Key Terms - River Civilizations - Egypt

Nile River Silt Upper Egypt Lower Egypt Memphis King Menes Dynasty Pharaohs Tribute Bureaucracy

Osiris Isis Mummification Book of the Dead Hieroglyphics Rosetta Stone Pyramids Nubia

The Nile River Valley

As the Sahara region desertified around 2500 B.C., many people inhabited the Nile River Valley in Eastern Africa

Nile River → river that runs from the Nile River Delta near the Mediterranean Sea down to Central Africa

Qualities of the Nile River Valley The Nile river would flood annually and was

predictable. The Egyptians revered the flooding since it left

silt behind after the floods receded. Silt → moist fertile soil that was suitable for

farming. The Egyptians built many irrigation canals to

link the many villages to the wealth of the Nile It flowed downstream and the elevations would

change quickly forming rapids and waterfalls in many areas. This made it difficult to sail by boat.

The Egyptian Kingdom

The Egyptian Kingdom would be split into two sections:

Upper Egypt → the southern part of the Nile, closest to Nubia

Lower Egypt → the northern part of the Nile closest to the Delta

King Menes

The two regions would be unified under the rule of King Menes.

Menes → ruler of Egypt who was able to unify the two regions of Egypt under the rule of one government.

Capital and Government Structure

The rulers would rule the area of Egypt from Memphis, the capital of the Egyptian empire.

The rulers of Egypt were known as pharaohs.

They ruled with absolute authority since they believed that they were the children of the Sun God.

Government Structure (cont.)

To ensure their rule and laws remained in place, pharaohs would select their children as heirs so upon their death, their legacy would continue through their children.

Rulers would establish dynasties, dynasties are ruling families that ensure their legacies via hereditary succession.

Pharaohs would use bureaucracies to ease their rule.

Bureaucracies → departmentalization/breakdown of government

Power Structure

Pharaohs (rulers) Viziers → government advisors Governors → ruled over small sections of Egypt Scribes → kept histories Artisans → skilled craftworkers Merchants → sellers of goods Peasants → small farmers, gave crops to gov't Slaves → unpaid servants who were forced into

lifelong servitude

Egyptian Rule

Any territories or groups of people subjugated by the Egyptians were forced to give tribute.

Tribute → payment made by conquered peoples to prevent further warfare.

Egyptian Religion

Egyptians had a strong belief in religion.

Believed that Amon-Re was the chief god, also the Sun

They also held a strong belief in the afterlife which is why they mummified their dead.

Egyptian Religion (cont.)

Mummification → Egyptian act of preserving the dead.

Egyptians believed that Osiris would judge the dead in the afterlife and Isis would be the creator of new life.

People were buried with the Book of the Dead; a collection of prayers that were needed in the afterlife

Writing Systems

The Egyptians used a unique writing system to maintain records.

Hieroglyphics → system of writing that made use of ideograms to replace spoken words

Since hieroglyphics were so intricate, demotic was used to speed up record keeping.

Demotic → shorthand version of hieroglyphics

Rosetta Stone

Modern historians were unable to decipher hieroglyphics until they were able to locate the Rosetta Stone.

Rosetta Stone → tablet that had three different types of writing noted on it (Greek, Hieroglyphics, and demotic)

Pyramids

As soon as the pharaohs ascended to the throne, their tombs would be immediately begin in construction.

Pyramids → ornate tombs that were used for the pharaohs.

Nubia The Egyptians would

engage in warfare with the Nubians constantly over their reserves of gold.

The Egyptians would rule over the Nubians beginning in the year 1522 B.C.

They would lose control during the New Kingdom period of rule (during which the weakest rulers reigned)

Summary

The Egyptians would ultimately be conquered by the Hittites and Hyskos in the latter part of the Old Kingdom period.

Their losses would be due to their lack of iron technology and their lack of chariots.

They would make advances in medicine through the use of herbs, anatomy through their mummification rituals, basic dentistry, improved calendars, and numeric systems.