Transcript Egypt - Cobb Learning

Egypt
Geography
• Nile River – 4,100 miles long, flows
northward from eastern central Africa
• The Nile is the longest river in the
world!
• Every year in July the river flooded
REGULARLY leaving behind rich
soil.
Geography Continued
• Forbidding Deserts on either side of the
Nile = Natural barriers
• Ancient Greek historian Herodotus called
Egypt “the gift of the Nile.”
Environmental Challenges
• If the Nile flood was just a few feet lower
than normal, the amount of silt and water
for crops was greatly reduced. (Many
people starved.)
• If the Nile flood was higher that usual, it
destroyed houses, granaries, and seeds
for the new crop.
• The vast deserts on either side of the Nile
acted as natural barriers protected Egypt
from invaders and limited contact with
other peoples.
Environmental
Challenges
Ancient Egyptians’ solution
Nile flooded too
low
They created machines to raise the
water from the Nile to the fields
Nile flooded too
high
They built dams around cities and dikes
on the side of the river to keep flood
water out of certain areas.
Vast deserts on
either side of
the Nile
The Egyptians used the Nile to travel
down to the Mediterranean and up to the
first cataract to trade. The deserts
protected the Egyptians from invasion.
• Ancient Egyptians lived along the Nile
from its delta well into the interior of
Africa.
• River travel was common, but could
only travel as far south as the first
cataract (area of churning rapids in
the river)
Transportation on the Nile
• The Nile provided a reliable system of
transportation between upper and lower
Egypt. The Nile flows north, so
northbound boats simply drifted with the
current. The prevailing winds in Egypt
flow from north to south. Boats wishing to
sail south would hoist their sails and allow
the wind to power them up the river.
Upper and Lower Egypt
• Egypt contained two very different
regions: Upper Egypt and Lower
Egypt.
• Because its elevation is higher,
the area in the south is referred to
as Upper Egypt. The fertile land
is only a narrow strip very near
the Nile.
• The area closer to the mouth of
the Nile is lower and marshier.
The Nile river fans out into a delta
and the area of fertile becomes
much wider.
Lower Egypt
Upper Egypt
Egypt Unites
• The kingdoms of Upper Egypt and Lower
Egypt were united by either a king named
Scorpion or a king named Narmer around
3000 BCE.
(The most solid evidence points to Narmer.)
Narmer:
• Established a capital, Memphis
• Established first Egyptian Dynasty
• United Upper and Lower Egypt
The crown above and to the left is the crown of Upper Egypt.
The crown above and in the middle is the crown of Lower Egypt.
The crown to the right shows the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Pharaohs
• Egyptian kings were called
pharaohs
• The Egyptians viewed their
pharaohs the same as the gods
–KINGS WERE GODS
• Stood as center of religion as well as
government and army
• Type of Government is a Theocracy
Theocracy – a type of
government in which rule is
based on religious authority.
Pyramids
• Egyptians believed their kings ruled even
after death.
• For the kings of the Old Kingdom, the
resting place after death was a pyramid.
• Pyramids demonstrate the Old Kingdom
dynasties had developed the economic
strength, leadership, government
organization and technologies to support
massive public works projects.
Trade
• By 3200 BC, Egyptians were
trading with the Mesopotamians
• Also traded up and down the Nile
–Gold
–Ivory
–Cattle
–Granite blocks
Religion
• Polytheistic
• 2,000 gods and
goddesses
• Built huge temples
to honor gods
• Believed in
afterlife
–Osiris – god of the
dead
Social
• Very different from the citystates of Mesopotamia
• Egypt’s united kingdom
allowed
–High degree of unity
–Stability
–Cultural continuity (staying the
same)
Life in Egyptian Society
Pharaoh,
Queen, royal family
(Royal Advisor)
Priests
Wealthy landowners, Government
Officials Traders/Merchants
Ordinary Citizens
Slaves
Intellectual
• Early writing was a form of pictographs,
but scribes developed hieroglyphics
(which comes from the Greek for sacred
carving)
• Originally written on stone, but
developed papyrus, a paper-like
substance made from reeds.
• Developed a calendar to keep track of the
time between floods and when to plant.
• Developed written numbers for recording
taxes
–Addition, subtraction
• Used geometry to survey land after the
floods.
• Built pyramids, palaces, stone columns
• Most advanced medicine in the ancient
world – could take pulse, set bones, had
effective treatments for wounds and
fevers, also performed surgery to treat
some conditions.
History
• The history of Egypt is broken down into three
major periods known as the Old, Middle, and
New Kingdoms.
• Periods known for peace, productivity and longterm stability.
• The Intermediate periods were known for
political chaos and invasion.
The Old Kingdom
(2700 - 2200 B.C.E.)
• Many of the greatest and
largest pyramids were built
during this time period.
• The title of pharaoh was
given to the leader of Egypt.
• Egypt was divided into 42
provinces, which were run by
governors appointed by the
pharaoh.
The Middle Kingdom
(2050 - 1652 B.C.E.)
• Followed a 150 year
period of chaos.
• This period was marked
by expansion of the
empire.
• The period was also
known for compassionate
pharaohs.
• Public works projects
replaced pyramid and idol
construction.
The New Kingdom
(1567 - 1085 B.C.E.)
• The Hyksos, using
war chariots defeated
the Egyptians and
ruled for 100 years
prior to the New
Kingdom.
• The New Kingdom
was a period of
military expansion
and construction.
Egyptian and Nubian Empires
(Chapter 4, Section 1)
• Several weak pharaohs and power struggles
between rival nobles caused a decline in the
prosperity of the Middle Kingdom, Egypt
descended into war and violence.
• Because Egypt was weak, the northern and
central regions fell to Hyksos invaders. The
Hyksos were from the land at the eastern end
of the Mediterranean Sea and were probably
of mixed heritage.
• The Hyksos used chariots in their warfare
(War chariots were unknown to the
Egyptians.)
• Historians believe that sometime during this
period Hebrews settled in Egypt.
• Around 1600 B.C.E. a series of warlike
Pharaohs began to restore Egypt’s power.
These rulers forced the Hyksos out of Egypt
and pursued them across the Sinai peninsula
into modern day Palestine.
• Scholars believe that the Hebrews remained in
Egypt and were forced into slavery. The
Hebrews didn’t leave Egypt until sometime
between 1500 and 1200 BCE.
The New Kingdom of Egypt
• After the chaos, New Kingdom Pharaohs
became conquerors using an army of infantry
soldiers, charioteers using two-wheeled
chariots, and archers.
• Unlike other pharaohs of the period,
Hatshepsut encouraged trade instead of war.
– She sent a trading expedition to Punt (Somalia)
that brought back myrrh, frankincense, fragrant
oil, gold, ivory, and unusual plants and animals.
• Hatshepsut’s stepson, Thutmose III, led a
number of victorious invasions into Palestine
and Syria, and his armies pushed south into
Nubia (south of Egypt along the Nile River).
• Egypt became incredibly powerful and rich
during the New Kingdom.
• The Egyptian incursion into Palestine
brought them into conflict with the Hittites
• The Hittites had moved into Asia Minor
around 1900 BCE and had expanded south
into Palestine.
• After several battles the Egypt Pharaoh
Ramses II and the Hittite king signed a peace
treaty.
• Pharaohs of the New Kingdom built grand
buildings.
• In fear of grave robbers, these Pharaohs dug
their splendid tombs beneath cliffs in the
Valley of the Kings.
• Shortly after the death of Ramses II, strong
civilizations arose and the entire eastern
Mediterranean suffered a wave of invasions.
• Both the Egyptian empire and the Hittites
were attacked by invaders referred to as the
“Sea Peoples” that caused great destruction.
• The Sahara to the west no longer protected
Egypt and it was repeated raided by Libyans.
• The Libyan invaders established independent
dynasties. Libyan Pharaohs ruled Egypt and
erected cities, but instead of imposing their
own culture, they adopted the Egyptian way
of life.
• For centuries, Egypt had traded with and
dominated Nubia and the Nubian kingdom of
Kush which was located less than 600 miles
south of the Egyptian city of Thebes. During
this time Egyptian armies had invaded and even
occupied Kush for brief periods. During these
periods Egyptian governors, priests, soldiers, and
artists greatly influenced the Nubians.
• The Nubian kingdom of Kush became the center
for the spread of Egyptian culture into to Kush’s
African trading partners.
• Kushite princes went to Egypt where they
learned Egyptian language, adopted Egyptian
culture, and worshiped Egyptian gods. When
they returned home they brought back
Egyptian culture.
• As Egypt fell into a decline, Kush began to
emerge as a regional power.
• The Kush saw themselves as better guardians
of Egyptian values than the Libyans.
• In 751 BCE a Kushite king, Piankhi,
overthrew the Libyan dynasty that that had
ruled Egypt for over 200 years.
• He united the entire Nile Valley from the Nile
delta in the north to Napata in the south and
founded Egypt’s 25th Dynasty
The Golden Age of Meroe
• In 671 BCE, the Assyrians from SW Asia
conquered Egypt and forced the Kushites to
retreat south along the Nile
• The Kushite royal family moved south to
Meroe.
• Meroe had abundant mineral resources
especially iron ore. They used caravans to
take their iron weapons and tools to the Red
Sea where they traded extensively with Saudi
Arabia and India.
• After about 4 centuries of prosperity Meroe
began to decline.
• Aksum, with a seaport on the Red Sea, began
to dominate North African trade.
• By 250 CE Aksum had defeated Meroe.