1 / 10

Chapter 4 Section 1: Egypt Under the Pharaohs

Chapter 4 Section 1: Egypt Under the Pharaohs. The Nile River Valley: The World’s Longest River Begins in East Africa and flows about 3,500 miles north to the Mediterranean Sea. The great river has two main sources- the White Nile and the Blue Nile which meet in present-day Sudan

harmon
Download Presentation

Chapter 4 Section 1: Egypt Under the Pharaohs

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter 4 Section 1: Egypt Under the Pharaohs The Nile River Valley: The World’s Longest River • Begins in East Africa and flows about 3,500 miles north to the Mediterranean Sea. • The great river has two main sources- the White Nile and the Blue Nile which meet in present-day Sudan • In ancient times, northern Sudan was known as Nubia, or Kush • The Nile flows through the Sahara desert and six cataracts- groups of rocky rapids, which made it impossible for people to travel by ship upstream to Egypt

  2. Upper and Lower Egypt • Below the cataracts is known as Upper Egypt • The river carries silt- fine mineral particles that can form fertile soil • Near the end, the Nile slows down and fans out into many streams and marshy areas • As it slows, the river drops its silt • Over thousands of years, the silt formed a river delta- an area of sediment- soil or minerals carried by water- deposited at the mouth of river. • The Nile delta forms Lower Egypt

  3. Floods and the Black Land • The yearly flooding created the Black Land • Flooding was unpredictable • Too much water created a natural disaster that swept away soil • Too little water created a drought which brought hunger The Red Land • On either side of the Black Land lay vast deserts called the Red Land • Deadly place of hot, burning sands

  4. Civilization Develops: Growing a Surplus • Farmers built earthen walls around fields to trap the Nile’s flood waters • Created a food surplus • Powerful people and families collected the surplus crop as taxes The Birth of Cities • Local rulers used the surplus to buy rich cloth, jewelry, and luxury goodssupplied by merchants and artisans- skilled workers who practice a handicraft • Artisans and merchants settled around the homes of local ruler and they grew into cities • Centers of culture and power • Skilled architects built impressive buildings • Artists created great works to decorate buildings

  5. The Kingdoms of Egypt • During the 3000s BCE two kingdoms developed. • Upper Egypt wore white crowns • Lower Egypt wore red crowns Uniting Egypt • Narmer united two kingdoms around 3000 BCE which made him the first pharaoh or king and founded Egypt’s earliest dynasty- a ruling family • Egypt’s history is divided into periods based on kingdoms and dynasties The Old and Middle Kingdoms • Old Kingdom- 2686 BCE to 2125 BCE • A period of prosperity, political strength, and cultural achievement • After many civil wars the Middle Kingdom began- 2055 BCE to 1650 BCE • Major environmental challenge- the Nile floods • Built a system of canals that could drain flood waters and irrigate new farmland

  6. High Point and Decline • After more civil wars and invasions, the New Kingdom began- 1550 BCE to 1070 BCE • Conquered lands in Asia and Africa • High point of Egyptian power and prosperity • Conquered by the Persian Empire Egyptian Government • Pharaoh relied on bureaucracy- a system of offices and officials that handle the business of government • The head was called the vizier • Collected taxes from farmers- surplus crops • Bureaucracy became a model for later governments

  7. Two Great New Kingdom Rulers • Hatshepsut • Watch MyStory • One of the few women to rule Egypt • Carried out all the rituals expected of a king • Dressed like a king, fake beard • Peaceful and built wealth and power through trade • Ramses II • 200 years after Hatshepsut • Gained wealth and power through war • Built more monuments than any other pharaoh

  8. Egyptian Society • Gods controlled everything • Pharaohs • Nobles, priests, and officials • Merchants and artisans • Farmers • slaves

  9. Egyptian Religion • Gods controlled everything and could be kind or dangerous • Built temples to please the gods and offered them prayers and gifts Many Gods • Polytheism- worshiped hundreds of gods • Many associated with animals and shared the strength, speed, or temper of the animal • Amon-Re: The Sun God who travelled across the sky and each night would die in the west and be reborn in the east • Osiris was the god of the underworld or world of the dead • Isis, the wife of Osiris, was the mother goddess and represented love, caring, and protection • Horus was the son of Isis and Osiris. • Every pharaoh was thought to be Horus in human form

  10. Preparing for the Afterlife • Live a good life • Bodies must be preserved • Poor people were buried in the desert where the hot, dry sand quickly dried out their bodies • Wealthy people were made into mummies

More Related