals and building supplies (copper, tin, gold and natron, the drying agent used in mummification)
Geographic Effects on Egypt’s stability and history

5. What determined Egypt’s economic prosperity?
Wealth
Agriculture made up most of Egypt’s wealth
– grain, vegetables, fruit, cattle, goats, pigs and fowl
Abundance and management of food supplies (not royal treasury) was the measure of Egypt’s wealth = full granaries, plenty of wildlife and fish, and thriving herds were the signs of prosperity. These were the images used in the tombs of the Pharaohs to illustrate the wealth of their reigns
Economy
Simple economy based on food production and minerals from desert
access to the Mediterranean their routes extended trade as far as Northern Europe, subtropical Africa and the Near East
Trading was done by bartering goods (grain, oil, wheat)
Taxes, salaries and loans were all paid entirely on goods
extensive trading made Egypt a powerful influence on culture, art, ideas and technology (ie. Western calendar was taken from the Romans who had borrowed it from the Egyptians)
Trade eventually grew and expanded, bringing new ideas and goods into Egyptian society

6. Egyptian Religion
For the Egyptians, religion was closely tied to daily life.
The Egyptians were polytheistic, worshipping many different gods.
The most important god was the god of the sun, Re, also sometimes referred to as Ra or Amon-Re.
It was believed that the Pharaoh was connected to this god.

7. Religion: How did it contribute to stability?
Atum
Religion: How did it contribute to stability?
The Egyptians were deeply religious people
religious roots were in the worship of nature deities – their first gods were in animal forms
Those responsible for creation were the most important gods (Atum is the creator God)
They later developed national gods around the Middle Kingdom (Amon- local god of Thebes; gods of Dead: Osiris, Anubis, Horus and Thoth)
Religion was instrumental to stability of Egypt (life, social structure, education, laws, rule of Pharaoh, economy, death, afterlife)

8. Politics How did Pharaoh's rule? absolute rulers of the land
believed to be the earthly embodiment of the god Horus who was the son of Amon-Re
Therefore they had the divine right to rule
This allowed them to move between god and their people
People followed their orders because they believed they were from god
No one would challenge the King’s authority and he could rule in relative peace
Politics

9. Social Roles Role of Men Head of the family
Men could have numerous wives but economically men had only 1 wife
Labourers, craftsmen
Jobs were hereditary
Jobs
Labour required for construction projects and was mostly filled by poor, serfs
Stability of Egypt thrived as skilled trades were passed from father to son
Children always learned the trade from parents; seldom could choose occupation
Role of Women
Well treated and had considerable legal rights compared to other civilizations
Same legal rights as men (land, property, divorce)
Left women to be economically independent
Primary role was in domestic life
Common title for a married women in ancient Egypt was “nebet per” meaning “the lady of the house”
Bear and raise children

10. Education Contributed to stability and continuity of Egypt
All children, regardless of social class, received some education
Followed a moral and ethical guide “Instructions in Wisdom”
Goal for education was to ensure youth exhibited self control and good manners
At 14, young boys followed fathers in jobs, and girls learned from mothers in the household
Children of priests were schooled more formally
Literacy was stressed for government jobs
Education respected for creating a well rounded individual

11. Egypt had a hierarchical
Daily Life
The people had a positive attitude toward life.
Monogamy was the rule, and women had more rights in Ancient Egypt than the rest of the Ancient world.
Women could own property, business, and request a divorce.
Egyptian Society
Egypt had a hierarchical
social structure