1. The Government of Egypt Pharaohs and Dynasties and Gods – Oh, My!

2. Who Rules?  The ruler of Ancient Egypt is called a PHARAOH  Another word for King  They have a monarchy  One person rules  Passed from father to son  They have absolute power – they control EVERYTHING! “Updating you Phacebook?”

3. Who died and made you king?...  Dynasties – a bunch of rulers from the same family  Your grandpa was king, then your dad, now you!  There were dynasties in Egypt from 3100 BC- 332 BC  Pharaohs carried a power that did not “vanquish at night time, or with death”  When Pharaoh did die – he was no longer “Horus”  Being “Horus” passed to his son  Allowed for dynasties to rule for long periods of time

4. Ponder this one ….  When a pharaoh dies his “godliness” is passed to his son  In a sense, the son is his father’s reincarnation (his dad is reborn into the body of the son)  When a pharaoh takes over for his father, his mother (the previous pharaoh’s wife) is, in a sense, his wife as well  The son (in some sense) is his father

5. Before Pharaohs…  Lots of Fighting – land, resources, pride  Upper Egypt vs. Lower Egypt  King Narmer (of UE)won and combined the kingdoms… and the crowns

7. Who da god? You da god!  Early pharaohs carried a shepherd’s crook to show he would lead and care for people  Like a shepherd leads and cares for sheep  Soon they actually thought of him as a god - Horus  Thought pharaoh made the Nile Flood = crops!  Had to keep pleasing pharaoh/god!  It wasn’t until major famine/civil war that people realized – the king couldn’t control everything – he must not be a god!

8. Out with the Old and in with the Nubia!  Old Kingdom  Spent time …  Trading with Nubia  Eastern Mediterranean for wood  People began to challenge the rule of the pharaohs and they were over thrown

9. Out with the Old and in with the Nubia!  Middle Kingdom  Spent time …  Public projects  Buildings  Irrigation ditches  Conquering Nubia  Lost control because of foreign invaders – Hyksos  Better weapons and tactics  But…  Egyptian princes planned rebellion  Beat the invaders with their own weapons!

11. Out with the Old and in with the Nubia!  New Kingdom – “Golden Age”  Spent time building their empire  Created large armies – prevent conquering  Took back control of Nubia  Went up to Canaan – where the Hyksos  Big no-no!  Amenhotep – tried to change people from poly to monotheism  As soon as he died – the people rebelled and went back to worshipping their old gods

12. End of Egyptian Rule…  No Kingdom  Civil War (war between people in same country) made Egypt weak  Conquered by the Greeks (Macedonia)  Conquered by the Romans  Was controlled by foreigners for the next 2000 years 