Overview of Ancient Egypt Early inhabitants (Neolithic's) called the land Kemet Renamed Egypt by the Greeks The Nile River Valley (annual floods) World’s Longest River – flows from South to North Two Kingdoms by 4,000 B.C. Lower Kingdom in the North Upper Kingdom in the South 3000 B.C. – Narmer invaded Lower Egypt Marked the first Egyptian Dynasty
The Old Kingdom ( B.C.) Established a theocracy (god-king) Built pyramids to honor god-kings (mummification) The Middle Kingdom ( B.C.) Egypt was reunited after a time of upheaval The capital was moved to Thebes Were invaded by the Hyksos (from Western Asia) The New Kingdom ( B.C.) Egyptians overthrew the Hyksos – led by Ahmose Kings began to use the title Pharaoh
Hatshepsut (1480 B.C.) - female pharaoh Ruled because her son was too young to rule Extensive building projects Thutmose III (Hatshepsut’s son) Expanded the Dynasty to include Syria Made an “empire” for Egypt – cultural diffusion Amenhotep: (1370 B.C.) – wife Nefertiti Decided to make Egypt monotheistic (Aton) Changed his name to Akhenaton Moved the capital to central Egypt
Tutankhamen (King Tut) – The boy king – Moved the capital back to Thebes Ramses II (“the Great”) – Fought the Hittites for control of Syria – A.D. 1995, a tomb was uncovered that held 50 of Ramses 52 sons – Egypt weakened after Ramses’ death Invasions by the Libyans and Kushites
Social Order Upper class; middle class; lower class Women's’ rights improved btwn. Old & New Kingdoms Religion: polytheistic (other than Akhenaton) Gods were depicted as part human part animal Writing System Hieroglyphics: carved picture symbols Hieratic: cursive for everyday use Rosetta Stone: part Greek and part Egyptian Book of the Dead
Strip of land that stretched from the Med. Sea to the Persian Gulf Mesopotamia: “the land between the rivers”
Settled in Mesopotamia in 3500 B.C. Built the world’s first cities (Ur, Uruk, Eridu) Built ziggurats – temples in each city-state only priests could enter the temples Government: each city was independent A military leader was chosen to lead/protect 2700: military leaders were viewed as kings Leaders served as king and high priest The legal systems were not clear or consistent
Roles of Men and Women Men had ultimate authority over families Women possessed very few rights (buy/sell prop.) Writing System Cuneiform: pictograms on wet clay Gilgamesh was 1850 B.C. Religion: each god was over a natural force The gods were viewed as unpredictable/angry Inventions: The wheel, 12 mo. Calendar, arch, and sundial Developed bronze and metal plow
Invaders dreamt of controlling an empire Sargon I and the Akkadians Came to power in the 2300s B.C. United the Mesopotamian city-states Hammurabi’s Babylonian Empire Amorites overran Sumerian centers (Babylon) Hammurabi became the dominant ruler Increased Babylon's prosperity Law Code: “Made Justice Appear in the Land” Law covered the entire region 282 sections on Daily Life Clear punishment for crimes
Babylonian Society Upper Class: Kings, priests, nobles Middle Class: artisans, merchants, scribes, farmers Lower Class: slaves (from war/had not paid debts) Borrowed ideas and techniques from Sumerians Writing system, farming techniques, & religion
Larger than both Sumer and Egypt Located in South Asia Reached its 2500 – 1500 B.C. Used the natural boundaries of the Himalayas and Hindu Kush Seasonal “Monsoons” affect the climate Winter temps of 70º; Summer temps of 100º Flooding of the Rivers enriches the soil
Harappan and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations Centrally planned cities A citadel, city laid out in a grid Language and Religion Written records (pictograms) Animal/human deities Collapse Flooding and violent invasion
Zhong Guo – “Middle Kingdom” Isolated from much of the world Shang Dynasty ( B.C.) Myths (Creation and founding individuals) Early Religion – leaders were both pol./relig. polytheistic Achievements: metal workings, silk cloth Mandate of Heaven: Justified rulers’ authority If a ruler governed improperly, they lost the mandate