Ancient Egypt:

1. Ancient Egypt: Gift of the Nile Pharaoh and Egyptian Religion Egyptian Writing Egyptian Contributions Trade, Conquest and Decline

2. 1. Egypt – Gift of the Nile • Egypt developed along a river just like Mesopotamia. Egyptian civilization grew in northeast Africa along the Nile River. The Nile is the world’s longest river (4,160 mi). Most ancient Egyptians lived near the river’s delta on the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile flooded every year in the middle of July leaving behind deposits of nutrient rich soil that was good for farming. • Two kingdoms eventually formed around the Nile – Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Because the Nile flowed north, Upper Egypt was actually in the south and Lower Egypt was in the north around the Nile’s delta. • These two kingdoms united under king Narmer in 3100 B.C.

3. 2. The Pharaoh 3. Egyptian Religion: • Like Mesopotamia, Egypt was a theocracy. They believed their ruler, called a pharaoh, was a god. The pharaoh owned all the land (as a reward, he would give pieces of land away to his loyal supporters). His duties included: building and maintaining the irrigation canals, choosing government leaders to collect taxes/carry out his orders, and command the army. • Egyptians were polytheistic. Some of their most important gods were: • Re – sun god •Horus – sky god • Hapi – river god •Osiris – god of harvest & eternal life. • Egyptians believed in life after death, however, they believed that the soul could not exist without the body so they mummified their bodies (they also left food and treasures for their survival in the afterlife). • Pharaohs had their bodies placed in gigantic tombs called pyramids. Some great pharaohs also had monuments built in their honor like the Great Sphinx at Giza.

4. 4. Egyptian Writing: • Ancient Egyptians wrote using hieroglyphics. This form of writing uses pictures for words or sounds. • Egyptians carved and painted the hieroglyphics on monuments, pyramids and papyrus. • Papyrus is a plant that grows around the Nile. Papyrus was used to make a kind of paper, in fact, we get the word paper from papyrus. Egyptians also developed ink in order to write. The dry climate of Egypt has preserved some writings.

5. 5. Egyptian Contributions: Mathematics: • Number system based on ten • Used fractions and whole numbers • Developed geometry to measure/survey land. • Created a calendar around the flooding patterns of the Nile. Medicine: • First to use splints, bandages and compresses • Skilled at sewing up cuts • Skilled at setting broken bones • Even had remedies for hair loss and indigestion

6. 6. Trade, Conquest and Decline: • The Egyptians were conquered in the 1700s B.C. by the Hyksosand they ruled for about 150 years. It was the Hyksos that taught the Egyptians how to use bronze and iron weapons. They also taught the Egyptians how to use horse drawn chariots. With this new technology the Egyptians overthrew the Hyksos. • This new technology also aided the Egyptians with trade. They traded with the African kingdom of Kush (present day Sudan) and the first female pharaoh Hatsheptsut expanded trade south to the African kingdom of Punt (present day Somalia). The Egyptians also traded across the Mediterranean Sea with the Phoenicians and the Greeks. • As they traded, the Egyptians spread ideas and accomplishments (cultural diffusion). • Egypt Declines: 1. Egypt’s priests began to challenge the pharaoh for power. 2. Egypt spent energy and a lot of money trying to maintain control of conquered territories. • Egypt was eventually captured by the empires of Greece and Rome.