1. Ancient Egypt and Kush
Chapter 5/Lesson 1 and 2

2. The Nile River
As early as 5000 BC, hunters and gatherers moved from Africa and Southwest Asia began to move into the Nile River valley Early Egyptians lived in northern region of the Nile (Kemet which means “black land”) Many structures in Egypt survived because it has a hot, dry climate

3. The Nile River
The Nile River which is 4000 ft long flowing north is called the “lifeblood” of Egypt.
The Blue Nile and the White Nile join south of Egypt to form the Nile River.
Steep cliffs and boulders form dangerous fasting moving water called cataracts

4. The Nile River
Shortly before the Nile reaches the Mediterranean Sea, it splits into many branches and that resemble a plant bloom ( this waterway form a fertile marshland called a Delta.
To the west of the Nile is the Libyan Desert which forms part of the Sahara Desert.
To the east is the Eastern Desert that extends to the Red Sea
The deserts keep Egypt isolated from outside invaders

5. The Nile River
The cataracts to the north and the deserts protected Egypt from outside invasions
They were not totally cut off. The Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Read Sea to the east provided routes for trade

6. The Nile River
The floods were more predictable and less destructive than those in Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates).
Each spring, the heavy tropical rains in central African and the melting mountain snow added water to the Nile .
Around midsummer the Nile overflowed its banks and flooded the land.
When the waters returned, it left rich fertile soil.

7. The River Valley Farmers planted wheat, barley, and flax seeds
During dry seasons, the Egyptian farmers irrigated their crops
Farmers created a shadoof (bucket attached to a long pole) to draw water from the Nile
They used geometry to measure their land
They used papyrus to make paper
Egyptians form of writing was called hieroglyphics
Only a few Egyptians could read and write

8. Uniting Egypt
There was a need for organized government as farming and trade increased and the need to oversee the construction of irrigation systems. Also during the time of famines, there as a need for a government to distribute grain.
Groups of villages merged to form small kingdoms which ruled by a king.
By 4000 BC, Egypt had two large kingdoms, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.

9. Uniting Egypt Narmer was a king of Upper Egypt.
He conquered Lower Egypt and married one of the Lower Egypt’s princesses and unified the kingdoms.
Established a new capital at Memphis, center of government and culture
After his death, his son to his grandson rule. A line of rulers from one family is called a dynasties.
From 3100 to 332, there were 30 dynasties that ruled Egypt.

10. Life in Ancient Egypt
Around 2600 BC, Egyptian civilization entered the period known as the Old Kingdom.
The Old Kingdom lasted until 2200 BC
They created a theocracy…both religious and political leaders are the same.
The leader of Egypt is called a pharaoh which means “great house”
The Egyptians were fiercely loyal to the pharaoh

11. Life in Ancient Egypt
The pharaoh appointed bureaucrats or government officials to carry out his orders. Bureaucrats supervised the construction and repair of dams, irrigation canals, and brick granaries.
Granaries were used to store grain from bountiful harvest so people would not starve during poor harvests.
The pharaoh owned all the land in Egypt and could use it as he pleased.
The Egyptians thought the pharaoh was the son of Re, the Egyptian sun god.

12. Life in Ancient Egypt
The Egyptians thought that pharaoh was a god on earth who protected Egypt.
The pharaoh participated in ceremonies to help the kingdom thrive.
Religion influenced every aspect of Egyptian life.
The Egyptians believed that their god controlled natural forces as well as human activities.
The two most important gods were the sun god Re and the river god Hapi

13. Life in Ancient Egypt
Osiris was another important god. According to legend, Osiris was an early pharaoh who gave the Egyptians people laws and taught them farming.
His wife Isis represented the faithful wife and mother
Osiris and Isis together ruled over the world of the dead.

14. Life in Ancient Egypt
The Egyptians had a positive view of the afterlife.
At first, Egyptians thought that only pharaohs, but everyone could enjoy the afterlife.
They believed that the body needed to be in tact. The process of embalming emerged to preserve the body from decay.
Egyptians learned a lot of medical knowledge from this process and they were the first to use splints, bandages, and compresses.
They wrote the first medical books

15. Life in Ancient Egypt
The Egyptians honored their pharaohs in a special way. They built tombs called pyramids. All of the pharaoh’s belongings were placed in the pyramid.
It took thousands of workers to complete the pyramids.
The first engineer was Imhotep. He served as an official for the pharaoh.
Egyptians studied astronomy as well. They invented a 365 day calendar with 12 months divided by seasons.
They also measured angles to construct the pyramids and invented a system of numbers based on 10. Fractions were used as well.

16. Life in Ancient Egypt
By the mid-2000 BC, the Egyptians built the biggest and grandest of the pyramids. Built for King Khufu in modern-day Cairo.
It is one of three pyramids that stands 48 stories which is nearly 500 feet above the desert.
More than 2 million stone blocks were used to construct the pyramid.

17. Life in Ancient Egypt
At the peak, there were about 5 million people that lived in Egypt. The majority of the people live in the fertile Nile valley and the delta. The majority of the people still live in these areas today.
There was a social structure: unskilled workers at the bottom, followed by the farmers and herders. Next were the traders, artisans, shopkeepers, and scribes. The smallest group were the priests and nobles and the pharaoh was at the very top of the social status in ancient Egypt.

18. Life in Ancient Egypt
The upper class lived in elegant homes and on estates along the Nile River. Their homes were constructed of wood and sun-dried bricks. There were lush gardens and pools filled with fish and water lilies.
Wore fashionable clothes and dark eye makeup and jewelry.
They had servants.
The middle class made of people who owned businesses and held skilled jobs. The craft-makers produced linen, jewelry, pottery and metal goods. They lived in smaller houses and wore more simple clothing.

19. Life in Ancient Egypt
The largest Egyptian social classes included farmers, unskilled workers, and enslaved people.
They generally paid rent to the landowners for the land.
Their homes were made of mud brick (generally one room and roof made of palm leaves. Diet consisted of bread, vegetables and fruit.
Unskilled workers performed manual labor such as unloading cargo from oats and transporting it to markets. Some were fishermen. They lived in crowded city neighborhoods.

20. Life in Ancient Egypt
Their home was made of small mud-brick houses with hard-packed dirt floors. Their houses sometimes included a courtyard.
Families sometimes gathered on the rooftops to socialize, play games, and sleep
Some of these unskilled workers were enslaved people.

21. Life in Ancient Egypt
The family was the most important group in ancient Egyptian society.
The father was the head of the family
Women had more rights than women in other early civilizations
Women could own property, buy and sell goods and obtain divorces
Wealthy women even served as priests, managing temples and performing religious ceremonies
Few Egyptian children attended school. There was time for enjoyment playing ;games, dolls spinning tops, board games, etc.

22. Life in Ancient Egypt
Mothers taught their daughters to sew, cook and run a household.
Boys learned farming or other trades.
Boys and girls were expected to get married when they became teenagers.
In the cities, there were nuclear families made up of two parents and their children. Farming families lived in extended families with other families beyond the nuclear family.
Oldest son or daughter was responsible for the parents when they got old.