II.The Rulers of Egypt A.Introduction 1.Hatshepsut seized control of Egypt and made herself pharaoh. 2.Hatshepsut controlled the wealth and power of a great civilization. B.Egyptian Kingship 1.Egypt’s fortunes rested on the strength of its pharaohs dynasties ruled Egypt from 3100 BC – 332 BC. 3.The periods in-between Kingdoms were times of wars, invasions, etc. 4.Menes (Narmer) unified Upper and Lower Egypt and made the capital Memphis. 5.Pharaohs had absolute power and what they said became law. 6.Egyptians believed that their pharaohs were earthly forms of gods.

C.The Three Kingdoms 1.Important events and achievments marked each of Egypt’s three kingdoms. 2.Old Kingdom pharaohs kept the peace and traded with Nubia. 3.The pharaoh’s power eventually grew weak and the Old Kingdom ended. (The Pyramids of Giza were built during this Kingdom.) 4.The Middle Kingdom lasted 500 years but eventually outside invaders took over Egypt. 5.The most famous pharaohs ruled during the New Kingdom. D.Rule During the New Kingdom 1.Thutmose III and Hatshepsut were two pharaohs who had a power struggle. 2.Hatshepsut’s accomplishments include trade with Punt and Deir El-Bahri. Thutmose eventually destroyed many of her statues and monuments. 3.Thutmose III became one of the greatest pharaohs of the New Kingdom. 4.The New Kingdom ended when civil war weakened Egypt from within. 5.Cleopatra was a famous “queen of Egypt” in 50 BC. (Another story for another time.)

Extra Notes: