1. Ancient Egypt: an Overview

2. Timeline Old Kingdom 2650 BC – 2134 BC
Middle Kingdom BC – 1550 BC
New Kingdom BC – 1295 BC

3. Three Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt1
Three Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt
OLD KINGDOM
MIDDLE
KINGDOM
NEW KINGDOM
Pharaohs organized a strong central state, were absolute rulers, and were considered gods.
Egyptians built pyramids at Giza.
Power struggles, crop failures, and cost of pyramids contributed to the collapse of the Old Kingdom.
Large drainage project created arable farmland.
Traders had contacts with Middle East and Crete.
Corruption and
rebellions were
common.
Hyksos invaded and occupied the delta
region.
Powerful pharaohs created a large empire
that reached the Euphrates River.
Hatshepsut
encouraged trade.
Ramses II expanded Egyptian rule to Syria.
Egyptian power
declined.

4. Political Theocracy Pharaoh Vizier Governors
Using religion to rule a country/empire (sometimes corrupt, frequent invasions, dictatorship characteristics, no religious freedom)
Pharaoh
Head of the state
Considered to be a living God
Vizier
Head priest
Ruled on all petitions in the court
Governors
Took orders from the Vizier and ruled specific areas of Egypt

5. Economic Economy based on agriculture and trade Natural resources
Greatest resource was the Nile River
Provided transportation, fish, and floods that fertilized the land
Other resources included: limestone, quartz, and granite

6. Economic Due to few natural resources, Egyptians had to trade
Much trade between Egypt and Nubia
Trade importance is seen in southern Egyptian cities
Aswan comes from the word swene, means trade
Elephantine owed its name to the elephant ivory trade

7. Geography Egypt is located in northeastern Africa
The Nile River runs the length of the country flowing south to north
The river begins in the mountains of Africa and empties into the Mediterranean Sea
The climate is hot and dry, part of the Sahara Desert
Egypt.co.uk/geography/explore/ter.html

8. Geography
Ancient Egypt was divided into two regions: Upper and Lower Egypt
Lower (northern) Egypt consisted of the Nile River's delta made by the river as it empties into the Mediterranean.
Upper Egypt was the long, narrow strip of ancient Egypt located south of the Delta.

11. Geography:The Nile River
The Nile was the lifeblood of ancient Egypt
Known as the giver and taker of life
Gave life through annual floods which produced fertile soil
Took life by overflow of water or by not flooding enough
Solution: Built irrigation canals

12. Blue Nile

13. White Nile

14. White & Blue Nile Meet in Sudan

15. Geography:Floodplain
The low strip of fertile land located on either side of the Nile River
The river flooded during the annual inundation
Inundation- to cover with water
When the inundation subsided, it left the earth soaked and overlaid with a fresh layer of black silt.
Most of the farming occurred here

16. Great Sahara Desert

18. Facts About the Nile River
Length
4,184 miles
2 Sources
Lake Victoria, Uganda (White Nile); Lake Tana, Ethiopia (Blue Nile)
Mouth
Mediterranean Sea, off Egypt
Countries Flows Through
Egypt, Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zaire, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi
Name Origin
Greek word Nelios, which means "River Valley"

19. Social: Class System PHARAOH Earthly leader; considered a god2
Social: Class System
PHARAOH
Earthly leader; considered a god
HIGH PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES
Served gods and goddesses
NOBLES
Fought pharaoh’s wars
MERCHANTS, SCRIBES, AND ARTISANS
Made furniture, jewelry, and fabrics for
pharaohs and nobles, and provided for other needs
PEASANT FARMERS AND SLAVES
Worked in the fields and served the pharaoh

20. Social:Women & Men Women in Egypt
Inherit land and handle business transactions
Some were scribes and merchants
Some ruled the empire (Hatshepsut, Cleopatra)
Men in Egypt
Head of the house
Military leaders and warriors
Leaders of government
Enjoyed more rights than women

21. Social:Religion
Belief that many gods and goddesses ruled the world and the afterlife Amon-Re: sun god Osiris: god of the underworld and of the Nile
The pharaoh was believed to be a god as well as a ruler
Falcon Headed Sun God

22. Social:Religion Belief in eternal life after death.
Relied on the Book of the Dead to help them through the afterworld.
Practiced mummification, the preservation of the body for use in the next life.

23. Book of the Dead
Collection of spells, hymns, and prayers intended to secure a safe passage to the underworld for the deceased

24. Social:Writing Hieroglyphs
Made of two Greek words: hieros= sacred and glyphe= carvings
Pictures used to write the Egyptian language
Originally used to keep a record of the king’s possessions

25. Social:Writing
Making paper from papyrus

26. Social:Arts
Pyramids
Symbols of the Pharaoh’s authority and divine stature; royal tombs
Pyramid of Khufu required the cutting and fitting of 2,300 limestone blocks with an average weight of 2.5 tons
Construction on Khufu required 84,000 laborers/slaves working 80 days a year for 20 years

27. Social:Arts

28. Egypt’s Legacy Medicine Mathematics Influence on other civilizations
Opium to treat pain
Garlic and Onion to promote good health
Mathematics
Influence on other civilizations
Greece and Rome