Transcript Slide 1

Chapter 3: Nile Civilizations
Section 1 - The Kingdom of Egypt
Main Idea
Egypt was one of the most stable and long-lasting
civilizations of the ancient world.
Focus
• How did geography influence Egypt’s early history?
• What achievements were made in the Old Kingdom?
• What happened during the Middle Kingdom?
• What was Egypt like during the New Kingdom?
Section 1 - The Kingdom of Egypt
The Gift of the Nile:
The Nile provided
Egyptians water for
farming as well as
many types of
animals and plants.
Without the Nile’s
waters, no one could
live there
I. Geography and Early Egypt
Nile River: dominant
physical feature of Egypt,
4,000+ miles long,
flows north through
Sahara Desert
I. Geography and Early Egypt
Prevailing north-to-south winds enabled boats
to sail south, up the river
I. Geography and Early Egypt
Trade goods moved north with river’s flow, and
south with the wind
A. The Geography of Egypt
Nile flooding was predictable - 3 months each
summer – left behind fertile black silt
The "Nilometer“ vertical markings along
the stairway were used
to measure the height
of Nile flooding. The
pharaohs used this
information to predict
the bounty of the crops
and set the tax rates
accordingly.
A. The Geography of Egypt
Flooding created
narrow band of fertile
soil; became home to
Egyptian civilization
A. The Geography of Egypt
Most fertile soil was in Nile Delta; Egyptians
named their country the “Black Land” and
surrounding desert the “Red Land”
A. The Geography of Egypt
Harsh deserts and cataracts on Nile helped
protect Egypt from invasion
B. Two Kingdoms
5000 BC - First farming villages; over time
developed into two kingdoms
B. Two Kingdoms
Lower Egypt - the northern kingdom; occupied
most of Nile Delta; worshipped a cobra goddess
Wadjet, Goddess of Lower Egypt, Papyrus, and Protector of Pharaoh
B. Two Kingdoms
Upper Egypt - the southern kingdom from delta
to first cataract; worshipped a vulture goddess
The goddess Nekhbet, Egyptian mothergoddess, guardian of Upper Egypt, and
protector of the pharoah
C. Unification
c. 3100 BC - Two kingdoms unified when
Menes conquered Lower Egypt; founded
Memphis as capital
Menes, aka Narmer, Catfish, Aha
and Scorpion; ruled sometime
between 3100-2850 B.C
The Narmer Palette dates from about the 31st century BC and contains some of
the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. It is believed to depict the
unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under King Narmer. On one side the king is
wearing the crown of Upper Egypt and the other side depicts the king wearing the
crown of Lower Egypt. It provides one of the earliest known depictions of an
Egyptian king and may be "the first historical document in the world“.
C. Unification
Menes adopted both symbols, the snake and
vulture; combined the Red and White crowns
C. Unification
Menes founded the first of 31 dynasties
Tomb painting, Temple of
Abydos, Egypt, Dynasty
XIX, 1317 BC
II. The Old Kingdom
c. 2650 BC - Third dynasty, start of Old Kingdom
period; laid foundations for Egyptian institutions
A. The Pyramids
Tombs for pharaohs; hollow chamber for burial
and treasure; protected by traps
A. The Pyramids
Design changed over time from step to
smooth-sided; built from inside out
Step Pyramid of Djoser (2667 - 2648 BC), the second king of the 3rd
Dynasty at Saqqara. Designed by Imhotep, who stacked six traditional
stone platforms on top of each other
A. The Pyramids
Designed by professional craftsmen; peasants
worked one month a year, not built by slaves
B. The Pharaohs
Ruler was the pharaoh: held absolute power,
owned all land, led army, and acted as judge
Tomb wall paintings depict young King Tutankhamen victorious in battle
B. The Pharaohs
Pharaoh was a god; government and religion
intertwined, creating theocracy
The sun disc Aten shining on the
names of the royal family
Akhenaton under the rays of
Aten holding the fruits of the
harvest
C. Egyptian Bureaucracy
Rule aided by bureaucracy; vizier most
powerful official, other officials ran Egypt
III. The Middle Kingdom
c. 2100 BC: Old Kingdom collapsed when
pharaohs lost power to nobles
III. The Middle Kingdom
c. 2055 BC - New dynasty brought stability;
start of Middle Kingdom - Egypt’s “golden age”
Arts and crafts flourished during
the Middle Kingdom, as is shown
in this lovely amulet of Sesostris III
Mentuhotep II, First Ruler of
the Middle Kingdom
III. The Middle Kingdom
Trade increased,
protected by fortresses
built along Nile
Trade Caravan
III. The Middle Kingdom
ca. 1650 BC - Middle Kingdom ended Hyksos conquered Lower Egypt using new
technology
Composite bow
made of woods,
horn, sinew and
covered in birch
bark
- range .25 miles
- better penetration
than a magnum
firearm
IV. The New Kingdom
Nobles from Thebes end Hyksos’ 100-year
reign; became the new rulers
IV. The New Kingdom
Created a permanent army; won an empire
that stretched from Nubia to the Euphrates
IV. The New Kingdom
c. 1500 BC - Hatshepsut seized power, became
Egypt’s only female pharaoh
IV. The New Kingdom
Best known for trade expedition to Punt;
nephew tried to remove all traces of her reign
IV. The New Kingdom
1353 BC - Amenhotep IV became pharaoh;
banned worship of all gods but sun god Aten
Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their children
IV. The New Kingdom
c.1250 BC – Ramses II led army against
Hittites; truce signed and Ramses married
Hittite princess
IV. The New Kingdom
Ramses ruled 60 years, built more temples
and monuments than any other pharaoh
Ramses’ Temple at Luxor
Temple of Karnak - Ramses II
with his daughter Bent'anta
V. Egypt’s Decline
Reign of Ramses II marked last period of
greatness
Temple at Abu Simbel in Nubia
V. Egypt’s Decline
In-fighting and invasion of the Sea Peoples
weakened Egypt; later Egypt fell to Rome
This image shows an Egyptian limestone statue, depicting an unidentified
woman, carved during the New Kingdom Period, dating from between 1550
BC to 1050 BC. The bust on display at Chicago’s Field Museum has been the
focus of interest since the death of singer Michael Jackson as visitors
double-take at the eerie similarities between the 3,000-year-old statue and
the singer.