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Pyramids on the Nile

ObjectivesExplain how geography affected the development of the Egyptian culture.Discuss the importance of pharaohsDiscuss the importance of pharaohs, pyramids and trade in the Old Kingdom.Describe religion, social structure and technology.Discuss the shift from the Old to the New Kingdom.

The Geography of EgyptNile begins in the highlands of Ethiopia.There are two Niles – White and Blue.Each July the Nile flooded and receded in October.

The Geography of EgyptEgypt is divided into Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.Al th Nil th t tAlong the Nile there are cataracts, which are like rapids that can be found on the Colorado River.

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Egypt

Egypt and Surrounding Area

Egypt

Nile Delta Region

Population

Population of Egypt - 1998

The Geography of EgyptLower Egypt consists of the Nile delta region. This is from the Mediterranean inland 100 milesinland 100 miles. From this 100 mile point to this first cataract is Upper Egypt.

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The Geography of EgyptNile provides reliable transportation. Northbound boats floated with the currents While Southbound boats usedcurrents. While Southbound boats used the winds to push them against the currents.The ease of transport made trade among the villages of the Nile help unify Egypt.

The Geography of EgyptThe Nile floods on a regular basis.The desert on either side of the Nile

id d t ti f th E tiprovided protection for the Egyptians.The desert also limited the contact with other cultures, this left the Egyptians to themselves.

The Geography of EgyptBy 3200 BC the Egyptians were making contact with the cultures of MesopotamiaMesopotamia.Goods were traded, ideas were shared, but contact ends abruptly. This allows Egypt to follow their own path.

QuizWhat protected the Egyptians from invaders?

Contact was made with the Egyptians by people from this

Which way does the Nile’s current flow?Does the Nile flood twice a year?

y p parea.What breaks up the Nile and prevents passage the entire length?

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KingdomIn 3200 BC there were two Kings; one for Upper and one for Lower.I 3100 BC M it d ll f E tIn 3100 BC, Menes united all of Egypt.Moved the capital to Memphis, which was midway between Upper and Lower.Egypt would have 31 dynasties spanning 2,600 years.

KingdomIn Egypt the kings were gods. These god-kings were called pharaohs.Th t th t f th li iThey were at the center of the religion and government. This is called a theocracy.Pharaoh was responsible for everything.

KingdomPharaoh had Ka, an eternal spirit. This spirit lived long after the Pharaoh died.T b i t t thTombs were even more important than the palaces that the pharaohs lived in.Largest pyramid is the Great Pyramid at Giza

QuizDid all Egyptians have Ka?Who united Upper

How many blocks were used in the Great Pyramid?Who united Upper

and Lower Egypt? How many dynasties were in Egypt?

yWhen religion rules the government this is called?

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CultureThe Egyptians were polytheistic.Main gods included Ra, and Isis.The Egyptians worshiped over 2,000 gods.Osiris, the god of the dead was very important.

CultureOnce a person died, the body was mummified. The body was then placed inside the tomb with items the deadinside the tomb with items the dead person would need for the afterlife.

Social StructurePharaohQueen

Royal Family

Land Owners

Slaves

Merchants

Government Officials

Farmers

Artsians

Priests Army Commanders

Social StructureSlavery was a common source of labor.A person was able to move up in class th h i i th ithrough marriage or success in their job.Women had many of the same rights as men. (Keep this in the back of your mind for later in the semester)

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Writing and TechnologyEgyptian style of writing was called hieroglyphics.U d ll d f itiUsed paper called papyrus for writings as well as stone.

TechnologyBuilt pyramids that required geometry, architecture. First civilization to use stone columns in buildings.

TechnologyMade first calendar to help keep track of when the Nile will flood and when to plant crops.

TechnologyEgyptians used medicine. They could check a heartbeat, cast a splint, and used surgery.

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QuizTrue or False: The Egyptians were monotheistic.

List all the members of the second level of social class.

True or False: Once in a social class, you could not move.True or False: Used stone columns.

Name the paper the Egyptians used for writing.

Old KingdomStarts with the third dynasty.Dated from 2660 B.C.E to 2180 B.C.EOld Kingdom set pattern for the next three thousand years.This is time of Pharaoh and the Great Pyramid.

First Illness2180 to 2080Power of the Pharaoh declined. Power

i th h d f th d l lwas in the hands of the second level.Local leaders were struggling for power, this lead to a civil war.Main problem was the Nile did not flood as expected.

First IllnessThe rain did not fall in the highlands as normal.P l l k d t th Ph h t tPeople looked to the Pharaoh to correct problem, when he was unable, people began to question his authority.Other problems in the illness; poor harvests, lawlessness and warfare.

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Middle Kingdom2080-1640Law and order returned to Egypt. Th t Ph hThere were many strong Pharaohs. Farming revived, trade grew, and the arts flourished.

Middle KingdomProjects for the public good.Pharaohs were concerned about the

ll b i f th l Th t dwell being of the people. The created a project to build a canal from the Nile to the Red Sea. This increased trade with other groups.

Middle KingdomBuilt dykes to control the flooding of the Nile. This created better irrigation. Drained swamps in Lower Egypt thatDrained swamps in Lower Egypt that created more farm land. Food was plentiful.

Middle KingdomA shift in religious beliefs among common people. The common people believed that too had KA and that theybelieved that too had KA, and that they would live in the afterlife. This took some of the grandeur from the Pharaoh.

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Second Illness1640 to 1570Civil War broke out. This lead to invasions The Hyksos ruled Egyptinvasions. The Hyksos ruled Egypt during this time period.The Egyptians learned many things from the Hyksos. Bronze, Bow and Arrows, War from Chariots, Spinning and Weaving.

New Kingdom1570 to 1075Most powerful and wealthiest kingdom f th th B ildi lof the three. Buildings were larger

more lavishly decorated than before. There was a showiness that was the rage.

New KingdomAfter the invasion by the Hyksos, the Egyptians created a professional army. They became the conquers (This willThey became the conquers. (This will be discussed later)Hatshepsut was the first female Pharaoh. Her rule began in 1478. She ruled for 22 years.

New KingdomMany think that Hapshepsut was killed by her stepson, Thutmose III.Th t lik H l d 15Thutmose was very warlike. He led 15 campaigns into Palestine and Syria , pushed as far south as the 4th Cataract and brought back slaves from Nubia. (more in depth soon)

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New KingdomEgyptians and the Hittites fought each in the Sinai Peninsula. Fought to a standstill 1288 Treaty was signed andstandstill 1288. Treaty was signed and they lived in peace.Building continued. The greatest builder was Ramses II. Temple to Amon, temple at Abu Simbel

Planned Cities on the Indus

ObjectivesDiscuss the impact of geography on the Indus Valley culture.D ib th lt f th I dDescribe the cultures of the Indus Valley.Explain the decline the cultures in the Indus Valley.

India

India and surrounding area

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Indus River Valley

Indus River Valley

Population

Population of India - 1998

Temple

Temple at Elephanta Island

Geography of IndiaThree mountain ranges surround the area. The Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalaya surround the valleyHimalaya surround the valley.There are two rivers – Indus and Ganges. The area between the rivers is the Indus-Ganges Plain.

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Geography of IndiaIndia is subject to the monsoons.From October to May, winter monsoons f th th t bl d ifrom the northeast blow dry air.From June to October summer monsoons come from southwest and bring moisture.

Environmental ChallengesThe Indus did not flood on a regular basis like the Nile.T ll t t i i th ld t thTallest mountains in the world to the north, large desert to the West, the Indus valley was well protected.Indus provided link to sea for trade.

CivilizationFirst people made their way through the Khyber Pass.P l d i l d ti ti d tPeople and animal domestication date back to 7000 BC.By 3200 BC villages and farming were common in the Indus Valley.

CivilizationCities were stable.Little conflict between the Indus Valley

l d thpeople and others.Religious artifacts relate to modern day Hinduism.

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CivilizationBy 2500 BC, large settlements along Indus. Cities such as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa were the largest.a d a appa e e t e a gestCities were laid on a precise grid system, similar to Phoenix.Cities had plumbing and sewage systems.Cities had a strong central government.

End of CivilizationAround 1750 BC the cities began to decay. Some believe that the reason for the decay was the Indus river had o t e decay as t e dus e adchanged course.Another possible reason that the land was overused.Yet another reason is that a natural disaster or an invasion took place.

River Dynasties in China

ObjectivesExplain the effects of geography on cultural development in China.D ib Sh f il t tDescribe Shang family structure, religion, and technology.Describe the rise and fall of the Zhou dynasty.

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Geography of ChinaChina’s cities were built about 1,000 years after the pyramids were built in EgyptEgypt.Natural barriers isolated ancient China.Two major rivers-Huang He and Yangtze.

Geography of China2/3 of the land in China is mountain ranges and deserts.90% f th i i l d i it bl90% of the remaining land is suitable for farming lies between the two rivers.The Chinese called this area the “middle kingdom”.

Geography of ChinaLike other civilizations the Chinese developed their cities along the rivers. Th H H Y ll Ri fl dThe Huang He or Yellow River floods like the Nile and Indus. The Yellow is more like the Indus in that the floods were unpredictable and could be disastrous.

Civilization in ChinaPeople have lived in China for about a million years.A d 2000 BC l d d th tAround 2000 BC a leader emerged that began to create large cities in the river valley. Yu was the leader that developed irrigation and flood-control programs that allowed cities to grow on the river.

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Civilization in ChinaThe first dynasty was the Shang dynasty. They rose to power in northern Chinanorthern China. The dynasty lasted from 1532 to 1027 BC.First family to leave written records. They also built palaces and tombs.

Civilization in ChinaUnlike the cities in the Nile and Indus valleys, the cities in China were built with wood.t oodThere was a class distinction in the society.Surrounded cities with earthen walls for protection.Cities were constantly fighting.

Civilization in ChinaShang society was divided between nobles and peasants.L d b ki ith li l fLed by a king, with a ruling class of nobles and warriors.Peasants used stone and wood tools for farming, bronze was too valuable for farming.

Chinese CultureFamily and SocietyFamily was central to society Most

Religious BeliefsFamily is linked to religion Ancestorsto society. Most

important virtue is respect for one’s parents. Oldest male in family made the decisions.

religion. Ancestors can bring good or bad luck to living family. Main god was Shang Di.

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Chinese CultureWritingWritten and spoken word are different

Technology and ArtArtisans lived outside the cityword are different.

Having the same written language unified the country. The are over 10,000 symbols.

outside the city walls. Bronzeworking was leading craft. Learned to make silk cloth.

Zhou DynastyAround 1027 BC the Zhou dynasty takes over from the Shang.Zh l i th “M d t f H ”Zhou claim the “Mandate of Heaven” was the justification for the change in leadership.

Mandate of HeavenMandate becomes central to Chinese view of government. Floods and riots and other problems showed that theand other problems showed that the spirits were unhappy with king’s rule.If the king was not doing well, the Mandate will allow leadership to change.

FeudalismFeudalism is a political system in which nobles, or lords are granted use of lands that legally belong to the king Inlands that legally belong to the king. In return for use of lands the nobles owe loyalty and military service to the king and protection to the people who live on their land.

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Zhou DynastyTechnologyZhou built roads and canals for cities

Warring StatesIn 771 BC Zhou monarch was killedcanals for cities.

Developed coined money. Created new class, civil servants. Major advancement was iron.

monarch was killed. Nobles proclaimed themselves king. War breaks out between nobles. Crossbow, foot soldiers are used.