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Transcript
To the west of the Fertile Crescent in Africa, another river makes its way to the sea. While Sumerian civilization was on the rise, a similar process took place along the banks of this river, the Nile in Egypt. Yet the Egyptian civilization turned out to be very different from the collection of city-states in Mesopotamia. Early on, Egypt was united into a single kingdom, which allowed it to enjoy a high degree of unity, stability, and cultural continuity over a period of 3,000 years. The Geography of Egypt The Nile River flows northward across Africa for over 4,100 miles, making it the longest river in the world The abundance brought by the Nile was so great that the Egyptians worshiped it as a god. Egypt’s settlements arose along the Nile on a narrow strip of land. When the river receded in October, it left behind a rich deposit of fertile black mud called silt. Compared to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Nile was as regular as clockwork. Every year in July, rains caused the Nile River to rise and spill over its banks. The Geography of Egypt When the Nile’s floodwaters were just a few feet lower than normal… Life in Egypt had its risks. When floodwaters were a few feet higher than usual… The vast deserts on either side of the Nile acted as natural barriers… …the amount of fresh silt and water was greatly reduced. Thousands of people starved. …the water destroyed houses, granaries and the precious seeds. …they forced Egyptians to live on a very small portion of the land and reduced interaction with other peoples. The Geography of Egypt River travel ended at the point called a cataract. The south portion of this area was called Upper Egypt. !The delta is a broad, marshy, triangular area of land at the mouth of the river. The Nile flows north and the prevailing winds of Egypt south. Lower Egypt was located to the north, near the sea; it includes the delta. The Nile provided a reliable system of transportation. Egypt Unites into a Kingdom By 3200 B.C., the villages of Egypt were under the rule of two separate kingdoms, Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. Eventually the two kingdoms were united The capital was settled at Memphis. The first Egyptian dynasty and the Old Kingdom, were established. The history of ancient Egypt consists of 31 dynasties, spanning 2,600 years. Some evidence points to a king called Scorpion. More solid evidence points to a king named Narmer. The Egyptians kings were called pharaohs and were thought to be gods. Egypt Unites into a Kingdom This type of government in which rule is based on religious authority is called a theocracy. He had an eternal life force, or ka. The resting place after death was an immense structure called a pyramid. The pharaoh stood at the center of Egypt’s religion as well as its government and army. Their tombs were even more important than their palaces. Egypt Unites into a Kingdom These pyramids were remarkable engineering achievements. Pyramids reflect the strength of the Egyptian civilization. Egyptians had developed the economic strength and technological means to support massive public works projects, as well as the leadership and government organization to carry them out. Egyptian Culture Egyptians were polytheistic, they worshiped more than 2,000 gods and goddesses. The most important gods were Re, the sun god, and Osiris, god of the dead. The most important goddess was Isis, who represented the ideal mother and wife. Egyptians believed in an afterlife; that they would be judged for their deeds when they died. They planned for their burials, so that they might safely reach the Other World. The bodies were preserved by mummification, which involves embalming and drying the corpse to prevent it from decaying. The tomb was filled with items the dead person could use in the afterlife, this included the Book of the Dead. Life in Egyptian Society The king, queen, and royal family. Landowners, officials, priests, and military. Merchants and artisans. Peasants and farmers. Laborers and slaves. Life in Egyptian Society Lower-and middle-class Egyptians could gain higher status through marriage or success in their jobs. Scribes developed a writing system called hieroglyphics. If people learned to read and write, careers may open in the army, royal treasury, priesthood, and the king’s court. They could own and trade property, propose marriage or seek divorce. They were written on a writing surface made from papyrus reeds. Women in Egypt held many of the same rights as men. The Rosetta Stone Hieroglyphics Demotic Greek Life in Egyptian Society The Egyptians developed a very accurate calendar. Priests observed that the same star appeared above the eastern horizon just before the floods came. Egyptians developed a system of written numbers. Their medicine was famous in the ancient world. They calculated the number of days between one rising of the star and the next as 365 days —a solar year. They also made achievements in geometry, engineering and architecture. Invaders control Egypt The power of the pharaohs declined about 2180 B.C., marking the end of the Old Kingdom. During the same time period as the Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom existed, a civilization was emerging in the Indus River Valley. Strong pharaohs regained control during the Middle Kingdom (2040–1640 B.C.) and restored law and order. Egypt would rise again for a new period of power and glory, the New Kingdom. The Hyksos (the rulers of foreign lands) invaded and ruled much of Egypt from 1630 to 1523 B.C. S U M M A R I Z I N G The Egyptian people settled in a narrow strip of land along the borders of the Nile River. The abundance brought by the Nile was so great that the Egyptians worshiped it as a god. Egypt was divided in Upper and Lower Egypt. Eventually it was united under one pharaoh to form the Old Kingdom. The pharaoh was considered a god and his government was a theocracy. Religion and the afterlife were very important to the Egyptians. Pyramids are a consequence of their beliefs and a proof of their technological and organizational achievements. They invented the Hieroglyphics; and had important achievements in science and architecture. The power of the pharaohs declined about 2180 B.C., marking the end of the Old Kingdom.