1. Ancient Egypt

2. Early Egyptian Life 8000 BCE 7000 BCE 3000 BCE 1st human life in area
Quest for food brought early man to the Nile River valley
Hunters roamed until the river was found
Climate change caused northern Africa to become drier (desertification)
7000 BCE
Start of agriculture in Nile River valley
Barley, wheat, and vegetables grown
3000 BCE
Many small villages established
Area called Kemet
Fertile, black soil

3. Geography of the Nile Region
River
Flows north
Originates in highlands of Central Africa
Ends in the Mediterranean Sea
Longest river in the world at 4,160 miles
Floods
Floods predictable
Added moisture to soil
Deposited silt, replenishing the soil with nutrients

4. Influence of Geography on Civilization
Natural barriers provide obstacles to potential invaders
Mediterranean Sea in North
Libyan Desert to West
Nubian Desert to Southeast
Red Sea to East
6 Cataracts in southern part of the Nile
Susceptible to invasion
Across Sinai Peninsula
Across North Sinai Desert

5. Effects of Barriers Limited invasions from many angles
Limited farming to a narrow region on either side of the river
Caused river villages to be crowded
As population grew, villages needed to expand
Forced Egyptians to develop irrigation systems to create more fertile land

6. Benefits The river served as a highway Additional benefits
United villages along the river
Travel was relatively easy
Currents carried boats downstream and sails were used to catch winds to return upstream
Additional benefits
River attracted wildlife and provided fish & animals for hunting and sport
Papyrus grew along river
Used to make paper

7. Life in Ancient Egypt Life centered around the Nile river
Yearly floods brought nutrients to the soil
The river was a main route of travel

8. Social Pyramid of Egypt
Pharaoh
Upper Class
Royal Family, Government Officials, Army Officers, Priests, Landowners, and Doctors
Middle Class
Merchants, Manufacturers, and Artisans
Lower Class
Unskilled Laborers and Farmers
Slaves and Servants

9. Egyptian Religion Polytheism Death and Funerals About 2000
gods & goddesses
Amon-Ra
Osiris
Horis
Death and Funerals
Three souls “ka, ba, and akh”
Embalming
Burial Tombs

10. Religion Egyptians believed in life after death
Believed the good lived in happiness
Believed the dead needed to take the things they would need with them
Believed the earthly body is needed as a home for the soul
Preserved the bodies of the dead through mummification
Originally reserved for rulers and nobles

11. The Old Kingdom 2700-2200 BCE Strong monarchs
Tasks delegated to many government officials

12. The Middle Kingdom 2050-1800 BCE
New capital Thebes in upper (southern Egypt)
Human/Environment interaction
1600 BCE ruler becomes known as the Pharaoh
Early female ruler: Hatshepsut
Has a tomb built as part of a major building project
Suceeded by stepson, Thutmose III
Thutmose established Egypt as an empire, gains wealth
Through trade and conquest, Egyptians learn ideas and blend cultures (movement)

13. New Kingdom 1370 BCE Amenhotep rises to power
makes many unsettling changes
Makes Egyptians monotheistic
Aton the sun god
Claims to be equal to Aton
Weak ruler, lost part of empire
Priests & soliders unhappy w/ changes
Egypt returned to old ways after his death
1200’s BCE rule of Ramses II
Long rule
Many children (52 sons, plus daughters…)
Had temples and tombs built
Mummy of Ramses II

14. Union of Two Crowns Red Crown White Crown Menes Unification
Upper Egypt
White Crown
Lower Egypt
Menes
Overthrew the king of Lower Egypt
Wore a Double Crown
Unification
Joining of separate parts into one whole

15. A System of Writing Hieroglyphics Scribes Papyrus Rosetta Stone
Used to keep record
Scribes
Record keepers
Original Accountants
Papyrus
Paper made from plants
Rosetta Stone
Transcribed Hieroglyphics, Greek, and Demotic

16. Building the Pyramids Built as tombs for the Pharaohs Afterlife
Housed everything needed for the Paraoh
Khufu’s pyramid
Total number of blocks
2,300,000
One block’s average weight
2.5 tons
Number of blocks added each day
285

17. Scientific Accomplishments
Medical discoveries
Magic heavily used
Developed surgery
Greeks & Romans based much of their medical knowledge on that of the Egyptians

18. Egypt’s Economy Pharaoh was at the center of the economy
Based upon Agriculture
Pharaoh took taxes on the crops that were grown, and goods that were made
Goods were “bartered” or traded for other needed goods