1. History and Government
Ancient Egypt
History and Government

2. Unification Early Egypt was divided into two kingdoms
Upper Egypt
Lower Egypt
Egypt was united in 3100 BCE by Menes
Made Memphis the capital
Established the first dynasty

4. Ancient Egyptian History
Periods
Time Frame
Nile Culture Begins
3900 B. C. E.
Archaic
3100 – 2650 B. C. E.
Old Kingdom
2650 – 2134 B. C. E.
Middle Kingdom
2040 – 1640 B. C. E.
New Kingdom
1550 – 1070 B. C. E.
Late Period
750 – 332 B. C. E.
Greek Ptolemaic Era
332 – 30 B. C. E.
Roman Period
30 B. C. E. – 395 C. E.

5. Old Kingdom The Old Kingdom Begins 2650 BCE
Time of Growth and Prosperity
Pyramids constructed
Pharaohs with absolute power establish strong governments

6. Middle Kingdom Difficult and turbulent time
Pharaohs began to lose power to local nobles
Invasions, famines, civil wars
Built fortress up and down the Nile
Traded with Greeks, Phoenicians, and others around the Mediterranean
Conquered by the Hyksos in 1650 BCE

7. The New Kingdom Hyksos defeated
Egyptians realized they needed a strong army
Took lands around them to serve as a buffer from invasion

8. The Pharaoh The King Had absolute power Pharaohs established dynasties
Was believed to be a god in human form
Had to perform religious rituals along with priests to ensure positive outcomes in daily life
Gov’t in Egypt was a theocracy:
a state ruled by religious figures
Flashback:
Were Sumerian rulers seen As Gods?
No, their power came from the gods

9. Egyptian Social Classes

10. Egyptian Social Classes
Class system was hierarchal
People with most power at the top
Least power on the bottom
Flashback:
Was the social structure in Mesopotamian civilizations such as Sumer organized in a similar manner ?
Yes

11. Pyramids
Tombs built for Egyptian rulers

12. Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu