Download File - Myers World History

Chapter 2
sec. 1
The First Civilizations
Ancient Nile Kingdoms
•Many parts of the world
contributed to the Nile Civilization
•Hunting and Gathering 12,000
years ago/10,000 B.C.E.
•Plants cultivated in the Nile
oBarley
oWheat
Nile Crops
Physical Setting
•Modern Egypt quite different from
ancient Egypt
•Today occasional green oasis but
mostly desert
•12,000 years ago/10,000 B.C.E.
covered by swamp land
oHippos, crocs & many animals
Two Sections of the Nile
•White NileLongest river in the
world
oBegins Lake
Victoria
oEnds
Mediterranean Sea
•Blue Nile-
•Nile Valley
people stretched
out for 750 miles
Herodotus
•Greek
historian who
said “Egypt is
the gift of the
Nile”
Egyptian Horticulture
•Farmers/workers
oPlanned work around food
oHarvest crops before flood begins
oWait for water to soak the ground
oGround dries leaves fertile soil for
next crop
Egyptian Technology
•Sailing made it possible for
Egyptians to travel upstream
•Deposits of granite, sandstone,
and limestone were used for
building materials
Hieroglyphics
•Ancient Egyptian
writing
•Rosetta Stone
oTranslation of Egyptian
Hieroglyphics
oDiscovered by
Napoleon Bonaparte’s
French officer in 1798
A.D.
o23 years later Jean
Two Kingdoms of Egypt Unite Into
One
Monarchy- Kingdom headed by
one ruler (Both Upper and Lower
Egypt were Monarchies)
•
•Menes, king of upper Egypt unites
them(3200 B.C.)
•Successors crush rebellions, gain
new territories, regulate irrigation,
Birth of the Pharaohs
•Pharaoh= Means “Great House”
-Led the government, served as judges, high
priest, and generals of the armies
•Absolute/Unlimited Power
-Still had a duty to protect and care for the
people
Dynasty
•Menes Founded the first dynasty or family
of rulers
•2 ways to end dynasty/family rule
-family is driven from power
-When there is no family member left to
inherit rule
•Dynasties in Egypt lasted 2,500 years
oFrom Menes to 300 B.C.
Three Kingdoms
•These are dates in time for Egyptians
oOld Kingdom from 2650 to 2180 B.C
oMiddle Kingdom Started 2040 B.C
oNew Kingdom 1570 B.C. till 1100 B.C.
Old Kingdom
• Contributed to many scientific and artistic developments.
(Built the Largest Pyramids)
• - Divided into two social classes upper and lower class
o Upper Class= pharaohs, royal family, priest, & Gov. officials.
o Lower class= Farmers and
Middle Kingdom
•Started out under strong Rule.
•Hyksos took control early
•Hyksos= Asiatic group took over 1650
B.C.
o-Hyksos overwhelmed the Egyptian army with
horse drawn chariots.
o- Ruled for over 100 years
New Kingdom
•Egyptian Pharaohs reclaim the throne
•Good Pharaohs through Ramses II
oAdopted horse drawn chariots from Hyksos
people
o-Extended Egyptian territory and creating an
empire
Hatshepsut
•First woman ruler
•Reigned from 1503-1482 B.C.
•Very successful ruler
•Married Thutmose II (Half Brother)
•Because thought of as gods Pharaohs
usually married a sister or brother/ half
sister or brother
Ramses II
•AKA Ramses the Great
•Perhaps the most powerful Egyptian pharaoh
•Brought Egypt to its peak
•Conquered many regions & defended against
many invading tribe (especially the Hittites)
•Constructed many great monuments and
temples
•Reigned 1279-1213 B.C.