1. Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
                         
                                        

2. A Map of Ancient Egypt

3. Background

4. Geography Timeline 3100 BCE – King Menes unites Upper and Lower Egypt
2690 BCE – Beginning of Old Kingdom and Age of Pyramids
BCE – Pyramids at Giza built
2181 BCE – First Intermediate Period
2050 BCE – Middle Kingdom begins and Expansion
1780 BCE – Second Intermediate Period (Hyksos invades)
1550 BCE – New Kingdom is considered Golden Age
1470 BCE – Reign of Hatsheput (one of four female Kings)
1450 BCE – Reign of Tuthmosis III (Expands Egypt’s territory)
1350 BCE – Reign of Arkhenaton (Wanted to change religious beliefs)
1334 BCE – Reign of Tutankhamun (Religious revolution is reversed)
1297 BCE - Reign of Ramses II (Exodus of Jews from Egypt)
1069 BCE – Third Intermediate Period
Geography

5. Timeline Continued
525 BCE – Persians conquer Egypt
332 BCE – Alexander the Great defeats the Persians and considered savior of Egypt
50 BCE – Cleopatra VII is crowned Queen of Egypt
30 BCE – Egypt becomes part of Roman empire after death of Cleopatra VII and Mark Anthony

6. Populated Areas
There were three main areas that were populated in Egypt
1. The Nile Valley
The Nile River was the most important factor influencing the culture and civilization of Egypt
The Nile Delta
This was the largest piece of fertile land in Egypt
3. Faiyum
Irrigation from the Nile made the Faiyum the third most populated land and it was considered an Oasis

7. Geographic Effects Because of the Nile the soil was very fertile
Egypt was a desert so it was a very protected land
They were near the Mediterranean which affected trade
Their culture was one of stability and not rapid change

8. Politics Pharaohs were the rulers of the land
They were believed to be the earthly embodiment of the god Horus who was the son of Amon-Re
Pharaohs then had the divine right to rule
This allowed them to move between god and their people
People followed their orders because they believed they were from god
No one would challenge the King’s authority and he could rule in relative peace
Politics

9. Ma’at was the goddess and symbol of equilibrium of the universe and the king had to rule according to her principles
The throne passed on to eldest son of Principal Queen who was usual the eldest daughter of the previous king therefore the king’s sister
Pharaohs owned all the land – they had a hierarchy of government officials to help him rule
Second to the Pharaohs were the scribes who would record the doings of the Pharaoh

10. Religion
The Egyptians were deeply religious people, their was no separation between secular and sacred
Their roots were in the worship of nature deities – their first gods were in animal forms
Those responsible for creation were the most important gods (Atum is the creator God)
They later developed national gods around the Middle Kingdom
Atum

12. Myths and Mysteries