Egypt

The Gift of The Nile

Ancient Egypt was divided into two regions: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt

In the predynastic period, these 2 provinces were separated politically after their unification around 3000 BCE

Egypt itself receives very little rainfall and depends on the Nile

Technology Used

Ancient Egyptians dug up irrigation canals to direct the water toward their crops/fields

They created a water lifting system, similar to a pulley system, to more easily raise buckets of water out of the Nile and use them in their fields. These systems were called “shadoof”

Crops Included barley, wheat, legumes vegetables, fruit, and papyrus trees(used for paper to write)

Trading, Commerce, Travel

The Nile River flows from south to north unlike other major rivers

Winds that blew to the south aided Egyptians in traveling south down the river to trade

The Egyptians traded along themselves and parts of sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean including Lebanon

The Old Kingdom

Old Kingdom Egypt experienced a great deal of economic and cultural growth with an expanding population, improvements to agricultural production, and a flourishing foreign trade

During this period, the Sphinx and Great Egyptian Pyramids were built

Towards the end of this era, they experienced multiple droughts and bad crop seasons leading to the decline of the 4th dynasty

The Middle Kingdom

During this time a series of powerful pharaohs asserted themselves and led through their dynasties which could go on to last centuries

It also made the capital Thebes

The New Kingdom

The New Kingdom of ancient Egypt was a golden age of architecture and art—a variety of factors combined to make the New Kingdom.

Govt System

In ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh was considered to be divine or directly chosen by the god

Egypt traditionally was a theocracy, using spiritual beliefs to decide the outcomes of crimes committed by people

The job of Pharaoh was to maintain “Ma’at” or harmony among the people. When someone disturbed this peace, they were presumed guilty until found innocent

Small courts and imperial courts passed judgment based on spiritual and religious belief

First Dynasty from Egypt —> Second Intermediate Period —>

Social Structure

The Pharoah —> High Priests —> Scribes —> Military/Soldiers —> Traders merchants farmers —> peasants —> slaves

Significant Pharaohs

Hatshepsut

He was one of the most famous queens. She ruled as a regent for her stepson Thutmose III and as a pharaoh in her own right

Ruled for 2 decades and proved to be extremely Successful

Amenhotep III

The ninth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty is one of the most famous kings and has the unique distinction of having the most statues

Changed the landscape and moved Egypt and said their god was the Sun

Ramses II

Builder of the monumental Abu Simbel temple complex, Nineteenth Dynasty pharaoh Ramses II ruled for sixty-six years.

He was a ruthless warrior and an ambitious builder and he was one of the most powerful and best-known pharaohs of ancient Egypt

Cleopatra

One of the Egyptian empire’s most politically astute leaders, today she is probably the most famous Egyptian Queen

One of the very few Egyptian pharaohs, she was of Macedonian descent and Ptolemaic and prospered under her leadership

She was the last Pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Kingdom having entered the dangerous world of Roman Politics

She eventually found herself in a civil war between Marc Anthony and committed suicide at the age of 39 

Upper Egypt is at the bottom and Lower Egypt is at the top due to the Nile Flowing Irregular

Closing:

Name 2 major impacts that Egyptians made that allowed them to last thousands of years