Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Ancient Egyptian funerary practices wikipedia , lookup
Plagues of Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Thebes, Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Ancient Egyptian medicine wikipedia , lookup
Index of Egypt-related articles wikipedia , lookup
Ancient Egyptian race controversy wikipedia , lookup
Art of ancient Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Prehistoric Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Middle Kingdom of Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________ Nile Civilizations Section 1 MAIN IDEA Egypt was one of the most stable and long-lasting civilizations of the ancient world. Key Terms and People delta an area at the mouth of a river, often triangle-shaped, made up of silt deposits cataracts rocky stretches of water marked by rapid currents and waterfalls Menes ruler who may have united Upper and Lower Egypt to found Egypt's first dynasty pharaoh an Egyptian king whom ancient Egyptians believed was a god in human form theocracy a state ruled by religious figures bureaucracy a highly-structured organization managed by officials Hatshepsut one of the few women to rule Egypt as a pharaoh Ramses the Great Pharoah of the New Kingdom who agreed to a truce with Hittite invaders Taking Notes As you read the summary, take notes about Egyptian history. Use a graphic organizer like the one below to record key events from each period. Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. Full Survey Chapter 3 25 Interactive Reader and Study Guide Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________ Nile Civilizations Section 1 Section Summary GEOGRAPHY AND EARLY EGYPT The Nile River is the longest river in the world, and the most important physical feature in Egypt. Without its waters, no one could live there. Egyptian civilization depended on the Nile for two main reasons. People farmed the fertile soil called silt that was left behind when the river flooded. The best soil was found in the delta, the area at the mouth of the river that is made up of silt deposits. The Nile also protected the Egyptians from invasion. Its cataracts, or rocky stretches marked by rapid currents and waterfalls, kept invaders’ boats out. The early Egyptians formed two kingdoms. Lower Egypt, in the north, occupied most of the Nile Delta, where the climate was mild. Upper Egypt lay along the river's southern upper stretches. The two kingdoms were first unified around 3100 BC. According to legend, this happened when Menes (MEE-neez) a ruler from Upper Egypt, conquered the north. Menes founded the first of Egypt’s 31 dynasties. THE OLD KINGDOM The Old Kingdom in Egypt was a period of stable rule that began in about 2650 BC and lasted for 500 years. Most of the Egyptian pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom. The pyramids served as tombs for Egypt's rulers. Pyramids were designed by architects and built by professional craftspeople and decorated by artists. Peasants provided most of the labor. Egypt's government also took shape during the Old Kingdom. The pharaoh (FER-OH), or king, was believed to be a god in human form. Pharaohs had absolute power, owned all the land, and acted as judges and leaders of the army. The government was a theocracy, a state ruled by religious figures. To aid him in ruling, the pharaoh was surrounded by a bureaucracy, a highly-structured organization managed by officials. Why did Egyptian civilization depend on the Nile River? _______________________ _______________________ Underline the powers of Old Kingdom pharaohs. What is the term for this form of government? _______________________ THE MIDDLE KINGDOM The government of the Old Kingdom collapsed around 2100 BC. Afterward, the country suffered Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. Full Survey Chapter 3 26 Interactive Reader and Study Guide Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________ Nile Civilizations Section 1 from economic problems, invasions, and civil wars. In about 2055 BC, a new dynasty rose to power and the Middle Kingdom began. The leaders of the Middle Kingdom encouraged trade and made the routes safer, built fortresses along the Nile, and enlarged the kingdom. Around 1650 BC, the Middle Kingdom ended when the Egyptian army was defeated by the better-armed Hyksos (HIK-sos) from Syria. THE NEW KINGDOM The Hyksos ruled Egypt for almost 100 years before the Egyptians rose up and drove them out. The army that defeated the Hyksos was led by nobles from Thebes. They became the new rulers of Egypt, and with this, the New Kingdom began. During the New Kingdom, Egyptians realized that a permanent army and more land would help keep the kingdom safe. They attacked and took over Nubia, the Sinai Peninsula, and parts of Phoenicia and Syria. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom made important changes in Egyptian society. Hatshepsut, one of the few women to rule Egypt, took power in around 1500 BC when her husband, the pharaoh, died. Around 1353 BC, the pharaoh Amenhotep IV, also known as Akhenaten, forbid the Egyptian people from worshipping many gods. He forced them to worship only the sun god Aten, and built a new capital, Akhenaten. The very next pharaoh, Tutankhamen, or Tut, restored Egypt's worship of traditional gods and brought the capital back to Thebes. Egypt enjoyed peace until around 1250 BC, when the Hittites from Mesopotamia invaded. Pharaoh Ramses II, also called Ramses the Great, eventually agreed to a truce. Ramses’ long reign of 60-plus years brought many political and artistic achievements, making him the most admired and famous pharaoh. His reign marked the last period of Egypt's greatness. After Ramses, Egypt lost control of its empire and broke into small states. It was controlled by many foreign rulers. In the 330s BC, the Greek armies of Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and brought an end to its history as an independent kingdom. How did the Old Kingdom’s collapse affect Egypt? _______________________ _______________________ Underline the event that marked the beginning of the New Kingdom. Circle the names of four New Kingdom pharaohs. Which pharaoh changed Egypt's form of religion? _______________________ What event brought an end to Egypt's independence? _______________________ _______________________ Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. Full Survey Chapter 3 27 Interactive Reader and Study Guide