Transcript Egypt Power Point

Unit 2
Ancient Civilizations
Egypt, India, Middle East and China
Dates of Civilization
• Egyptian
– 6000 B.C. E
• Started farming
– 4000 B.C.E. - 300 B.C.E.
• Major settlements
Major Rivers
• Egyptians
– Nile
– Flooding from JuneSeptember due to
Ethiopian Highlands’
rain season.
Geographical Setting and Natural
Barriers
• Egyptians
– Nile River
•
•
•
•
Flows South to North
Wind blows North to South
Several months of flooding
6 Cataracts
– Narrow rock channel
w/rapids
– Impossible to navigate
– Nubian and Libyan Deserts
– Mediterranean and Red Seas
– Well Protected
Written Language
• Egyptians
– Hieroglyphics
• About 3000 BCE
• Carved in stone
• Scribes
– Priests – read &write
– for church & govt.
• Over 600 symbols
– Pictures represent words &
sounds
– Papyrus
• used to make paper
– Rosetta Stone
• Translate Hieroglyphics
– 1798
• Hieroglyphics, Greek and
Demonic(early Egyptian)
• Egyptian
Civilizations
– Old Kingdom (2680-2180 BCE)
• Pharaoh – title given to rulers
• Pyramid Age, Sphinx
• How many pyramids do you think
still stand today?
• Menes - United Upper and Lower
Egypt
– Middle Kingdom (Until 1650 BCE)
• “Golden Age”
• Prosperity and Stability,
Increased trade
– New Kingdom (Until 1080 BCE)
• Power and Size at its peak
• Great Pharaohs – regain absolute
power
• Built Empire - Ruling over other
ethnic groups & territories.
Religion
• Egyptian
– Polytheistic
• Many Gods
• Amon Re - Sun God – The
Creator
• Osiris - God of Nile – Judged
you in the afterlife
• Gods associated with animals
– Mummification – preparation for
the afterlife
– Afterlife – at first only for
pharaoh, later believed for
everyone.
• Book of the Dead – guide for the
afterlife
– Monotheistic
• Pharaoh changed his name to
Akhenaton
• “He who is pleasing to Aton”
Government
• Egyptians
– Dynasties
• Family of rulers
• Menes was the first
– Pharaoh
• means ‘Great House’
• Absolute control, ruler &
owner of all, controlled
trade
– Area split into Provinces
• Officials were of Noble
Class
• Collected taxes
• What do the provinces
typically want to do when
there is a weak pharaoh?
Leaders
• Egyptians
– Menes
• United Egypt
• Improved irrigation & trade
– Queen Hatshepsut
• First known female ruler
– Akhenaton
• Amenhotep IV
• Forced Monotheism
– Tutankhamen.
• Returned to polytheism
– Ramses II
• Revived the Empire
• Last Great Pharaoh
• Built Temples & monuments
Social Classes
• Egyptians
• Old Kingdom – 2 Classes
– Ruling class
• Pharaohs
• Priests, scribes
• Nobles/Govt. Officials
– Lower Class
• Peasant farmers
– owed service
– Army or labor
– Could improve status but not
change class.
Achievements
• Egyptians
– Hieroglyphics
– Engineering Skills used
to build Pyramids,
Tombs, Canals
– Land Surveying
– 365 day Calendar
– Medical Advances
• Surgery
• Setting of Bones
– Chariot, Compound bow
– Mined copper, made
Bronze
– Sculpture, pottery
Hyksos Charioteer
REVIEW
Review Questions (20 points)
1. With what purpose would priests use hieroglyphic
writing in government?
2. Based on how a pyramid is shaped, why are
peasants/servants in the bottom section?
3. Why is Menes important?
4. Name 2 of the natural boundaries surrounding Egypt.
5. In the Old Kingdom, name 2 titles of the people (or
groups) who were part of the ruling class.
6. What was the point of the book with which people buried
their dead?
7. If the Nile River flows with a northbound current, why is
it relatively easy for people to travel south?
8. How many pyramids still stand today in Egypt?