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Name________________________________________________ Period______ Date________________ Chapter 4: Ancient Egypt and Ancient Kush Section 3: The Middle and New Kingdoms Big Idea: During the Middle and New Kingdoms, order and greatness were restored in Egypt The Middle Kingdom Vocabulary
1) Middle Kingdom: period of order and stability that lasted until about 1750 BC 2) New Kingdom: period during which Egypt reached the height of its power and glory
3) Trade routes: paths followed by traders At the end of the Old Kingdom, the wealth and power of the pharaohs declined. Pharaohs could not collect enough taxes to keep up with expenses. At the same time, nobles used their government positions to take power from the pharaohs. After the fall of the Old Kingdom in 2200 BC, local nobles battle each other for the next 160 years. Around 2050 BC, a powerful pharaoh named Mentuhotep II defeated his rivals and united all of Egypt. Mentuhotep’s rule began the Middle Kingdom. Toward the end of the Middle Kingdom, the pharaohs struggled holding the kingdom together. In the mid-­‐1700s BC, a group called the Hyksos invaded and conquered Egypt using horses, chariots, and advanced weapons. Egyptians did not like the Hyksos. They resented paying taxes to foreign rulers. By the mid-­‐1500s BC, Ahmose of Thebes drove the Hyksos out of Egypt and declared himself king of all Egypt. The New Kingdom Ahmose’s rise to power was the beginning of the New Kingdom. This kingdom brought tremendous wealth to the pharaohs due to conquest and trade. Building an Empire To prevent future invasions, the Egyptians decided to take control of all invasion routes. By doing so, they turned Egypt into an empire. The Egyptians conquered the following places: * Hyksos homeland * Eastern shore of the Mediterranean * Syria * Kush The conquered kingdoms regularly sent treasures to their Egyptian conquerors to maintain good relations. Examples of those treasures include: * Gold * Leopard skins * Precious stones * Expensive gifts Growth and its Effect on Trade One ruler who worked to increase Egyptian trade was Queen Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut used the wealth to support the arts and architecture. She is the many impressive monuments and temples built during her reign. Invasions of Egypt In the 1200s BC, pharaoh Ramses II, or Ramses the Great, came to power. Ramses reign was the longest in Egyptian history, and he fought fiercely with the Hittites. The two powers could not defeat each other, so they signed a peace treaty and became allies. Egypt faced threats from the Sea people in the Nile Delta. Ramses fought them off and built a series of forts. After Ramses the Great died, the Sea Peoples sailed in. But the Egyptians regained power after 50 years of fighting. Shortly after the invasions of the Hittites and the Sea Peoples, the New Kingdom came to an end. Egypt would never regain its power. Work and Daily Life Scribes • Below priests and government officials • Worked for the government and the temples • Kept records and accounts for the state • Wrote and copied religious and literary texts • Did not pay taxes and many became wealthy Artisans, Artists, and Architects • Below scribes on social hierarchy • Artisans = sculptors, builders, carpenters, jewelers, metal workers, and leather workers o Made statues, furniture, jewelry, pottery, footwear • Architects made temples and royal tombs • Artists worked in the pharaohs’ tombs Soldiers After the Middle Kingdom, Egypt created a professional army. Soldiers received land as payment and could keep treasure captured in war. Farmers and Other Peasants Egypt’s farmers and other peasants were toward the bottom of the social scale. Farmers had to give crops to the pharaoh as taxes. The pharaoh could demand at any time that people work on projects like building pyramids, mining gold, or fighting in wars. Slaves • Lower than farmers • Had some legal right and in some cases could gain freedom Family Life in Egypt • Men were expected to marry young • Most women were devoted to homes and families o Some served as priestesses, administrators and artisans o Women had legal rights like owning property, making contracts, and divorcing their husbands