Geography of Egypt The Nile flooded every year Predictable floodwaters with spring rains

2. Geography and Early Egypt • The Nile • Most important physical feature in Egypt • 4,000 miles long; flows through the Sahara Desert • Without the Nile’s waters, no one could live there. • Geography of Egypt • The Nile flooded every year • Predictable floodwaters with spring rains • Left rich, black silt • Narrow band of fertile soil • Became home of Egyptian civilization

3. Cataracts Delta • Nile afforded protection itself • Flowed through cataracts to the south • Currents and waterfalls made sailing impossible • Not an easy invasion route • Egypt’s most fertile soil in Nile Delta • Silt deposits at mouth of river • Black Land of rich arable soil • Red Land unlivable but afforded protection Geographical Features

4. Two Kingdoms • First farming villages as early as 5000 BC • Northern Kingdom, Lower Egypt • Mild climate; cobra goddess worshipped • Southern Kingdom, Upper Egypt • Warmer climate; prayed to a vulture goddess • Unification • Two kingdoms unified around 3100 BC • Upper Egypt ruler Menes conquered north • Founded capital city of Memphis • Adopted both symbols, the snake and the vulture • First of 31 dynasties

5. Background to the New Kingdom Middle Kingdom fell when Egypt was invaded by the Hyksos, who conquered Lower Egypt

6. The New Kingdom • Hyksos ruled almost 100 years • Not harsh, but resented • Defeated by nobles from Thebes who became new rulers of Egypt • Securing Egypt • Egypt could not rely on geography for protection • Desert and sea not enough • Had to build powerful military • First permanent army • Traditional foot soldiers • Archers and charioteers • Adopted weapons from Hyksos • Created an empire • Egypt to rule beyond Nile Valley • Headed south into Nubia • Also campaigns east into Asia

8. Kamose • Last Pharaoh of the Seventeenth Dynasty, whose rule during the second intermediate period had been confined to Thebes. • Led revolt against the Hyksos • Ruled for 3 - 5 years prior to death and his brother Ahmose becoming pharaoh

9. Ahmose I (1550 - 1525 BC) • Founder of the 18th dynasty • Expelled the Hyksos • Recaptured Nubian controlled territories • Administration and order

10. Thutmose I • Ruled in early 15th century BC • Expanded Egyptian control into the Levant • Greatly expanded Temple of Karnak at Luxor • Buried in Valley of the Kings

11. The Reign of Hatshepsut • Hatshepsut best known for encouraging trade • Only woman pharaoh • Wanted to be treated like any other pharaoh • Dressed like a man, statues of her as a man • Monotheism in Egypt • Amenhotep IV, 1353 • Worshipped only one god, Aten • Banned worship of all other gods • Built temple to Aten at Akhetaten • The next pharaoh restored worship of traditional gods

13. Ramses the Great • Egypt expanded empire • Fought campaigns in Nubia and Syria • A new foe around 1250 BC • Hittites invaded from Mesopotamia • Confrontation with Hittites • Ramses the Great led army • Accounts of battle vary, but two armies signed truce • Ramses married Hittite princess and conflict ended • Ramses’ rule • Reign marked with extravagant splendor • Built more temples and monuments than other pharaohs • Many political and artistic achievements

14. Egypt’s Decline • Ramses’ successors faced challenges to authority • Major invasions of Egypt • Sea Peoples devastated empires • Ended Hittite Empire, weakened Egypt’s control of Syria • Egypt broke into small states • Many foreign rulers over next 700 years • Libyans, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks • Finally fell to Rome