The Nile Valley Chapter 2, Section 1, page 38. Chapter 2, Section 1 Objectives After this lesson, students will be able to: – explain how Egyptian civilization

The Nile Valley

Chapter 2, Section 1, page 38

Chapter 2, Section 1 Objectives

• After this lesson, students will be able to:– explain how Egyptian civilization arose in the fertile Nile

River valley and how natural borders discouraged invasion.

– describe how Lower and Upper Egypt united into one kingdom around 3100 B.C. that was organized into social classes.

Settling the Nile – page 39

• Herodotus (5th century B.C.) – Egypt was the “gift of the Nile”

• no Nile River = no Egyptian civilization

A Mighty River – page 39

• Nile River– longest river in the world

(4,000 miles)– begins as two different

rivers the Blue Nile and White Nile

– flows northward to the Mediterranean Sea

– Upper and Lower Egypt

A Mighty River – page 39

A Sheltered Land – page 39

• What made ancient Egypt a sheltered land?– cataracts (wild rapids

formed by boulders and narrow cliffs) to the south

– deserts to the east and west

– the delta to the north had no natural harbors

– all equals a sort of natural “fence” around Egypt that provided protection

• regular flooding– predictable and rarely

disastrous– astronomy helped to predict

flood– nilometers to measure

inundation– provides fertile soil by

leaving deposits of silt– Egyptians called their

land Kemet – means “black land”

The River People – page 41

How Did the Egyptians Use the Nile? – page 41

• The Nile provided:– fish and game– drinking water– water for washing– water for agriculture

(irrigation and livestock)– transportation (trade)– recreation– soil replenishment

What Were Hieroglyphics? – page 42

• papyrus – a reed plant used in papermaking and boat building

• hieroglyphics – a system of writing developed by the ancient Egyptians

A United Egypt – page 43

• kingdoms in Upper and Lower Egypt (4000 B.C.)

• King Narmer, aka Menes, credited with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt (c. 3100 B.C.)– Palette of Narmer

Egypt’s Ruling Families – page 43

• dynasty – a line of rulers that passes power from father to son– Egypt was ruled by 31

dynasties over around 2,800 years

– division into “kingdoms”• Old Kingdom• Middle Kingdom• New Kingdom

Egypt’s Social Classes – page 45





Family Life – page 46

• women– had more rights than most

other early civilizations, e.g. could obtain a divorce, own and pass on property.

• children– males learned trade from

father– females taught how to run a

household from mother– played with toys and played

board games

Chapter 2, Section 1 Questions

1. Why has Egypt been called “the gift of the Nile?”2. What factors contribute to Egypt being described as “a

sheltered land?”3. What did the Egyptians call their land? What does it

mean?4. Name four of the seven things mentioned that the Nile

provided the ancient Egyptians.5. What are hieroglyphics?6. Who is credited with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt?

Egypt’s Old Kingdom



• After this lesson, students will be able to:– explain who ruled the Old Kingdom of Egypt.– describe the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians

and the purpose of the pyramids they built.

Old Kingdom Rulers – page 48

• Old Kingdom (c. 2649 B.C. to c. 2150 B.C.)

• pharaohs – all powerful kings in ancient

Egypt– considered a living god, and the

earthly link to the gods– had to carry out certain

ceremonies and rituals– his word was law and he was

obeyed without question

Egypt’s Religion – page 49

• extremely complex• polytheistic - worshipped

many deities (gods and goddesses)– Re, the sun god, was

chief among them

• controlled forces of nature and human activities

• some were associated with animals

Life After Death – page 49• ideas about a “soul”• belief in a hopeful life after death• Book of the Dead – collection of spells and prayers that

Egyptians studied to obtain life after death• concept of judgment

Life After Death – page 49

• embalming and mummification– process to ensure the spirit

makes it to the Next World– embalming – process

developed by the ancient Egyptians of preserving a person’s body after death

– mummification process mummy – body that has been embalmed and wrapped in linen

Mummification Activity

1. Pour just enough of your desiccant in the cup to cover the bottom.

2. Lay your apple quarter on its side with a cut side flat on the desiccant.

3. Pour the rest of your desiccant on top of the apple, covering it completely.

After receiving your materials, you should have the following:

• an apple quarter

• a measure of desiccant

• an empty solo cup

• a marker

• saran wrap

• a rubber band

Write the following on the outside of your cup:

• group names

• desiccant/mixture used

• starting apple weight

Bob, Sue, Jim

Salt/Epsom Salt

73 grams

4. Place the saran wrap on top of the cup and secure it with a rubber band.

What’s Inside? Activity

• Can you tell what the item is made of?• Can you tell if there is more than one item?• Is it heavy or light?• Does it sound like it is large or small?• Is there anything else you can tell about it?

• pyramid – huge stone structure built by the ancient Egyptians to serve as a tomb– offers protection and stores supplies for the journey to the afterlife

The Pyramids – page 50

c. 2630 B.C.

c. 2550 B.C.

c. 2520 B.C.

c. 2250 B.C.

c. 2600 B.C. c. 2600 B.C. c. 2600 B.C.

c. 2490 B.C.


• early pit graves• mastaba – large, mud brick

rectangular building used to bury early kings


• step pyramids– King Djoser (reigned 2630

B.C. – 2611 B.C.)– built by architect Imhotep– first monumental royal tomb

and one of the oldest stone buildings in Egypt


• smooth-sided pyramids– 90+ royal pyramids built

(including step pyramids)

• massive amounts of labor– laborers (farmers)– skilled workers– support

• no iron or wheels• blocks of limestone were

quarried, moved on boats/sleds/logs

• earthen ramps were used to get the blocks up and in place

• average weight of blocks: 2.5 tons (5000 lbs.)

How Was a Pyramid Built? – page 50

The Great Pyramid – page

• The Great Pyramid– King Khufu, a.k.a. Cheops,

(ruled 2551 B.C. – 2528 B.C.)

– 500 feet tall– 2 million blocks at an

average of 2.5 tons each– the only Wonder of the

Ancient World that remains standing

Extra Credit Assignment – 1st Nine Weeks

• Assignment: Construct, paint, and decorate an Egyptian style obelisk, using materials described in the detail worksheet, and turn in a photographic journal of the process.

• Due date: No later than Friday, October 2, 2009.• Points value: 20 points added to any test grade or

distributed to any number of the four test grades for this nine weeks.


1. What were the god-kings of ancient Egypt called?2. The collection of spells and prayers dealing with the

afterlife is known as the _____.3. What is embalming?4. Briefly describe the process of ancient Egyptian

embalming and mummification.5. Who built the Great Pyramid?6. How did the construction of pyramids lead to advances

in science and mathematics?

The Egyptian Empire



• After this lesson, students will be able to:– describe the culture and peace Egypt experienced

during the Middle Kingdom.– describe the growth of Egypt during the New Kingdom

and the great monuments constructed during that period.

The Middle Kingdom – page 60

• Middle Kingdom (c. 2050 B.C. to c. 1670 B.C.) – golden age of stability, prosperity, and achievement – Egypt conquered new lands

• tribute – forced payments made by one group or nation to another to show obedience or to obtain protection

– the arts and literature blossomed– Valley of the Kings begins to be the new burial place for

pharaohs– Hyksos – people of western Asia, who conquered the

Egyptians and ended the Middle Kingdom period

The New Kingdom – page 61

• Ahmose – king who drove the Hyksos from Egypt and established the New Kingdom period

• New Kingdom (c. 1550 B.C. to 1080 B.C.)

A Woman Ruler – page 62

• Hatshepsut– married to her half brother,

Thutmose II– served as a regent to her

stepson Thutmose III– had herself crowned pharaoh – dressed as a man on

occasion – concentrated on building

the economy through trade

Expanding the Empire – page 62

• Thutmose III– attempted to erase the

memory of Hatshepsut– aggressive wars of

conquest– regained control of Nubia– power and wealth

A Religious Reformer – page 64

• Amenhotep IV– Egyptian priests had too

much power– attempted to reestablish

power by giving Egypt a new religion

– declared there was only one god, Aton, the sun disk

– changed name to Akhenaton, means “Spirit of Aton”

– changes didn’t stick

The Boy King – page 65

• Tutankhamen– around 9 years old when he

took the throne– restored the old gods– died after about 9 years on

the throne (murdered?)– most well known because

of the excavation of his tomb

Film – King Tut’s Final Secrets

The End of the New Kingdom – page 65

• Ramses II– one of the greatest of the

New Kingdom pharaohs– groomed by his father Seti I

for leadership– military efforts

• Battle of Kadesh– first recorded peace treaty

in history

– ambitious builder• Temple at Abū Simbel

Why Were Temples Built? – page 67

• houses for the gods• rituals and offerings• “banks”

Egypt’s Decline and Fall – page 67

• Why?– internal divisions – outside invasion• Libyans• “Sea Peoples” of the

Aegean• Kushites (Nubia)• Assyrians• and so on…


1. Why has the Middle Kingdom been described as a “golden age of stability, prosperity and achievement?”

2. What are forced payments made from one group to another to show obedience called?

3. Who were the Hyksos? What did they do that was important?4. What female ruler focused on building the economy through trade?5. What did Amenhotep IV try to do during his reign?6. True or False: Tutankhamen is best known for his lengthy reign.7. Name the temple that Ramses II had constructed that had to be

moved in the 1960s to avoid being covered by water.

The Civilization of Kush



• After this lesson, students will be able to:– discuss how the Nubians settled to the south of Egypt

and built a civilization based on farming and trade.– explain how Kush emerged as a leading power after it

learned iron-making skills.

Nubia – page 69

• Nubia (later known as Kush)– south of Egypt along

the Nile River– probably settled by

herders c. 2000 B.C.

The Kingdom of Kerma – page 69

• Kerma– close ties with Egypt– trade meant wealth

• cattle, gold, ivory, slaves, mercenary services, animal skins, incense

• Egyptian invasion– cultural diffusion

The Rise of Kush – page 70

• Kush– sees opportunity when

Egypt was weakened– Kashta and Piye– 728 B.C. Piye founded

dynasty that rules both Kush and Egypt

A New Capital – page 71

• Kushite rule ended by the Assyrians

• Meroë– trade – iron making center– Egyptian influences


1. Nubia lay (direction) of Egypt.2. What kinds of items were traded between Nubia

and Egypt?3. True or False. Piye established a dynasty that

ruled over both Nubia and Egypt.4. True or False. Meroë became a trade and iron

making center.

Documents

The Nile Valley Chapter 2, Section 1, page 38. Chapter 2, Section 1 Objectives After this lesson, students will be able to: – explain how Egyptian civilization