1. The Egyptian Empire

2. Quick Review
The Nile Valley – Regular predictable flooding allowed people to settle in this rich fertile river valley.
Natural Barriers
Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt Unit
Egyptian writing system – Hieroglyphics
Rise in governments – advances of farming, crafts, and trade created the need. Government responsible for public services
Social Classes - Family Life
The Nile River had predictable flooding which allowed for plenty of crops – food for the people. They used irrigation and dams to control the water.
Natural Barriers keep Egypt safe from invaders
King Narmer crowns himself king of Upper and Lower Egypt - double crown
A system of over 100 pictures and symbols
Government kept up roads, public buildings, store food, disputes over land
Upper class – nobles, priests, wealthy – lived on large estates along the river, had servants
Middle class – business managers, artisans, lived in smaller home, dressed more simply
Lower classes – farmers, unskilled workers, lived in small mud brick homes dirt floors
Family life – men head of the family, however women had rights – could own proprety, could buy and sell goods , obtain divorces and upper class women could even perform religious ceromonies

3. Quick Review Religion - belief in many gods and goddesses
Main god – Re the sun god
Life after Death –
Book of the Dead - magical spells to help obtain life after death
Embalming – leads to introduction to medicine
Mummies – buried in tombs with personal items

4. The Old Kingdom 2600 BC – 2300 BC
During this time the Egyptians built huge stone pyramids as tombs for their pharaohs
Great Pyramid – King Khufu – Great Pyramid of Giza

5. Land of Confusion
About 2300 BC, the pharaohs lost control of Egypt as nobles battled one another for power
About 200 years of confusion follows

6. The Middle Kingdom 2050 BC – 1670 BC
Finally, a new dynasty of pharaohs came to power.
The capital is moved south – from Memphis to Thebes

7. The Middle Kingdom 2050 BC – 1670 BC
In Thebes, order is restored and Egypt becomes stable
This is the beginning of what historians call, The Middle Kingdom
It is during this time, Egyptians enjoyed a golden age of stability, prosperity, and achievement.

8. The Drive for More Land
During the Middle Kingdom, Egypt takes control of new lands and makes them pay tribute – or forced payments, causing Egypt to become even more wealthier
Pharaohs order new waterways and dams increasing the amount of land being farmed and built a canal between the Nile River and the Red Sea

9. The Arts Blossom During the Middle Kingdom
Arts – Painters covered walls of temples and tombs with colorful scenes of the gods and daily life
Literature – Poets wrote love songs and tributes to the pharaohs
Architecture – Instead of building pyramids, pharaohs had their tombs cut into cliffs west of the Nile River. This area became known as the Valley of the Kings.

10. Valley of the Kings

12. Who Were the Hyksos? The Middle Kingdom ends in 1670 BC
As before, Nobles were plotting to take power from the pharaohs
Problem this time
Hyksos – from western Asia attacked Egypt
They were major warriors
They crossed the desert in horse-drawn chariots and used weapons made of bronze and iron. Egyptians had always fought on foot with copper and stone weapons

13. Prince Ahmose The Hyksos ruled Egypt for about 150 years
Around 1550 BC, and Egyptian prince named Ahmose led an uprising that drove the Hyksos out of Egypt.
Ahmose Reign begins a new period called The New Kingdom

14. The New Kingdom 1550 BC – 1080 BC
During the New Kingdom, Egypt acquired new territory and reached the height of its power
Egypt becomes even richer and powerful
Most pharaohs made empire building a priority – fought wars east into western Asia

15. A Woman Ruler Queen Hatshepsut
About 1473 BC Hatshepsut came to power
She ruled first with her husband, then after his death, she ruled on behalf of her young nephew
She finally crowned herself queen and becomes one of the few women to rule Egypt

16. Queen Hatshepsut She was more interested with trade than conquest
Egyptian traders sailed along the coast of East Africa exchanging breads, metal tools and weapons for gold, ivory, ebony and incense
These trade journey brought even more wealth to Egypt

17. Hatshepsut’s legacies
Hatshepsut used some of this wealth to build monuments
One of her greatest projects was a great temple and tomb in the limestone cliffs of the Valley of the Kings

18. Expanding the Empire
When Hatshepsut died, her nephew becomes pharaoh – King Thutmose III
Under Thutmose III, Egypt began aggressive wars of conquest
Thutmose’s armies expanded north to Mesopotamia and south of Nubia
Under Thutmose, Egypt controlled more territory than it ever had before

19. Thutmose’s Empire Empire grew rich from trade and tribute
In addition to taking gold, copper, ivory and other valuables from conquered peoples, Egypt also enslaved prisoners of war.

20. Legacies of Two Pharaohs
Amenhotep IV – becomes pharaoh c BC and tries to led Egypt in a new direction
He notices that Egypt’s priests were gaining too much power
He introduces a new religion that throws out all gods, except Aton
When the priests resisted, Amenhotep IV removed them from their position, seized their lands, and closed the temples

21. Legacies of Two Pharaohs
Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaton – which means “Spirit of Aton”
The Egyptian people feel that these changes have been an attack on Egypt itself.
They refuse to accept Aton as the only god
Akhenaton is so devoted to his new religion, he neglects his duties as pharaoh, his administration is inexperienced

22. The Hittites The Hittites attack Egypt
Egypt lost most of its land in western Asia
Egypt’s empire shrinks as a result

23. The Boy King When Akhenaton died, his son-in-law inherited the throne
King Tutankhamen – only 10 years old
King Tut relies on help from palace officials and priests and restores the old religion
He rules Egypt for only 9 years, then dies unexpectedly

24. Why the fascination with Tut?
He played a very small role in Egypt’s history
He becomes more popular after his tomb was discovered in 1922AD by a British archaeologist, Howard Carter.

25. King Tut’s Tomb
Tut’s tomb contained the king’s mummy and treasures including a brilliant gold mask of the young king’s face.
This tomb discovery was a thrilling discovery because most royal tombs in Egypt were looted by robbers long ago.

26. The End of the New Kingdom
Ramses II – king from 1279 BC to 1213 BC
Under his rule
Egypt regained lands in western Asia
Launched an ambitious building program – constructing several major temples – many built by slaves

27. Karnak at Thebes
The most magnificent temple built under Ramses II

29. Remember? Temples were considered houses for the gods and goddesses
Most Egyptians prayed at home
Temples used by priests to preform daily temple rituals
Sometimes temples served as banks storing valuables such as gold, jewelry, oils, and cloth

30. Egypt’s decline and fall
After Ramses II, Egypt’s power began to fade
By 1150 BC, Egypt’s empire was lost and they only controlled the Nile delta
By 900 BC, Egypt came under the rule of one outside group after another
Libya
Kush
Assyrians //