1. EARLY EGYPTIANS

2. EGYPT HAS BEEN CALLED “THE GIFT OF THE NILE.” IT IS LOCATED IN THE SAHARA DESERT NILE RIVER IS THE LONGEST OF THE WORLD. IT FLOWS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH FOR 4000 MILLES AND ENDS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. THE NILE FLOODS EVERY SPRING MAKING EGYPT SOIL FERTILE AND RICH. EGYPTIAN CIVILIZTION LASTED OVER 3000 YEARS. IT WAS THE LONGEST-LASTING CIVILIZATION IN HISTORY. EGYPTIAN WRITING SYSTEM WAS CALLED HIEROGLYPHICS AND IT WAS ADAPTED BY OTHER CULTURES. THEY DEVELOPED A PAPER-LIKE MATERIAL CALLED PAPYRUS THEY WERE ALSO GREAT ARCHITECTS, BUILDERS, CRAFTSMEN AND ARTISANS THEY BUILT CANALS, DAMS, RESERVOIRS TO CONTROL THE NILE THEY PRACTICED MUMMIFICATION. MUMMIFICATION PROCESSMUMMIFICATION PROCESS

3. ABOUT 3100 BC, KING MENES UNITED THE UPPER AND THE LOWER KINGDOMS HE WAS THE FIRST PHARAOH OF EGYPT THE PHARAOH WAS CONSIDERED AS GOD “DIVINE RIGHTS OF KINGS” HE WAS THE HEAD OF EGYPTIAN SOCIETY. MENPHIS WAS THE CAPITAL OF EGYPT. EGYPT WAS GOVERNED BY NOMARCH (GOVERNORS) UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE PHARAOH. PHARAOHS WERE BURIED IN PYRAMIDS TO HELP THEM FIND THE WAY TO AFTERLIFE. MUMMIFICATION WAS PRACTICED TO PRESERVE THE BODY.

4. NOMARCHS GAINED POWER AT THE END OF OLD KINGDOM AND MANY BROKE AWAY FROM EGYPT. IN 2040 BC, EGYPT WAS REUNIDED BY THE 11 TH DYNASTY. ITS CAPITAL WAS THEBES. THE PHARAOH GOT THE POWER AGAIN. EGYPT GOT PROSPEROUS. THEY BUILT TEMPLES, DAMS AND RESERVOIRS. THEY ALSO EXPANDED THEIR KINGDOM TO NUBIA IN ORDER TO OBTAIN GOLD, IVORY AND SLAVES. IN 1800 BC, EGYPT WAS INVADED BY THE HYKSOS WHO GOT A BETTER ARMY. (HORSES, CHARIOTS, BRONZE WEAPONS)

5. EGYPTIAN GOT RID OF THE HYKSOS. THE NEW KINGDOM BEGAN IN 1600 BC AND IT WAS THE LAST PERIOD OF EGYPTIAN ANCIENT HISTORY. IT IS ALSO CALLED EGYPTIAN GOLDEN AGE. EGYPTIANS CONQUERED SYRIA, PALESTINE AND THE WEST OF EUPHRATES RIVER. AMENHOTEP IV OR AKHENATON FORCED THE EGYPTIANS TO WORSHIP JUST ONE GOD, “ATON” HIS SON WAS TUTANKHATON – TUTANKHAMON WHO RESTORED THE OLD RELIGION. AROUND 1070 BC, THE EMPIRE BEGAN TO DECLINE BECAUSE OF A CIVIL WAR AND DIFFERENT INVASIONS. ALEXANDER THE GREAT CONQUERED EGYPT IN 332 BC AND INSTALLED PTOLEMY DYNASTY. ITS CAPITAL WAS ALEXANDRIA. CLEOPATRA WAS THE LAST PHARAOH OF THIS DYNASTY.