Egyptian CivilizationDrew Parker, Justin Prather, Meredith Rhodes,

Karla Urrutia, Cecilia Nguyen, Luke Hudson, Clever

Class System:◦ Slaves and Farmers◦ Craftsmen◦ Scribes◦ Priests, Engineers, and

Doctors◦ High Priests and

Nobles◦ Vizier◦ Pharaoh

Social Structure

King Narmer was the first Egyptian king who united the lower and upper kingdoms of Egypt to create the pharaohs dynasty

Pharaohs were the rulers of the kingdoms of Egypt

Hatshepsut was a women pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt.

She was one of the most successful pharaohs reigning longer than any other women of an indigenous Egyptian Dynasty

The division of the provinces were split between upper Egypt and lower Egypt

Political Rulers

The Egyptians were polytheistic, which means they believed in more then one god

Ra is the sun god, also known as the king of the old kingdom

Anubis, Ra’s son, was god of the underworld in the old kingdom

Isis, married to her brother Osiris, was also known as the queen of the old kingdom

Seth, the brother of Isis and Osiris, was the god of chaos

Religion

Chariots were an advancement in war technology

There were simple man made tools such as mallets and chisels that were used to craft pryamids.

Technology

The economy of ancient Egypt was a command economy, which means the pharaohs dictated the economic standings

Imports- Horses, cattle, small live stock, lapis lazuil, copper

Exports- Stone and pottery vases, papyrus, linen, lentils, dried fish

Economy/Trade

Hieroglyphics emerged as artistic traditions

Modeled after Sumerian script The Egyptians formed papyrus The Rosetta Stone was a

famous example of hieroglyphics which was formed of hieroglyphics, demotic, and Greek script

Scholars found hieroglyphics to be a mystical form of writing

Hieroglyphics

The Old Kingdom, also known as the pyramid age, reigned from 2700 BCE and 2200 BCE

Old Kingdom capital chosen by Narmer was Memphis

This period was when Narmer united the upper and lower kingdoms

The old Kingdom built the great pyramid and the sphinx

Egypt was ruled by a strong government in this period until priests and other government officials demanded more power

Kingdoms of Egypt

Between 2100 BCE and 1800 BCE

Developed a new government where the Pharaoh did not have total power

Officials of the government got their way by working with the Pharaoh

Egyptians of the time had engineering projects, irrigation, and were building ditches

Middle Kingdom

Between 1570 BCE and 1080 BCE

Started out great One of the greatest powers in

the world as this kingdom Conquered many countries

around Nubia supplying Egypt many treasures

Reached its highest point in 1400 BCE and the capital was Thebes

Soon government officials had power struggle, resulting in breaking of Egypt into smaller states

It created a weakness that invaders took advantage of

New Kingdom

Were built by villagers who were under Pharaoh supervisors

Estimated 20,000 to 30,000 workers

Took over 80 years to build the pyramids of Giza

Stones were transported, polished, and pushed up ramps into positions

Pyramids

Architects ran ropes from outer corners up to plan summit to make sure the stones were positioned correctly

Priests chose pyramids locations so they were aligned to sacred constellations

Dead pharaohs were put into the completed pyramids with all their riches

Pyramids

Included: ◦ digging canals ◦ building temples◦ Palaces◦ Monuments◦ Tombs◦ pyramids

Public Works

Ancient law was based on common sense of right and wrong

Codes based on the concept of Ma’at (truth), order, balance, and justice in the universe

Legal System

Provided an endless source of fresh water, fertile soil, and food

Flooding of the Nile deposited a rich layer of fertile silt across the landscape

People dug irrigation ditches to carry valuable waters out to their farms, making perfect farming area

Nile River Valley

Divided by how the Nile flows

Just a flowing river

Upper Nile

Lower Nile•More of the Nile Deltas•The end of Northern Egypt

Roles of Women

Goddesses General Women

Hathor-Love Nut-Mother

of the Sky Nephthys-

Justice Goddesses

were the protectors, but when angered could become great enemies

Treated better in Egypt then in any other civilization

Had the same legal rights as men

Head of the house

Could take on roles of power

Allowed to get jobs

Own land Right to say if

they wanted to be married or divorced

Military

•Hyksos- a group of semitic-asiatics who settled in northern Egypt in

the 18th century•Introduced the chariot compound

bow

Question Review

Question: Answer:

1. Who was the top of the social ladder in Egypt?

2. Who united the lower and upper kingdoms of Egypt?

3. Ra was the King God of what Kingdom?

4. What tools were used to form the blocks of the pyramids?

5. What gemstone did Egypt import from Afghanistan?

1. Pharaoh

2. King Narmer of the old Kingdom

3. The Old Kingdom

4. Picks and Mallets were used to slowly chisel out solid blocks of stone

5. Lapis Lazuil

Question Review

Question: Answer:

1. Hieroglyphics, unlike English were composed of what?

2. The pyramids and sphinxes were built in which Kingdom of Egypt?

3. The Nile River valley was great farmland do to what?

4. Laws in Egypt were based on what?

5. The Hyksos introduced what to the Egyptian Army?

1. Symbols and pictures

2. The old Kingdom

3. The flooding of the Nile which deposited fertile silt upon

4. What was considered right and wrong

5. Chariot, battles axes, and fortification techniques