Unit 2

Ancient Civilizations

Egypt, India, Middle East and China

• Egyptian– 6000 B.C. E

• Started farming

– 4000 B.C.E. - 300 B.C.E.

• Major settlements

Dates of Civilization

Major Rivers

• Egyptians– Nile

Geographical Setting and Natural Barriers

• Egyptians– Nile River– Nubian and Libyan

Deserts– Mediterranean and Red

Seas– Cataracts– Well Protected

Civilizations• Egyptian

– Old Kingdom • Pharaohs• Pyramid Age, Sphinx• Menes - United Upper

and Lower Egypt• Nobility grew stronger,

weakened Pharaoh's power

– Middle Kingdom• “Golden Age”• Prosperity and Stability,

Increased trade• Nobility grows strong

again– New Kingdom

• Power and Size at its peak

• Great Pharaohs – regain absolute power

• Strong army, gained land• Built and empire - Ruling

over other ethnic groups.

Religion• Egyptian

– Polytheistic• Many Gods• Amon Re - Sun God• Osiris - God of Nile –

Judged you in the afterlife

• Gods associated with animals

– Mummification – preparation for the afterlife

– Afterlife – at first only for pharaoh, later believed for everyone.

• Eternal happiness or• Eater of the Dead• Book of the Dead –

guide for the afterlife– Monotheistic

• Akhenaton• One God -> Aton

Government

• Egyptians– Dynasties

• Family of rulers• Menes was the first

– Pharaoh• means ‘Great House’• Absolute control,

ruler & owner of all, controlled trade

– Area split into Provinces

• Officials were of Noble Class

• Collected taxes

Leaders• Egyptians

– Pharaohs - religious and political leaders

– Menes - United Egypt

– Queen Hatshepsut• First known female ruler

– Akhenaton - Monotheism

– Tutankhamen.• Returned to polytheism

– Ramses II• Revived the Empire

• Last Great Pharaoh

• Built Temples and monuments

– Cleopatra - Last Pharaoh

Language• Egyptians

– Hieroglyphics

• About 3000 BCE

• Carved in stone

• Written by Priests

• Scribes – read &write

– Worked for church and govt.

• Over 600 symbols

– Papyrus

• used to make paper

– Rosetta Stone

• Translate Hieroglyphics – 1798

• Hieroglyphics, Greek and Demonic

Social Classes• Egyptians

– Ruling class• Pharaohs• Priests• Nobles/Govt. Officials

– Lower Class• Peasant farmers

– owed service– Army or labor

– Women relatively equal status to men.

• Could own property– Later a merchant class

emerges– Could improve status but

not change class.

Achievementschoose 3 to put in notes

• Egyptians– Hieroglyphics– Engineering Skills

used to build Pyramids, Tombs, Canals

– Land Surveying– 365 day Calendar– Medical Advances

• Surgery• Setting of Bones

– Chariot, Compound bow– Mined copper, made

Bronze– Sculpture, pottery– Numbers – based on 10

Hyksos Charioteer

The End