Download Chapter 2: Ancient Egypt

Chapter 2:
Ancient Egypt
Objective

Global Citizens can recognize reasons
that cultural groups develop in certain
places
Agenda
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Geography of Egypt
Vocabulary
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Cataracts- steep rapids formed by cliffs
and boulders in a river
Delta- area of fertile soil at the mouth of
a river
Section 1: The Nile Valley
A MIGHTY RIVER
 The Nile River is the longest river in the world.
 The Blue Nile and the White Nile meet and form the
Nile River.
 The Egyptians used the river for drinking, bathing,
farming, cooking, and cleaning.
 Cataracts are wild rapids that form in the Nile.
A SHELTERED LAND
 Delta: an area of fertile soil
Section 1: The Nile Valley
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Sahara: the largest desert in the world west of the
Nile Valley
Deserts are called “the Red Land” because of their
burning heat.
The Sahara kept outside armies away from Egypt.
The Nile’s dangerous cataracts blocked enemy
boats.
There were no harbors in the delta marshes.
The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea allowed
the Egyptians to trade.
Section 1: The Nile Valley
REGULAR FLOODING
 When the Nile flooded, the Egyptians farmed and
lived securely.
 The Egyptians called their land Kemet which means
“the Black Land” because of a layer of dark, fertile
mud that was left behind after flooding.
HOW DID THE EGYPTIANS USE THE NILE?
 They became successful farmers.
 Wheat, barley, and flax seeds were planted in the
wet, rich soil.
Section 1: The Nile Valley
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They used irrigation. They dug holes in the earth to
trap the floodwaters.
They built canals and dikes to strengthen the basin
walls.
Other technology:
• Shadoof: a bucket attached to a long pole to carry
water
• Geometry: to measure land
• Used papyrus, a reed plant, to make baskets, sandals,
and river rafts
• Later used papyrus to make paper
DBQ: Primary Source Document
NILE ACROSTIC
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Use the letters N-I-L-E-R-I-V-E-R to
create an acrostic.
My Example:
N: Nile River is the longest
Exit Ticket

Imagine you live in Ancient Egypt. How
would you use the Nile to make a living?
Explain your day to day uses of the river.
Bell Ringer

How do you thoughts on floods differ
from those of the Egyptians? Why are
they different?
Objective

Identify how early forms of writing
influenced life in Egypt
Vocabulary
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Hieroglyphics-Egypt’s complex system of
writing
Papyrus- A reed plant from the Nile used
to make baskets, sandals, and river rafts
Use each in a sentence
Section 1: The Nile Valley
WHAT WERE HIEROGLYPHICS?
 Egyptians used papyrus rolls as writing paper.
 Hieroglyphics: a complex writing system that
combined sounds and pictures
 Only few people could read and write.
 Some men went to special schools to study reading
and writing. They became scribes.
 Scribes: kept records, worked for the rulers and
priests, and traders
Writing
Making paper from papyrus
Phonograms represent sounds, much as alphabet
letters do. Ideograms are signs that represent whole
words or concepts.
In Groups
 What
would your lives be like without…
 Written Laws?
 Written History?
 Written Religion?
 Written Literature?
Example:
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What your lives be like without…
Writing in school?
Example: Writing in school allows students to learn
and reinforce the material. Writing also gives
students the opportunity to express their knowledge
of a subject. Through writing, thoughts are more
clearly communicated. Without writing, it would be
difficult to remember necessary material and to
clearly express ideas and opinions.
Exit Ticket
 How
did hieroglyphics influence the life
of the Egyptians? Include 4 ways and
EXPLAIN how.
Make your own hieroglyphics
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Create an alphabet of your own
hieroglyphic symbols.
Using your alphabet write one rule you
follow outside of school
Bell Ringer

Decode a partner’s hieroglyphic law they
completed for homework
Objective

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Global Citizens can recognize roles of
individuals in Egyptian society
Global citizens can explain Ancient
Egypt’s government
Section 1: The Nile Valley
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Skillful farming led to surpluses, or extra amounts of
food.
Some people were artisans---wove cloths, made
pottery, carved statues, or made weapons and tools
THE RISE OF GOVERNMENT
 Village chiefs were the earliest rulers.
 Chiefs created small kingdoms out of their villages.
 Two large kingdoms: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt
Section 1: The Nile Valley
EGYPT’S RULING FAMILIES
 Narmer, also known as Menes, united the Upper and
Lower Egypt.
 He wore a double crown:
• White represented Upper Egypt
• Red represented Lower Egypt
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Dynasty: a line of rulers from one family
EGYPT’S SOCIAL CLASSES
 Top: King (pharaoh) and his family
Section 1: The Nile Valley
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Upper Class: nobles, priests, and other wealthy
Egyptians
Middle Class: artisans, people who ran businesses
and produced goods
Farmers made up the largest group of early
Egyptians.
The city dwellers were unskilled workers who did
physical labor. They were at the very bottom.
Section 1: The Nile Valley
FAMILY LIFE
 Father headed the family.
 Egyptian women had more rights than most other
early civilizations.
 They could own and pass property.
 They could buy and sell goods, make wills, and
obtain divorces.
 Mothers taught their daughters household chores.
 Fathers trained their sons to farm or trade.
Section 2: Egypt’s Old Kingdom
OLD KINGDOM RULERS
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Pharaohs: Egyptian kings who lived with their
families in grand palaces
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The Egyptians served the pharaoh for two
reasons---1.
They needed a strong leader to be united.
2.
They believed the pharaoh was son of Re, the
Egyptian sun god.
3.
The Egyptians thought their pharoah was a
god on earth who controlled Egypt’s welfare.
Social Roles Activity
RAFT
Section 2: Egypt’s Old Kingdom
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The Egyptians thought their pharoah was a god
on earth who controlled Egypt’s welfare.
EGYPT’S RELIGIONS
 Deities: gods or goddesses
 Main Egyptian god: Re (the sun god)
 Another major god: Hapi (ruled the Nile River)
 Most important goddess: Isis
Section 2: Egypt’s Old Kingdom
LIFE AFTER DEATH
 Book of the Dead: a collection of spells and
prayers that Egyptians studied to obtain life after
death
 For centuries the Egyptians believed that only
the pharoah and elite could enjoy afterlife.
 The pharaoh’s body was protected by
embalming it.
 Body was wrapped---mummy
Section 2: The Old Kingdom
EGYPTIAN MEDICINE
 Used herbs and drugs to treat illnesses
 Sewed up cuts and set broken bones
 They were the first specialists in medicine.
 Wrote the world’s first medical books on scrolls
of papyrus
THE PYRAMIDS
 Pyramid: tombs built for pharaohs
Section 2: Egypt’s Old Kingdom
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Pyramids protected the bodies of the pharaohs
from floods, wild animals, and grave robbers.
Held supplies the pharaoh may need in the spirit
world: clothing, furniture, jewelry, food
The Great Pyramid: the largest and grandest
pyramid
It was built for King Khufu in Giza
The Great Pyramid was the tallest structure in
the world for more than 4000 years.
Section 3: The Egyptian Empire
THE MIDDLE KINGDOM
 This was a golden age of peace, prosperity, and
advances in the arts and architecture.
 Lasted from 2050 B.C. to 1670 B.C.
 Soldiers captured Nubia and made them pay
tribute: forced payments
 Arts, literature, and architecture thrived.
 Instead of building pyramids, pharaohs’ tombs
were cut into cliffs.
Section 3: The Egyptian Empire
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The Hyksos attacked Egypt.
They were mighty warriors---chariots and
weapons made of bronze/iron
Later Ahmose drove the Hyksos out of Egypt
after 120 years.
THE NEW KINGDOM
 Egypt acquired new territory and reached the
height of its power.
Section 3: The Egyptian Empire
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Queen Hatshepsut was the first woman pharaoh.
She was more interested in trade than conquest.
They exchanged beads, metal tools, and
weapons for gold, ivory, ebony, and incense.
They also wanted wood because there were
few trees.
Trading brought wealth to Egypt.
When Hatshepsut died her nephew Thutmose
became pharaoh.
Section 3: The Egyptian Empire
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Thutmose’s empire grew rich from trade and
tribute.
There were many slaves at this time.
Slaves could own land, marry, and eventually
be granted their freedom.
THE LEGACY OF TWO PHARAOHS
 About 1370 B.C. Amenhotep came to the
throne.
Section 3: The Egyptian Empire
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He introduced a new religion----to worship only
one god, Aton.
Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaton,
which means “Spirit of Aton”.
Later he became so devoted in his religion that
invaders came in and attacked Egypt.
Tutankhamen (King Tut) came into power when
Akhenaton, his uncle, died.
King Tut was only 10 years old!
Section 3: The Egyptian Empire
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He received a lot of help from the priests and
palace officials.
King Tut ruled for only 9 short years----no one
knows for sure how he died.
In 1922 an archaeologist named Howard Carter
found King Tut’s tomb and went into it.
He found incredible treasures including a gold
mask of the young pharaoh’s face.
Section 3: The Egyptian Empire
THE END OF THE NEW KINGDOM
 Ramses II came into power and ruled for 66
years!
 He constructed several major new temples.
 The most famous temple was Karnak.
 Services were not held in these temples---Egyptians prayed at home.
 The temples were banks and houses for the
gods and goddesses.
Section 3: The Egyptian Empire
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After Ramses II died Egypt began to lose control
again.
In the 900s B.C. invaders started attacking Egypt.
Libyans came from the west.
Then the people of Kush came from the south in
the 760s B.C.
In 670 B.C. the Egyptians were taken over by the
Assyrians.
Section 4: The Civilization of
Kush
NUBIA
 People came to Nubia, which was a country
along the Nile.
 They traveled across the savannas, or grassy
plains, and settled in farming villages.
 Nubians were excellent hunters, skilled at using
the bow and arrow.
 Later they were known for their fierce fighting
skills.
Section 4: The Civilization of
Kush
THE KINGDOM OF KERMA
 The powerful Nubian villages became Kerma.
 Kerma had cattle, gold, ivory, and slaves---which the Egyptians traded with them.
 Kerma was very wealthy.
WHY DID EGYPT INVADE NUBIA?
 There was a 50 year war between the Egyptians
and Kerma----Kerma collapsed.
Section 4: The Civilization of
Kush
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The people of Nubia adopted many Egyptian
ways.
THE RISE OF KUSH
 A Nubian group broke away from the Egyptian
control and formed Kush.
 The Kushite kings ruled from the city of Napata.
 In time Kush became rich and strong enough to
control Egypt.
Section 4: The Civilization of
Kush
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King Kashata started a conquest but his son Piye
finished it and took control of Egypt.
THE IMPORTANCE OF IRON
 The Assyrians attacked the Kushites.
 Kushites learned the secret of making iron from
the Assyrians.
 They became the first Africans to devote
themselves to ironmaking.
Section 4: The Civilization of
Kush
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Used iron to make hoes and plows for farming
Began using iron swords and spears
A NEW CAPITAL
 Meroe became the capital of Kush.
 This location had deposits of rich iron ore in the
earth.
Section 4: The Civilization of
Kush
BUILDING A PROFITABLE TRADE
 Meroe became the center of a huge trading
network.
 They remained a great trading power for about
600 years!
 About 200s A.D. Meroe was invaded by Axum
which is present day Ethiopia.
 The armies of Axum burned Meroe to the
ground.