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Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile GEOGRAPHY OF THE NILE VALLEY • If no Nile, then no Egypt – swallowed up by the deserts +deserts protect from invasion : ) -limit settlement : ( BLACK LAND = rich, irrigated, ~10 miles wide RED LAND = sun-baked desert across N. Africa +use Nile Valley for farming Yearly Floods • people eagerly awaited • life-giving water • deposits of silt • needed to control floods – dikes, reservoirs, irrigations ditches, etc – store excess for dry season Uniting the Land • 2 regions • Upper (south) – From 1st cataract to about 100 miles of Mediterranean Sea • Lower (north) – Delta region • King Menes united the 2 regions, 3100BC – Used Nile as highway to link north & south – Officials & armies could be moved via river • Nile = Egypt world’s 1st unified state – Served as trade route to Africa, Middle East, Mediterranean world OLD KINGDOM (2700BC-2200BC) • Government – – – – – – pharaohs organized strong centralized state claimed divine support for rule believed to be a god absolute power over all land in kingdom preserve justice & order depend on vizier to supervise business of gov’ts various dept: tax, farming, irrigation – scribes carry out viziers instructions – Ptah-hotep • wrote “Instruction of Ptah-hotep” • training for young officials Pyramids •built during this time •still stand @ Giza •tombs for eternity due to belief in the afterlife •suggest size and strength of ancient Egyptian civilizatio •VERY COSTLY •require great planning and organization Collapse •power struggles •crop failures •cost of pyramids MIDDLE KINGDOM 2050BC-1800BC • turbulent period -Nile did not rise regularly -corruption and rebellions common +large drainage project, more farming land +occupied Nubia +trade with people of Middle East & Crete -/+Hyksos—foreign invaders, 1700BC *Egyptians awed by horse-drawn chariots & Egyptians mastered new military technology *Hyksos impressed by Egyptian civilz and adopted some of customs, beliefs, languages NEW KINGDOM 1550BC-1100BC • drove out Hyksos • powerful ambitious pharaohs • brought into greater contact with western Asia & other parts of Africa Powerful Rulers •Hatshepsut, woman ruler who exercised all the rights of a pharaoh •Ramses II, most powerful pharaoh of NK •after years of fighting Hittites & Egyptians signed a peace treaty, first document known to have survived history “shall be at peace and brotherhood forever” • • • • • • • EGYPT & NUBIA area that developed to the south of Egypt a.k.a. the Kush Egypt fought or traded with Nubia for centuries under Ramses II used gold from Nubia to pay for charioteers in army, Nubians served in Egyptian armies, left mark on Egyptian culture as Egypt declined, Nubia regained independence, Nubian kings marched north, adding Egypt to their lands Nubians saw themselves not as foreign conquerors but as restorers of Egyptian glory, ruled Egypt like early pharaohs respecting Egyptian traditions Assyrians descended on Egypt & pushed Nubians back