Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt

1. Geography/Natural Boundaries:

   • Nile River

2. Government

   • Ancient Egypt Civilization:
     • -Lasted for over 2500 years
       • -Dated from 3100 B.C. to about 395 B.C.
         • -Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt become one country
           • -Kings were the leaders of “monarchy” type of government
             • -King Narmer of Upper Egypt conquered Lower Egypt
               • -Built the city of Memphis as the new capital
                 • -World’s first “nation-state”= united people and a single government
                   • -Marks Egypt’s first “dynasty”= a series of rulers from the same family
   • Three Kingdoms:
     • -The Old Kingdom (2700-2200 B.C.) -Kings were considered to be living gods -“Vizier”= chief of advisors, carried out the king’s orders -Old Kingdom known as the “Pyramid Age” -Pharaohs (kings) were buried in pyramids ONLY in this time period
     • -The Middle Kingdom (2100-1800 B.C.) -Began with the reuniting of Egypt after a “civil war” =war between two groups in the same place -Trade, arts and literature became very popular =became known as the Egypt’s “Golden Age” -Southwest Asians called the Hyksos conquered Lower Egypt brining the Middle Kingdom to an end.
     • -The New Kingdom (1500-1000 B.C.) -Began with Dynasty 18 -Egyptian king took the title as “Pharaoh” -Empire reaches its largest size -Pharaohs were buried in the “Valley of the Kings” near Thebes

3. Religion

   • Religion:
     • Polytheistic Religion = many gods and goddesses controlled nature
   • Gods and Goddesses:
     • Ra: Sun God King of the Gods Head of a Falcon
     • Hapi: God of Fertility God of the Nile
     • Anubis: God of Embalming Head of a Jackal Determined if your heart was as light as a feather
     • Ammit: The Destroyer Demon who would eat the “heavy” hearted
     • Osiris: God of the Dead Ruler of the Underworld
     • Horus: God of the Sky Was a special protector of the pharaohs His eye was the symbol of healing and protection Head of a hawk
   • Animal Gods:
     • jackal, snake, crocodiles
   • Afterlife:
     • -Believed in a heavenly place called the “Land between Two Fields”
     • -Osiris opened the door of afterlife for everyone
     • -Requirements: 1) You had to pass the test of heart in the Hall of Maat (weighing of the heart) 2) Your name had to be written somewhere in your tomb 3) Your body had to be preserved -Everyone had two souls, “Ba” and “Ka”

4. Writing system

   • Hieroglyphics:
     • -Egyptians developed a writing system called hieroglyphs -3100 B. C. -Hieroglyphic means= “holy carving” -First used for religious purposes -Made up of pictures that represent ideas, words, or sounds
   • Rosetta Stone:
     • -In 1799, the stone was found in a town of Rashid (Rosetta) -It was named the Rosetta Stone -It held three types of writing: Hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Greek -Today it is in the British Museum -In 1822, Jean Francois Champollion was able to figure out the translation -It is made of a piece of volcanic rock
   • Papyrus
     • paper like material used for writing

5. Pyramids

   • What was a Pharaoh?
     • Pharaoh= ancient Egyptian ruler who was believed to be both human being and a god
   • Pyramids:
     • -A sphinx is a mythological creature that has a body of a lion but the head of a King -Believed to built by Kahfre, the son of Khufru -Believed to have once been quite colorful
     • -Pyramids=stone structures used as tombs for Egyptian rules -80 pyramids known today from Ancient Egypt -Step Pyramid at Saqqara: first pyramid built, named for its step like stones, built for Pharaoh Zoser -Bent Pyramid: built for Pharaoh Snefru, gets its name from the change in the angle halfway up its side -Red Pyramid: also built by Pharaoh Snefru, was the first pyramid built with smooth sides -Great Pyramids of Giza: 2 millions blocks of stone weighing between 2 -15 tons, covered 13 acres and 40 stories high
   • Sphinx:

6. Mummifacation

   • Mummy:
     • a preserved body
   • Mummification:
     • a process that preserves the bones and soft tissue of a body after death
   • The Book of the Dead:
     • Not a book Nickname for different magical spells Helped Egyptians reach their afterlife Were written on papyrus sheets and buried with the body
   • Canopic Jars:
     • -All major organs are removed during the process -The heart was “home of the soul” and was left in the body -Liver, Lungs, Intestines, and Stomach were placed in a canopic jar -Jackel Jar: stomach -Human Jar: Liver -Baboon Jar: Lungs -Falcon Jar: Intestines

7. Famous Pharoahs

   • King of Narmer:
     • -Unifier of Egypt -Wearing both the white (upper) and red (lower) crown -Became Egypt’s first Pharaoh
   • Snefru:
     • -Ruled from 2613 B.C. to 2589 B.C. -His son was Khufu -Had the Red and the Step Pyramid built
   • Akenaten:
     • -“The Rebel Pharaoh” -Ruled 1350-1334 B.C. -Started a new religion -Supposed to worship only ONE God, the Sun God -We believe King Tut was his son
   • Hatshepsut:
     • -“The Chosen One” -One of very few women that became a Pharaoh -Ruled from around 1498 B.C. to 1483 B.C. -Buried in the Valley of the Kings -Spread rumors that she was a daughter of the God Amun -Wore male clothing and a fake beard to try and convince people she was worthy
   • King Tut:
     • -“The Golden Pharaoh” -Around 1334 B.C., the nine-year- old Tutankhatun was given the throne. -Chanced his name to Tutakhamen -Died at around 18 -1922 Howard Carter discovered his tomb -Theories of how did he die: -- Some believe he was hit in the back of his head (huge crack in his skull) -- Some believe he had malaria from a mosquito bite -- He broke his leg and died a few days later from infection
   • Ramses II:
     • -“Ramses The Great” -Ruled from 1279 B.C. to 1212 B.C. -He ruled from 25-92 years old -Had over 100 children in his life -Over 50 wives during his life -Led Egypt into the world’s largest chariot battle (5000 chariots)

8. Everday life

   • Egyptian Social Classes:
     • Roles of Men and Women:
       • -Men mostly craftsmen -Women raised children and were highly respected
     • -Pharaohs -Viziers -Highest Priests and Nobles -Officials, Scribes -Craftsmen -Scribes
   • Children:
     • -Considered “gifts of gods” -Board games called “Senet” and “Dogs and Jackles” -Egyptians were married between the ages of 17-20, maybe as young as thirteen
   • Housing of Egyptians:
     • -most lived in villages in “rural” or country areas, only 5 percent lived in cities