Civilization Review 1g60SSGmeY

Pyramids on the Nile The Geography of Egypt (Development of Civilization) dtgX9ORiW4

Gift of the Nile While Sumer was forming in the Middle East a similar process was happening to the west in Africa along the Nile River but with different results—united into a single kingdom Nile flows northward for over 4,000 miles Width of continental US is 2,442 miles! Egypt divided into an upper and lower

Environmental Challenges...or are they? The Nile looks like a thin green ribbon cutting through the vast desert Nile naturally flows northward but one can easily sail against the current The ease of travel on the Nile helped unify Egypt’s villages and promote trade The Nile was like clockwork when it came to flooding Deserts served as barrier to invaders

Movement of Goods and Ideas By 3200 BC Egyptians were actually trading goods with Mesopotamians and moving further South to Nubia and Kush by 2000 BC Egyptians did borrow some ideas about writing and city structure from the Fertile Crescent. Lasted for apprx. 3,000 years as a civilization

Egypt Unites as a Kingdom

Unification Begins Egyptian farming villages go back as early as 5000 BC By 3200 BC Egypt divided into 2 kingdoms—upper (S) and lower (N) Menes, a strong-willed king, united all of Egypt (capital at Memphis) Old Kingdom begins 2660—good records start during 3 rd dynasty (Pyramids)

Pharaohs Rule as Gods Kings, or Pharaohs were considered to be representatives of the gods. Kings=gods Pharoahs= center of religion, government, and army Known as Theocracy.

Pyramid Era at its it Height Believed in life after death Kings continued to rule even after death=ka (spirit) Tombs were even more important than palaces b/c pharaohs continued to need things and entertainment after death. Old Kingdom focuses on building pyramids Pyramids= burial grounds for dead Pharoahs.

Egyptian Culture Were polytheistic The most important gods were Ra (sun god) and Horus (god of light) Most important goddess was Isis—represented the ideal mother and wife Over 2000 gods and goddesses altogether Huge temple were built in order honor the major deities

Isis…What is she doing?

Osiris

Afterlife Believed in afterlife that was not bleak All classes of people planned for their burial Preservation of the body was done through mummification Book of the Dead—spells, prayers and hymns for the dead

Book of the Dead

Egyptian Hierarchy

Highest Class Kings Queens Royal family

Upper Class Wealthy landowners Government officials Priests Army commanders

Middle class Merchants and artisans

Lowest and Largest class Peasants and unskilled laborers

Life in Egyptian Society Egyptians not locked into social classes Marriage or success in jobs could move one up in the pyramid structure Slaves could be rewarded for loyal service by being promoted Highest positions=ability to read and write Women had many of the same rights as men—own and trade property, propose marriage and divorce, etc….

Record keeping--Dejavu Started as crude pictographs Picture changed from standing for an idea to standing for a sound—like our own alphabet Started with clay tablets but progressed to papyrus Our understanding of their language came from the Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone

Science and Technology System of numbers Basic geometry Columns Calendar Advanced knowledge of medicine

The Kingdoms Old Kingdom—3000BC to 2180BC Middle Kingdom 2080BC to 1640BC New Kingdom 1570BC to 1075BC Gaps in years indicates Intermediate Periods when weakness or invaders ravaged Egypt—esp. the Hyksos (aka chariot riders)

Fall of Egypt (Decline of Civilization) After Ramses the Great (Ramses II) died, Egypt began to decline. Outside invasions eventually destroyed much of ancient Egyptian civilization.