Egypt under the Pharaohs

CHAPTER 4, SECTION 1 – EGYPT UNDER THE PHARAOHS
Nile River Valley
         Longest river – 3,500  miles; 2 sources – meet in Sudan
            Cataracts make upstream travel impossible – natural defense
Upper and Lower Egypt
            Nile flows south to north; silt provides fertile soil;
            Nile delta in Lower Egypt
Floods; Black Land/Red Land
            Rich, dark soil – Kemet (Black Land); Yearly flooding left rich, fertile soil.  Hot, burning sands – Red Land
Surplus
            Walls to trap floodwaters; irrigation allowed for a surplus
Cities
            Surplus allowed artisans to produce goods;
            Cities brought wealthy and skilled people
Uniting Egypt
            Narmer united Upper and Lower Egypt – 3000 B.C.
            Created first Egyptian dynasty
Old/Middle Kingdoms
            Old – prosperity, cultural achievement
            Middle – irrigation systems to control floods
High Point/Decline
         New Kingdom – conquered lands in Asia and Africa
            Conquered by Persian Empire – 332 B.C.
Government
         System of government – bureaucracy
            Collected taxes (crops)
Hatshepsut
         Carried out rituals expected of a king; first woman pharaoh;
            Built wealth and power through trade
Ramses
         Conquered lands; fought Hittites; Built more monuments
Egyptian Society – Social Pyramid
Gods
         Polytheism; gods shared qualities of animals – strength/speed
            Amon-Re – sun god; most important
Religion
         Pharaoh as god on Earth; people obeyed pharaoh for fear of angering gods
Afterlife
         People could overcome death, like Osiris; afterlife required preparation; live a good life – allowed to live forever
Preserving the Dead
         Bodies preserved for afterlife; spirit would recognize body in afterlife.
CHAPTER 4, SECTION 2 – ART, ARCHITECTURE, LEARNING
Hieroglyphic writing
         Developed around 3200 B.C., same as cuneiform; scribes wrote to share and preserve knowledge
Papyrus
         Used to write on; easier and lasted longer than clay tablets; many documents have lasted to today – medical books, calendars, poems, stories, prayers.
Literature
         Written on papyrus; Book of the Dead – guide to the afterlife.
Pyramids
         Tombs for the pharaohs; Great Pyramid at Giza – built for Khufu; sphinx guards Khafre’s pyramid; Egyptians knowledge of building techniques and mathematics.
Sculpture
         Paintings found on tomb walls; created to provide pharaoh with all objects and pleasures.
Calendar
         First measure by cycles of moon; changed calendar to follow star Sirius, as it appeared the same time each year, coincided with Nile floods.
            Developed 365 day calendar
Mathematics
         Construction of pyramids shows skill in geometry.
Science and Medicine
         Construction of pyramids; discoveries in chemistry – glass, mortar for stones and bricks, cosmetics.  Systems of irrigations.  Advanced medical knowledge – comes from making mummies.

CHAPTER 4, SECTION 3 – EGYPT AND NUBIA
Trade
         Old Kingdom pharaoh Snefru traded with lands in E. Mediterranean, and Nubia.    Nubia adopted elements of Egyptian culture, such as religion – both saw kings as gods.
Nubia
         Less land to farm than Egypt; traded gold, iron, etc. for Egypt’s grain
            Egypt conquered Nubia during Middle and New Kingdoms
            Nubia conquered Egypt in 700’s B.C.
            Nubian capital moved to Meroe after Egyptian conquest in 591 B.C.
            Africa’s first ironworking center.
            Created Meroitic script, one of first alphabets