Chapter 2 Ancient Egypt and Kush

1. Chapter 2Ancient Egypt and Kush Sec. 1- Nile Valley Sec. 2- Egypt’s Old Kingdom Sec. 3- The Egyptian Empire Sec. 4-The Civilization of the Kush http://www.carlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/MidElem_Home.html

2. Introduction • About the same time as the early civilizations were in and about the fertile valley of Mesopotamia , another civilization was forming near the Nile River. This civilization was ancient Egypt. • Between 6000BC and 5000BC, hunters-gatherers moved into the Nile River valley. They settled, farmed and created villages along the river banks.

3. Key Words • Cataract-narrow cliffs and boulders that form wild rapids • Delta- an area of fertile soil at the mouth of a river • Papyrus-a plant of the Nile Valley used to make a form of paper • Hieroglyphics-a system of writing made up of picture symbols developed by ancient Egyptians • Dynasty-line of rulers from the same family

4. Where did Egyptian civilization begin and why that location? • Egypt was warm and sunny but received little rainfall so people relied on the Nile River. The river provided: • Drinking water • Bathing • Farming • Cooking • Cleaning • Fish • Plants • Fed and watered animals

5. Settling the Nile-A Mighty River • World’s longest river • Flows north from the mountains in the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. • 4000 miles long (a little longer that the distance across the US from Georgia to California) • Begins as two rivers-Blue Nile (mountains of east Africa) and White Nile (marshes in central Africa) • Two rivers meet and form the Nile just south of Egypt. • At the meeting point cataracts are formed and because of this large ships can only use the 650 miles of the river where it flows through Egypt.

6. A Sheltered Land-Nile River and Delta

7. Nile • Surrounded by desert (west-Sahara)(east-Eastern Desert) • Ancient Egyptians called deserts “the Red Land” because of burning heat. • Desert could not support farming or human life but did KEEP OUTSIDE ARMIES AWAY • In the south -Nile’s dangerous cataracts did keep enemy boats from reaching Egypt • In the north-delta marshes offered no harbors for invaders from the sea.

8. Nile • The natural barriers protected Egypt and they were able to grow and prosper • The Red Sea to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the north gave the Egyptians a way to trade with outsiders • Within Egypt the Nile was used for trade and transportation. Winds from the north pushed sailboats south and water flow brought them back north • Egyptians had frequent, friendly contact with one another

9. Nile-The River People • Regular Flooding • Floods were consistent and gentle so the Egyptians were able to farm and live securely • How Egyptians Use the Nile • From July to Oct. the Nile would spill over leaving a dark, fertile silt. Because of this they called their land “Kemet”- the Black Land • The soil made for great farming-wheat, barley, flax

10. Nile • (Technology) • Used irrigation-dug basins to trap flood water, then canals to carry water from basins to fields-dikes to strengthen the basin walls • Shadoof-bucket attached to a pole used to lift water from the Nile to the basins(still used today) • Geometry to survey or measure land • Papyrus-a reed plant that grew along the river used to make baskets, sandals, rafts. Later they used it for paper

12. What Were Hieroglyphics? • Complex Egyptian system of writing • Began with picture symbols later symbols stood for sounds • Combination of picture symbols that stood for objects or ideas and symbols for sounds(like our alphabet)-created Heiroglyphics • Some people could read and write but they still had scribes. Scribes wrote/carved onto stone and paper

17. The Rise of Government • Due to technology and growth in population, wealth and land ownership, Egypt needed government to direct. • Earliest rulers were village chiefs. • A few strong chiefs united groups of villages to form kingdoms-stronger overpowered weaker • Egypt became 2 large kingdoms • Nile delta was LOWER Egypt • South upriver was Upper Egypt

18. Govt. Continued • About 3100 BC, Narmer (king of Upper Egypt), led his armies and took over Lower Egypt. This made a united Egypt-one

19. Egypt’s Ruling Families • Narmer ruled from Memphis • Wore a double crown-helmet like, white-Upper Egypt, open red-Lower Egypt • First in a long dynasty of kings Egypt had 31 dynasties lasting about 2,800 years. The dynasties are divided into 3 main (times periods)kingdoms Old Kingdom-earliest Middle Kingdom New Kingdom

20. Early Egyptian Life • Egyptian society was divided into social groups based on wealth and power. • King and family

22. Social classes • Upper class-nobles, priests, other wealthy government officials • Lived in cities and on large estates on the Nile • Elegant homes made of wood and mud brick • Large gardens, ponds, servants • Wore white linen and heavy makeup and jewelry • Middle class • Skilled Middle • Business people, tradesman, craftsman, artisans • Lived in smaller homes, dressed simply

23. Social classes • Unskilled (Lower) Class • Farmers- largest group of Egyptians-rented land and paid with crops, lived in villages in one room huts with palm leaf roofs, ate simply-bread,beer, veg., fruit • Unskilled workers-did physical labor, lived in crowded city neighborhoods, small mud-brick homes with dirt floors, courtyard for animals, flat top roofs where families talked, played, slept. Women worked on rooftops drying fruit, making bread and weaving cloth

24. Family Life • Father was head of family • Women had more rights than earlier civilizations • Own and pass on property • Buy and sell goods • Make wills • Obtain divorces • Upper class women were in charge of temples and could perform religious ceremonies

25. Family • Only a few children went to school • Mothers taught daughters, sewing, cooking, running household • Boys learned farming, skilled trades from fathers • Children enjoyed recreation time • Board games, dolls, spinning tops, stuffed leather balls

26. Review • The deserts on either side of the Nile Valley, along with the Nile cataracts and delta marshes, protected Egypt from invaders • He Egyptians became successful farmers using the Nile River’s floods and irrigation • About 3100 BC, Narmer united Lower and Upper Egypt • Egypt’s society was divided into upper-class priests and nobles, middle-class artisans and merchants and lower-class workers and farmers

27. Quiz • Where did Egyptian civilization begin? • Why is the Nile River important to Egyptian society? • Explain the development of a system of writing in Egypt. • Explain the structure of Egyptian society. • How did government arise in Egypt?