Egyptian Civilization

Egyptian Civilization Drew Parker, Justin Prather, Meredith Rhodes, Karla Urrutia, Cecilia Nguyen, Luke Hudson, Clever

Social Structure • Class System: • Slaves and Farmers • Craftsmen • Scribes • Priests, Engineers, and Doctors • High Priests and Nobles • Vizier • Pharaoh

Political Rulers • 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

Religion • 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

Technology • Chariots were an advancement in war technology • There were simple man made tools such as mallets and chisels that were used to craft pryamids.

Economy/Trade • 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

Hieroglyphics • 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

Kingdoms of Egypt • 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

Middle Kingdom • 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

New 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

Pyramids • 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

Public Works • Included: • digging canals • building temples • Palaces • Monuments • Tombs • pyramids

Legal System • 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

Nile River Valley • 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

Upper Nile • Divided by how the Nile flows • Just a flowing river Lower Nile • More of the Nile Deltas • The end of Northern Egypt

Roles of 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 Goddesses General Women

Military Hyksos- a group of semitic-asiatics who settled in northern Egypt in the 18th century Introduced the chariot compound bow

Question Review • Who was the top of the social ladder in Egypt? • Who united the lower and upper kingdoms of Egypt? • Ra was the King God of what Kingdom? • What tools were used to form the blocks of the pyramids? • What gemstone did Egypt import from Afghanistan? • Pharaoh • King Narmer of the old Kingdom • The Old Kingdom • Picks and Mallets were used to slowly chisel out solid blocks of stone • Lapis Lazuil Question: Answer:

Question Review • Hieroglyphics, unlike English were composed of what? • The pyramids and sphinxes were built in which Kingdom of Egypt? • The Nile River valley was great farmland do to what? • Laws in Egypt were based on what? • The Hyksos introduced what to the Egyptian Army? • Symbols and pictures • The old Kingdom • The flooding of the Nile which deposited fertile silt upon • What was considered right and wrong • Chariot, battles axes, and fortification techniques Question: Answer:

Egyptian Civilization