Transcript EGYPT

EGYPT
Ch.2
Quiz
What is the major river in Egypt?
Which direction does it flow?
What desert is on the west side of this river?
What does this river do each year to help with
farming?
What was the ruler of Egypt called?
What were their tombs called?
Remember
Do not copy anything with Remember at the top.
Do not copy anything with review at the top.
Do not copy anything in Italics.
History is your favorite subject.
The Nile Valley
The Nile Valley is one of the most fertile places in the Middle East
and North Africa.
The Nile River (which runs north) keeps the land fertile through
yearly floods.
These floods deposit nutritious silt on the land that is good for
crops.
The river also allows farmers to irrigate their crops.
The Nile Delta
The Nile Delta is where the Nile flows in to the
Mediterranean Sea.
It is one of the most fertile areas along the entire Nile
River.
Most of Egypt’s earliest cites began here.
The Nile Delta is still one of the most heavily populated
areas of Egypt.
Papyrus
One of the many technological innovations the Egyptians
created was papyrus paper.
Papyrus is a reed like plant that grow along the banks of
the Nile.
Egyptians used this plant to make paper on which they
wrote in their own language called Hieroglyphics.
Sahara
On either side of the Nile is the Sahara desert.
This was a natural protection for the Egyptians.
However, whoever controlled the Nile controlled Egypt.
Growth of Kingdoms
Eventually kingdoms formed in Egypt.
These were separated into two different areas.
The Upper Nile which is actually in the south.
 The Lower Nile which is actually in the north.
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About 3100 B.C., the two kingdoms became one.
Their first king was named Narmer (also called Menes). He came
from the upper Nile and conquered the lower Nile.
Narmer’s Dynasty
Narmer ruled until his death, but even then, his
family continued to rule for years.
The continued rule by the same family is called
a dynasty.
Over time 31 different dynasties ruled Egypt.
There were three kingdoms at this time
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Old Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom
Each one was marked by a period of stability
and growth
EGYPTIAN SOCIETY
Social classes were very important to
Egyptians.
Each class had its own characteristics
Leave 4 lines here
Family life also had its own characteristics.
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Women had a special role in Egyptian
society
Review
What is the name of the major river in
Egypt?
Which direction does it flow?
What ruler united Egypt?
What is continuous rule by one family
called?
How were women treated in Egypt?
EGYPT’S OLD KINGDOM
The Old Kingdom Period began around 2600 B.C.
During these years, the Egyptians set up a very
strong government.
They were led by a ruler called Pharaoh
Pharaoh was head of the government and religion
 Pharaoh was considered to be son of the sun god Re.
 He participated in many ceremonies that people thought
would help the Egyptians.

Pharaoh and Egypt’s Religion
Egyptians believed very heavily the
afterlife.
They worshipped many different gods or
deities.
Re= Sun God
 Isis= God of the loyal wife and mother and co
ruler of the dead
 Osiris= God of the dead and husband of Isis
 Hapi= God of the Nile

Life after Death
To most Egyptians, death was simply
another function of a soul.
When you died, you went to an afterlife
where you lived there.
Pharaohs were prepared for this afterlife by
embalming.
First You Remove the Organs
Then You Apply Salt
Then You Fill with
Spices/Perfume
Next the Body is Tightly
Wrapped
Then you Put it in A Coffin
Pyramids
The Pyramids were built as tombs for the
kings.
They held the bodies of the pharaohs as
well as all of the things that he or she would
need in the after world.
They also protected the bodies from the
elements such as floods of the Nile.
EGYPT CONTINUED
About 2300 B.C. Egypt went through a
power change.
Around 2100 B.C. the Middle Kingdom
period of Egyptian History began.
The capitol was moved from Memphis
south to Thebes.
The middle kingdom ushered in a new era
of peace and prosperity for Egypt.
Advances of the Middle
Kingdom
The Middle Kingdom saw many advances
in art and literature.
Many artist used Pharaoh as their model.
Pharaohs also bean cutting their tombs into
cliffs and mountains instead of building
larger and more expensive Pyramids.
Many of these new tombs can be found in
the Valley of the Kings
Hyksos
The invasion of Egypt by a tribe called the
Hyksos ended the Middle Kingdom. This
occurred in 1670 b.c.
They had more advanced weapons and
fought on horseback.
They ruled Egypt for about 150 years until
Ahmose (an Egyptian noble) led a revolt
and overthrew them.
New Kingdom
When Ahmose overthrew the Hyksos, the
New Kingdom began.
This period lasted from about1550 b.c. until
1080 b.c.
The Egyptians became even more powerful.
They also bean to expand their empire