• 9/30 Focus: 9/30 Focus: – Pharaohs established governments in

Egypt where they had absolute power– The Nile River helped unite the upper

and lower kingdoms of Egypt

• Do Now:Do Now:– List geographic characteristics of the

Nile River Valley

• 10/1 Focus:– The Egyptians viewed their

pharaohs as a living god–Historians divide the history of

ancient Egypt into three periods

• Do Now: –What effect did the desert and

cataracts on the Nile have on the development of Egyptian culture?

Protected by natural barriers

Floods were predictable

Warm Climate

Long Growing Season

Unpredictable flooding

No natural barriers allows cultural diffusion

Rivers used for transportation

Fertile Soil

Unification

• Early Egypt was divided into two kingdoms– Upper Egypt– Lower Egypt

• Egypt was united in 3100 BCE by Menes – Made Memphis the

capital – Established the first

dynasty

Ancient Egyptian History

Ancient Egyptian HistoryPeriods Time Frame

Nile Culture Begins

3900 B. C. E.

Archaic 3100 – 2650 B. C. E.

Old Kingdom 2650 – 2134 B. C. E.

Middle Kingdom 2040 – 1640 B. C. E.

New Kingdom 1550 – 1070 B. C. E.

Late Period 750 – 332 B. C. E.

Greek Ptolemaic Era

332 – 30 B. C. E.

Roman Period 30 B. C. E. – 395 C. E.

• The Old Kingdom– Begins 2650 BCE– Time of Growth and

Prosperity – Pyramids constructed– Pharaohs with absolute

power establish strong governments

Middle Kingdom• Difficult and

turbulent time• Pharaohs began to

lose power to local nobles

• Invasions, famines, civil wars

• Built fortress up and down the Nile

• Traded with Greeks, Phoenicians, and others around the Mediterranean

• Conquered by the Hyksos in 1650 BCE

The New Kingdom

• Hyksos defeated • Egyptians realized they

needed a strong army• Took lands around

them to serve as a buffer from invasion

The Pharaoh • The King • Had absolute power • Pharaohs established

dynasties– 31 dynasties

• Was believed to be a god in human form– Had to perform religious

rituals along with priests to ensure positive outcomes in daily life

• Gov’t in Egypt was a theocracy: – a state ruled by religious

figures

Flashback: Were Sumerian rulers seen As Gods? No, their power came from the gods

Some Famous Egyptian Pharaohs

Some Famous Egyptian Pharaohs

Thutmose III1504-1450 B. C.

E.

Thutmose III1504-1450 B. C.

E.Ramses II

1279-1212 B. C. E.

Ramses II1279-1212 B. C.

E.

Tutankhamon

1336-1327 B. C. E.

Tutankhamon

1336-1327 B. C. E.

Some Famous Egyptian Pharaohs

• Hatshepsut • 1503-1482

BCE

Egyptian Social ClassesEgyptian Social Classes

• 10/3 Focus:10/3 Focus:– Ancient Egyptians believed in many

gods which they believed were responsible for the annual flooding and other natural events.

– The ancient Egyptians had a much more positive view of the afterlife then the civilizations in Mesopotamia

• Do Now:Do Now:– Explain how the Sumerians viewed

their gods and their view of the afterlife

Egyptian Social ClassesEgyptian Social Classes

• Class system was hierarchal – People with

most power at the top

– Least power on the bottom Flashback:

Was the social structure in Mesopotamian civilizations such as Sumer organized in a similar manner ?Yes

HieroglyphicsHieroglyphics• Used picture symbols

to represent objects, sounds, and ideas

• Wrote on papyrus– Plant that grew along

the Nile

• The Rosetta Stone– Discovered in 1799– Used to translate

hieroglyphics

Flashback: What was the Sumerian form of writing and what did they write on?Cuneiform was written on clay tablets

Hieroglyphics “Alphabet”Hieroglyphics “Alphabet” 24 “letters” + 700 phonetic symbols 24 “letters” + 700 phonetic symbols

Egyptian ReligionEgyptian Religion

• Egyptians were polytheistic– Believed gods

controlled natural events

Egyptian ReligionEgyptian Religion

• Built temples and obelisks to honor the gods– Tall, thin pillar with a

pyramid shaped top

Egyptian Gods & Goddesses:

Egyptian Gods & Goddesses:

Osiris Isis Horus Osiris Isis Horus

The AfterlifeThe Afterlife

• Egyptians view of the afterlife was positive

• Believed that when someone died the Ka (spirit) escaped and journeyed to the land of the dead

The AfterlifeThe Afterlife

• Egyptian Book of the Dead– Contained magic spells and rituals to

assist the dead enter the afterlife

MummificationMummification

• Designed to protect the dead body from decay and keep the Ka alive

Materials Used in Materials Used in MummificationMummification

Materials Used in Materials Used in MummificationMummification

1. Linen 6. Natron2. Sawdust 7. Onion3. Lichen 8. Nile Mud4. Beeswax 9. Linen Pads5. Resin 10. Frankinsense

1. Linen 6. Natron2. Sawdust 7. Onion3. Lichen 8. Nile Mud4. Beeswax 9. Linen Pads5. Resin 10. Frankinsense

PyramidsPyramids

• Tombs built for Egyptian rulers

Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

Routes of the “Sea Peoples”

Routes of the “Sea Peoples”

• Why did Egyptians have a positive view of the afterlife?

• What form of writing did the Egyptians use?