Chapter 4 Section 1 Egypt Under the Pharaohs Titles Notes QCIPL I) The Nile River Valley A) The World s Longest River The Nile is the worlds longest river (3500 miles) it flows from the south in modern day Sudan or ancient Kush! north and empties into the Mediterranean Sea cataracts (rocky rapids) in the south (Kush) made travel difficult river carries silt and deposited it on riverbeds B) Upper and Lower Egypt Upper Egypt in the south (upstream) Lower Egypt in the north (downstream) delta at the mouth of the river and is marshy
C) Floods and Black Land Kemet= black land silt deposited along river banks and delta turning the land black Floods came from yearly rains flooding the Nile s Source + floods left a layer of silt= good farming unpredictable natural disasters or drought D) The Red Land on the outside of the Black Land was the Red Land= deserts and burning sand II) Civilization Develops A) Growing a Surplus B) The Birth of Cities civilization began ~7,000 years ago surplus of grain cause berm type irrigation traps=fertile soil effect powerful families collected surplus as taxes 1. surplus allowed others to specialize in a skill! 2. creation of specializations, artisans, & merchants! 3. wealthy families purchased these goods! 4. artisans settled near local rulers = cities II) The Kingdoms of Egypt ~3000s BCE 2 kingdoms developed Upper Egypt! white crowns Lower Egypt!red crowns
A) Uniting Egypt Narmur= 1 st pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt ~3000 BC (wore mix of red and white crown! double crown)! 1 st dynasy (ruling family) Egyptian History divided into periods based on dynasty rule C) The Old and Middle Kingdoms Old Kingdom ~ 2700 BC 2100BC time of prosperity, political strength, and cultural achievement ended with civil wars Middle Kingdom ~ 2000BC1650 BC rulers faced environmental challenges (bad floods)! built new irrigation canals ended in civil wars D) High Point and Decline New Kingdom ~1550 BC 1070 BC pharaohs conquered lands in Asia & Africa considered the high point of power & prosperity weakened and fell apart due to foreign invasions took back control briefly Assyrians helped ended 332 BCE taken over by the Greek Empire and Alexander the Great
E) Egyptian Government top ruler = pharaoh pharaoh relied on bureaucracy system of officials handle the business of gov t head of bureaucracy (basically the second in command to the pharaoh) = vizier bureaucracy collected grain surplus as taxes took some for self and redistributed the rest! pharaoh and his workers priests, artisans, merchants this created the model for modern taxation III) Two Great Rulers Hatsepshut 18 th Dynasty (New Kingdom) ~ 1400s BC reign was peaceful and known for trade with Punt for precious wood, ivory, gold, and perfumes wife of Thutmose II and step mother/aunt of Thutmose III took over as pharaoh while her son s regent represented herself as masculine (pharaoh s beard and clothes) to ward off concern of her being a woman
Ramses II 19 th dynasty (New Kingdom) ~ 1200s BCE reign known for expansion through warfare (Canaan, Syria, Fertile Crescent, Hittites) created worlds first Peace Treaty with Hittites agreeing on a border after many battles known as a great builder IV) Egyptian Society social order provided loyalty and labor gods controlled everything and pharaohs controlled Egypt! pharaoh= godking who deserved loyalty Top 1. pharaoh 2. Nobles, priests, officials 3. Scribes Middle 4. Merchants and artisans (painters, stone cutters, builders worked on tombs) Low 5. Farmers (majority of population, farmed during growing season, offseason worked on building projectsto be rewarded after death), servants, slaves mostly POWs or debtors (freed after working off debt)
V) Egyptian Religion gods controlled EVERYTHING, Egyptians constantly tried to please them to keep them happy!built temples and gave offerings of prayers and gifts A) Many Gods polytheistic (many gods animal gods w/animal traits) AmonRe! sun god one of most important (myth of his journey across the sky! symbolism of birth in east and death in west Osiris! god of Underworld or the dead his myth plays major role in the reason for mummification Isis! his wife and mother goddess of Egypt represented love, caring, and protection Horus! the son of the two gods above, according to legend he United Upper and Lower Egypt! every pharaoh is Horus in Human Form B) Religion and Society Pharaoh= god/king gave him great power out of fear Priests could help people gain favor with goods= similar power out of fear of gods C) Preparing for the Afterlife people mummified to overcome death like Osiris did and have a life after death
Steps to an Afterlife 1. Have a good life (judged by Osiris)! weighing of the Heart ceremony if heart is too heavy! destroyed 2. Mummification D) Preserving the Body mummified body so the spirit could recognize their preserved body and reenter it as it s home expensive process wealthy! mummified, poor were buried in desert mummies have been an excellent primary resource for archeologists and historians today