Egypt Land of the Pharaohs

Facts  Civilization began about 3100 BCE  Egypt began as a scattering of villages and settlements along the Nile river  The land along the banks of the Nile were extremely fertile.  The flooding of the Nile was more predictable then the rivers in Mesopotamia.

Facts…  Black Land (Kemet) fertile strip of land  Red Land (Deshret) The Libyan Desert to the west and the Arabian Desert to the east.

The Kingdoms and Periods of Ancient Egypt  The history of Ancient Egypt has been divided into six parts:  Old Kingdom  Middle Kingdom  New Kingdom  Late Dynastic Period  Greek Period  Roman Period

Assignment  Read pages of the textbook (78-79 and purple boxes not included) and answer the questions on page 88

Videos  National Geographic (3 mins) National Geographic (3 mins)  The Great Pyramids (3 mins) The Great Pyramids (3 mins)  Horrible Histories (3 mins) Horrible Histories (3 mins)

Government  The head of the ancient Egyptian government was the Pharaoh (from the Egyptian word meaning “great house”).  The Pharaoh was looked upon by Egyptian people as a god.  The next position below Pharaoh was the vizer, who served as the Pharaoh’s right-hand man.  Ancient Egypt was divided into 42 nomes (or provinces). Each had a leader, appointed by the pharaoh, called a monarch.

Egyptian Law  Egyptians, like the Mesopotamians, had a strict set of laws, each with varying degrees of punishment. They also had tribunals (courts).  Penalties range from beatings – for failing to do one’s duty – to death – for treason.

Religion in Ancient Egypt  Ancient Egyptians had one of the most polytheistic religions of any civilization in history, with more than 80 gods. Not only were they accepting of other religious beliefs, they even added foreign gods to their own pantheon.  They had gods for nature, animals (often depicted as humans with animal heads), and household and state gods, among others.

Religion in Ancient Egypt  Ka – the Ancient Egyptian equivalent of a soul. Created by the god Khnum, who placed infants in their mothers’ wombs. The ka was placed in man’s heart at birth, and left at death.  Ba – their equivalent of a personality, also left the body at death.  If a body was properly preserved, the ka and the ba returned to the body, thus leading to Egyptian’s elaborate burial practices.

Religion in Ancient Egypt  Burial Practices  They were a way to ensure that the person who had died could continue to enjoy living in the afterlife.  In order for this to happen, the body had to be preserved in a way that it was recognizable (and didn’t decompose). Egyptians dried out the bodies by covering them in animal skin, and placing them in a shallow grave. Cleopatra’s Tomb British Museum London, England

Social Structure The Pharaoh Nobles & Military Leaders Priests and Scribes Crafters Peasant Farmers Slaves

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The Pyramids  During the Old Kingdom, the Egyptians built the pyramids to house the bodies of their dead kings.  Today, the ruins of 35 major pyramids stand near the Nile River.  The three largest pyramids of Giza rank as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The Family  A young Egyptian got married, often when he was 20 years of age or in his late teens. His bride was usually younger.  Marriage partners were selected from within the same social class and often within the same family.  Polygamy was legal but not very common.

The Role of Women  Women did not share equal rights with men.  They played an important role in domestic life  Some women (Hatsheput) rose to positions of great power.