Geography Northeast Africa Crossroads of 3 Major
Continents
Slide 3
Geography (continued) Natural Barriers North: Med. Sea; South:
Falls on the Nile; East: Red Sea; West: Desert Prevented frequent
invasions Nile River (4100 miles, longest in world) Center of
Egyptian economics and culture Annual predictable flooding
irrigates and replenishes the soil; consistent harvest (Gift of the
Nile Sometimes called Black Lands, for its rich soil. The
surrounding desert is called Red Lands
Slide 4
Nile (continued) Originally only the lower Nile, near the
Mediterranean, was known to Egyptians After 750 miles granite
cliffs turned the waters into cataracts (rapids), that boats could
not pass Lower Egypt was the last 100 miles into the sea; Upper
Egypt was from that point back to the first cataract
Slide 5
Discussion What were the physical characteristics and processes
of the ancient Nile River Valley? How did the physical
characteristics of the place affect the human characteristics that
developed? Would there be an Egypt without the Nile?
Slide 6
Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms 3100 BC King Menes unites Upper
and Lower Egypt (kingdom was stable for nearly 3000 years) The Old
Kingdom (2660-2180 BC) starts with the 3 rd dynasty of Egyptian
rulers (Menes was first dynasty) Monarchs were called Pharaohs, and
were considered divine There were 9 distinct periods, and many
dynasties When things went poorly, it was believed to have been due
to subjects not obeying gods representatives on earth
Slide 7
Pharaoh Literally means, Great House Considered Theocracy and
were dynastic Pharaohs appointed a vizier, which is a steward of
the land, and was responsible for running the bureaucracy There
were 42 provinces, each with a governor
Slide 8
Religion Cult of the Dead Polytheistic belief in many gods
Burial Practices Mummification Belief in 2 bodies: physical and
spiritual (Ka) and they needed each other, even after death
Elaborate 70 day process meant to preserve the body so that the Ka
would be able to return to the body
Slide 9
Religion (continued) Pyramids (started in the Old Kingdom)
Tombs to honor the Pharaohs Cities of the Dead: The pyramids were
just part of the complex of the overall burial site
Slide 10
Religion (continued) Pyramids (continued) Engineering marvels
Tallest structures on earth for 43 centuries Covers 13 football
fields 2 million precisely cut 2-ton blocks Contents Buried with
many (sometimes thousands) of items. Discovery of King Tuts tomb
was important because it was intact.
Slide 11
Miscellaneous They used hieroglyphics and papyrus Use of
chariots Old Kingdom begins decline around 2180 BC After The First
Intermediate Period (a time of turmoil and unrest), the Middle
Kingdom begins under strong Pharaohs (2080-1640 BC)
Slide 12
Miscellaneous (continued) Middle Kingdom ends around 1640 BC,
as the Hyksos (nomadic Asian chariot riders) invaded. Ruled until
1570 BC This 70 year period that the Hyksos ruled is called the
Second Intermediate period The New Kingdom would rise again, but we
will discuss that at a later time.
Slide 13
Question How did natural barriers affect the development of the
region, and its geographic patterns?
