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Note Outline for the Egypt Essay Question
Topic: Government and Religion (remember- they are all connected in a theocracy.)
Sub Topic: Gov/Rel Old Kingdom
Details:
Menes united upper and lower Egypt
Neighbors were not hostile,
3100- 2850 dynasty of OK
Rel. Complex
Each region own gods
Rulers descedent of Horus and later Re
Deceased rulers were Osiris
Rulers were immortal and if you obeyed the ruler you could live forever too.
Pharaohs body was mummified and put in pyramids so it would survive forever
Usually didn’t work though, poor people were better presereved
No separation from gov and rel
Pharaoh actually claimed to be a god so even more powerful
Perfect control – not only of people but the natural world
Controlled the Nile
Gave laws,
Had to prepare to be Pharaoh – study farming, mining, const
Owned all land, collected taxes, could give or take away land
Authorities spoke with Phar voice
OK gov was peaceful.
Based on cooperation not force
No army
Vizier was most important official, managed everthing – became very powerful
Judge, controlled agriculture, keep things in repair
Other important off were priests, architects, treasurer, household
Pyramids were built to reflect Pharaohs control over people and nature
M.I. Government and religion in the Old Kingdom…
Sub Topic: Gov/Rel Middle Kingdom
Details:
Pharaohs lost control
Officials were not good, but just related to Pharaoh, didn’t do job
Economy drained to support ceremonies
2200-2050 – confict as priests and local nobles fought Egy divided. Central Gov collapsed
2130 prince of Thebes began to restore power to pharaoh
Amenemhet I broght Pharaoh back.
Still gods, but not absolute power – shared power with nobles and priests
People didn’t think Pharaoh was way to afterlife anymore, but was there to protect them in life
No longer feared, but respected pharaoh
Seems most wanted to help with justice and be good leaders
Trade expanded
Even poor got fine funerals – people considered equal in death
Priests given more responsibility – intermideries between people and government
Inherited the position and thus became powerful wealthy class as powerful as pharaoh.
Decentralized the gov and people fought.
Invaded and conquered by Hyksos
Merchants and artists became important social class.
M.I. Government and religion in the Middle Kingdom…
Sub Topic: Gov/ Rel New Kingdom
Details:
Belief in afterlife changed – spirits sent to great hall – judged …
Book of dead
1570-1090
Pharaohs ruled from Thebes – stripped priests and nobles of power – were absolute rulers again
Full time army made to conquer land around Egypt to protect them
Conquered new land, but often people rebelled
Hatshepsut- built prosperity in Egypt, didn’t conquer, womens rights, huge building projects
Thutmose III, destroyed her stuff, expanded borders, improved army, controlled newly conq people, built new
stuff, trade
Took away rights of common people, lost rights to land, justice and money
Amenhotep III
Amenhotep IV – changes religion – worship of one god, Aton, makes old priests mad Empire declined as ignored
the army
Tutankhamun, boy, put in power by old priests to restore the old system, died young
RamsesII, huge building projects, Fought Hittites, then brought peace, ruled long time
After Ramses, continually conquered by outside groups.
Soldiers became important member of society
Slavery introduced in NK
M.I. Government and religion in the New Kingdom…
Topic: Technology
Sub Topic: Tech Old Kingdom
Details:
Pyramids: first built by Zoser
Public work, built by farmers
Khofu, 100,000 laborers 22 yrs 2 million blocks w/o mortar or cement 480 ft.
Most tech centered on cutting and moving large stones
Units of measurment
Calendars
Geometry
Math
Medicine
Trade
Agriculture
Heiroglyphs/ Scribes
M.I. Technology in the Old Kingdom…
Sub Topic: Tech Middle Kingdom
Details:
Decline in stone pyramids more rock cut chamber tombs – less expensive and time consuming
Glass making invented
Hyksos brought military improvements
Improved roads
M.I. Technology in the Middle Kingdom…
Sub Topic: Tech New Kingdom
Details:
New army with horses, chariots and bronze weapons
Monoliths
M.I. Technology in the New Kingdom…
Topic: Art and Culture
Sub Topic: Art Old Kingdom
Details:
Pharaohs always depicted larger than life.
Artists worked with great care, depicting life in tombs so dead would remember life
Statues were real faces because had to eat, but bodies were stiff and still to remain timeless
Sphinxes.
M.I. Art in the Old Kingdom…
Sub Topic: Art Middle Kingdom
Details:
Quality of art and monuments went down.
M.I. Art in the Middle Kingdom…
Sub Topic: Art New Kingdom
Details:
Change in artistic style under Amen IV Amarna style –depicts everyday life and emotion.
M.I. Art in the New Kingdom…