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HIS 101. Western Civilization Chapter 1. Homo Sapien. Progression. Neanderthals. Neanderthal Face. Modern Human. Cave Painting at Lascaux, France. Paleolithic. Neolithic. Mesopotamia. Egypt. Cuneiform. Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh Tablet. Sargon I. Hammurabi. Babylon.
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HIS 101 Western Civilization Chapter 1
Old Kingdom (3100 – 2200 BC) • Middle Kingdom (2050 – 1750 BC) • New Kingdom ( 1560 – 1087 BC)
Dynasty: group of rulers from a single family who succeeded one another as pharaoh
Key to the success of the Third Dynasty of the Old Kingdom was • Absolute power of pharaoh • Pharaoh owned Egypt and its people • Every person was pharaoh’s servant • Pharaohs were active statesmen • Pharaohs had a highly developed administrative system
At the end of the Old Kingdom there were ineffectual leaders and things fell apart. • This was followed by years of chaos • About 2050 BC the Middle Kingdom began and restored the institutions of the Old Kingdom
The divine power of pharaohs • A centralized bureaucracy • A provincial administration • A revived economy • Reclaimed land from the desert • Expanded trade • Maintained order
One change : less emphasis on the divine power of the pharaoh and more on the quality of government • Concept of ma’at was important • principle of right order, justice, and harmony • This added a humane quality to Middle Kingdom
Old and Middle Kingdoms • Economic system depended on carefully controlled agriculture • Relied on peasants to keep irrigation system working, to plant and harvest, and to build pyramids, public buildings, temples, and dwellings • Artisans and merchants added to Egypt’s wealth
Cultural Life • Rooted in religion • Deities thought to be benevolent to humans • Deities explained through mythology • Egyptians thought they had won the gods favor because of their abundant harvests, peace, and security • Ka : spiritual double that lived after death in close association with the spirits
Science and Technology • Recorded movements of the stars • Had accurate time system: had 12 – 30 day months with 5 days added at end of year • Had system of numbers: arithmetic, volumes, and areas • Had information on metals and plant life • Developed surgical techniques and drugs • Understood anatomy from mummification