Download Intro Ancient Egypt - Lake Oswego High School

EGYPT
an
Introduction
The Land
The Kingdoms
The Classes
Advances
Special Unit Topics:
Architecture, Religion, Daily Life, Leadership
Egyptian Empire ~ 1450 BCE
Geography of the Ancient Nile Valley
“Egypt is wholly the gift of the Nile.” >Herodotus
Settled & established farming villages along Nile.
Egyptians depended on annual floods to soak the
land & deposit a layer of silt or rich soil.
Egyptians had to cooperate to control the Nile,
building dikes, reservoirs and irrigation ditches.
Rulers used Nile to link/unite Upper/Lower Egypt.
Nile served as trade route connecting Egypt to
Africa, the Middle East and Mediterranean world.
Egypt & Nubia
For centuries, Egypt traded or fought with Nubia.
During the New Kingdom, Egypt conquered Nubia.
o Nubians served in Egyptian armies & influenced
Egyptian culture
o Egyptian art from this period shows Nubian
soldiers, musicians or prisoners
When Egypt declined, Nubia conquered Egypt
o Nubians did not see themselves as conquerors
o They respected Egyptian traditions
Actual borders of Nubia shifted over time
Peoples of Nubia formed several kingdoms and
civilizations
Today, Nubia is defined as the Nile area between
Aswan of Egypt and Khartoum (capital of Sudan),
bordered by:
oRed Sea in the east
oLibyan desert in the west
Northern border of Nubia @ 1st cataract at
Aswan -- known as “Wawat”
Southern end at 2nd cataract
oNow inundated by Lake Nasser
oWas referred to as:
“Cush” by Egyptians, and as
“Ethiopia” by ancient Greeks.
“Nubia” either comes from:
oNubian word “Nob” <gold>, or
o“Nugur” / “Nub” <meaning black>
Both are plausible
Nubia was, in ancient times:
oGreat producer of gold, and
<mainly for the Egyptian market>
oInhabited by African Blacks
Early Dynastic (2920-2575 B.C.E.) Unification of Upper
& Lower Egypt into single Kingdom: Pharaoh Narmer
Old Kingdom (2575-2134 B.C.E.) Despotic Dynasties of
Pharaohs. Construction of Pyramids.
1st Intermediate- (2134-2040 B.C.E.) Chaos & Disunity
Middle Kingdom (2040-1640 B.C.E.) Reestablishment
of Kingdom. Thebes as political center. Beginning of
powerful cult of Amun
2nd Intermediate (1640-1530 B.C.E.) Hyksos Invasion
New Kingdom (1530-1070 B.C.E.) Imperial period
(Valley of the Kings)
Late Period (1070-332 B.C.E.) Decline. Conquest by
Alexander-the-Great
OLD
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.
MIDDLE
KINGDOM
Large drainage
project created arable
farmland.
Traders had contacts
with Middle East and
Crete.
Corruption and
rebellions were
common.
Hyksos invaded &
occupied the delta
region.
NEW
KINGDOM
Powerful pharaohs
created a large
empire that
reached the
Euphrates River.
Hatshepsut
encouraged trade.
Ramses II expanded
Egyptian rule to
Syria.
Egyptian power
declined.
Class System in Ancient Egypt
PHARAOH
Earthly leader; considered a god
HIGH PRIESTS & PRIESTESSES
Served gods and goddesses
NOBLES
Fought pharaoh’s wars
MERCHANTS, SCRIBES & ARTISANS
Made furniture, jewelry & fabrics for
pharaohs & nobles, & provided for other needs
PEASANT FARMERS & SLAVES
Worked in the fields and served the pharaoh
Advances in Learning
Developed a form of picture
writing called hieroglyphics.
Doctors diagnosed & cured
illnesses, performed surgery,
developed medicines still used
today.
Advances in the Arts
Statues, paintings & writings tell
us about ancient Egyptian values
& attitudes.
Developed painting style that
remained unchanged for
thousands of years.
Developed 12-month calendar on
which modern calendar is based. Wrote hymns and prayers to the
gods, proverbs, love poems,
Astronomers mapped
stories of victory in battle & folk
constellations, charted
tales.
movement of planets.
Built pyramids & other great
Developed practical geometry.
buildings, such as temple of
Skilled in design & engineering. Ramses II.
Overview of religion in Ancient Egypt
Belief that many gods and goddesses ruled the
world and the afterlife: Polytheism
Pharaoh was believed to be a god as well as a
monarch: Divine Rule
Belief in eternal life after death.
Relied on the Book of the Dead to help them
through the afterworld: Eschatology
Practiced mummification, the preservation of
the body for use in the next life.
More to
follow…