The Ancient Eqyptians

World History - Libertyville HS

Geography• River valley in the middle

of a desert– Desert prevented invaders

from attacking Egypt

• Nile River over 4,100 miles long– Flowed from S to N,

emptying into the Med.

• Traveling the Nile (upriver / downriver)

• “Upper” vs. “Lower” Egypt• Nile Delta: rich farmland

Social Hierarchy• Social Hierarchy– Very stratified society

• Pharaoh and family• Nobility, priests, generals• Merchants, soldiers, scribes• Farmers, laborers• (late in Egyptian history)

Slaves

– Mobility up or down possible

– Women in Egypt• Same rights as men• Could own, trade property• Propose marriage, seek

divorce

Pharaoh & family

Nobility & priests

Merchants, soldiers, scribes

Farmers, laborers

Egyptian Technology• Hieroglyphics– Pictographic writing– Later, picture came to stand of

for a sound (phonetic)– First written on stone and clay– L:ater written on papyrus, an

early form of paper

• Calendar – helped anticipate Nile River flooding, planting seasons

Egyptian Technology• Mathematics– Excellent at geometry– Skillful engineers, architects

• Medicine– Doctors could check pulse– Set bones with splints– Actually performed

successful surgeries

Egyptian Religion

• After 3100 BC, pharaoh worshipped as a god

• Other gods: 2000 +– Ra = sun god– Horus = sky god– Osiris = afterlife god– Isis = mother & wife

goddess

The Afterlife• Egyptian belief in afterlife– Eternal life available to all– Practice of mummification for

elite, royal dead• Embalm, dry corpse• Remove all organs• Wrap in wax cloth bandages• Put in coffin in tomb

surrounded by all things dead person would need in afterlife

– Buried pharaohs in pyramids or tombs

History of Egypt• Early history– 6-7000 years ago: first

people moved into area– River allowed easy

communication

• Great unifier = King Narmer (ca. 3100 BC)– Legendary king who unified

upper, lower Egypt– Established Egyptian state– Earliest hieroglyphics from

this time– Crowns of Lower, Upper

Egypt

Lower Egypt crownUpper Egypt crown

Double Crown of Egypt

History of Egypt• Early Dynastic Period (1st to

3rd Dynasties) (2950-2575 BC)– Highly organized society

• Irrigation projects• Thus, politically unified state

– First step pyramid built

• Old Kingdom Period (4th to 8th Dynasties) (2660-2180 BC)– Primary pyramid building time

(Great Pyramid)– Hieroglyphics developed– Many characteristics of later

Egyptian society established

History of Egypt• First Intermediate Period (9th

to 11th Dynasties) (2175-1975 BC)– State split in two– Rival Egyptians fought for power

• Middle Kingdom (11th to 14th Dynasties) (1975 to 1640 BC)– United under strong pharaohs– Conquered Nubia (gold mines)– Classical period of art, literature

History of Egypt• Second Intermediate

Period (15th to 17th Dynasties) (1630-1520 BC)– Hyksos (Indo-European tribe

from Palestine) invaded Lower Egypt• Composite bows• Metal (bronze) armor• Chariot

– Hyksos were absorbed into dominant Egyptian culture

– Egyptian dynasties continued in South

History of Egypt• New Kingdom (18th to 20th

Dynasties) (1539-1075 BC)– Egyptians overthrew Hyksos

in long war– Egypt became an empire

(Nubia, Palestine)– Pharaohs were warriors, not

priests– Anti-foreigner movement

(Jews thrown out of Egypt)

History of Egypt• Third Intermediate Period

(21st to 25th Dynasties) (1075 -715 BC)– “Sea People” invaded

through Palestine– Nubians conquered Egypt

• Late Period (26th to 30th Dynasties (715-332 BC)– Egypt conquered by

Assyrians, then Persians– Became independent in 404

BC

History of Egypt• Greco-Roman Period (from

332 BC)– Conquered by Macedonians

(Alexander the Great), 332 BC

– Ptolemy, one of Alexander’s generals, est. himself as king in 320 BC

– Romans conquered Egypt in 30 BC after defeating Mark Anthony & Cleopatra

– Rosetta stone carved, 196 BC