Welcome to Ancient Egypt!
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/3/3/16330604/1390250447.jpg)
History
• First small villages appeared in 4500 BC
• By 3200 BC Upper and Lower Egyptian kingdoms were established
• Menes united both kingdoms to form one empire by 3100 BC
• Pyramids undergo a transformation from step to smooth sided during 2700 BC
• From 2700 BC to 2200 BC what is known as The Old Kingdom is established
• No central ruler was present between 2200 BC and 2050 BC; instead local nobles assumed power
• The Middle Kingdom (2050 BC - 1750 BC) pharaohs regain power
• Hyksos, invaders from southwest Asia, took control of Egypt between 1750 BC and 1550 BC
• Ahmose gained control of Egypt and established the New Kingdom from 1550 BC to 1050 BC
• In 1400 BC the Egyptian military was ranked second to none
• Ramses the Great takes over rule in 1200 BC crushing the Hittites, a former threat
• First small villages appeared in 4500 BC
• By 3200 BC Upper and Lower Egyptian kingdoms were established
• Menes united both kingdoms to form one empire by 3100 BC
• Pyramids undergo a transformation from step to smooth sided during 2700 BC
• From 2700 BC to 2200 BC what is known as The Old Kingdom is established
• No central ruler was present between 2200 BC and 2050 BC; instead local nobles assumed power
• The Middle Kingdom (2050 BC - 1750 BC) pharaohs regain power
• Hyksos, invaders from southwest Asia, took control of Egypt between 1750 BC and 1550 BC
• Ahmose gained control of Egypt and established the New Kingdom from 1550 BC to 1050 BC
• In 1400 BC the Egyptian military was ranked second to none
• Ramses the Great takes over rule in 1200 BC crushing the Hittites, a former threat
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/3/3/16330604/622720557.jpg?348)
Geography
• The River Nile ran directly through the center of Egypt as it does today
• The desserts to the west and east, the Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea to the north, as well as the Cataract rapids to the south all worked to protect Egypt
• Farming was made simple thanks to the seasonal flooding and irrigating of the Nile
• A 13 mile wide valley, spanning across the Nile provided especially rich soil and was as The Fertile Valley
• The Nile River Delta spills into the Mediterranean Sea and contained 2/3 of Egypt's farmland
• The River Nile ran directly through the center of Egypt as it does today
• The desserts to the west and east, the Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea to the north, as well as the Cataract rapids to the south all worked to protect Egypt
• Farming was made simple thanks to the seasonal flooding and irrigating of the Nile
• A 13 mile wide valley, spanning across the Nile provided especially rich soil and was as The Fertile Valley
• The Nile River Delta spills into the Mediterranean Sea and contained 2/3 of Egypt's farmland
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/3/3/16330604/1390251859.jpg)
Economy
• Trade was of utmost importance and vital to their existance
• Taxes were paid in grain
• A barter system was followed
• Main exports were gold, papyrus, linen, grain, and decorative artifacts
• Lapis Lazuli, cedar, ebony, ivory, incense, myrrh, oils, copper, iron, and gold comprised their imports
• Trade was of utmost importance and vital to their existance
• Taxes were paid in grain
• A barter system was followed
• Main exports were gold, papyrus, linen, grain, and decorative artifacts
• Lapis Lazuli, cedar, ebony, ivory, incense, myrrh, oils, copper, iron, and gold comprised their imports
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/3/3/16330604/132841402.jpg?417)
Social Structure
• Society was divided into leveled classes
• Pharaoh was believed to be a god and controlled all land, especially that used for farming
• Priests and other government officials helped to run the government and temples
• The Vizier, a government official, was second in command to the Pharaoh
• Scribes were the most respected of society and worked in temples and enjoyed a tax-free, wealthy existence
• Soldiers were paid and allowed a chance to improve their social status based on their battle success
• Artists, artisans, and architects made up the class of Craftsmen
• Peasants, farmers, and slaves made up most of the population and paid the heaviest taxes
• Society was divided into leveled classes
• Pharaoh was believed to be a god and controlled all land, especially that used for farming
• Priests and other government officials helped to run the government and temples
• The Vizier, a government official, was second in command to the Pharaoh
• Scribes were the most respected of society and worked in temples and enjoyed a tax-free, wealthy existence
• Soldiers were paid and allowed a chance to improve their social status based on their battle success
• Artists, artisans, and architects made up the class of Craftsmen
• Peasants, farmers, and slaves made up most of the population and paid the heaviest taxes
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/3/3/16330604/601021437.jpg?387)
Government
• Government was religiously based
• Pharaoh ruled as a god and was the only Egyptian who owned anything and everything
• Pharaoh ruled with the help of many government officials, some of whom gave themselves elaborate titles
• Officials were capable of climbing the ranks
• The only official with a title that really mattered, was that of Vizier, the Pharaoh's right hand man
• Scribes kept records of grain production and of daily life
• All officials reported tot he official above them, the top officials reported to the Vizier
• The Vizier also acted as judge of the high court; his decisions were final
• This system of government proved successful for many hundreds of years
• Government was religiously based
• Pharaoh ruled as a god and was the only Egyptian who owned anything and everything
• Pharaoh ruled with the help of many government officials, some of whom gave themselves elaborate titles
• Officials were capable of climbing the ranks
• The only official with a title that really mattered, was that of Vizier, the Pharaoh's right hand man
• Scribes kept records of grain production and of daily life
• All officials reported tot he official above them, the top officials reported to the Vizier
• The Vizier also acted as judge of the high court; his decisions were final
• This system of government proved successful for many hundreds of years
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/3/3/16330604/428896868.jpg?295)
Beliefs/Religion
• They held polytheistic beliefs
• In the beginning, separate gods controlled each village
• As the kingdom united, belief in the same set of gods took over
• Many temples were built to house their gods
• The main gods were Ra (the sun god), Osiris (god of the underworld), Isis (goddess of magic), Horus (god of the sky and of pharaohs), Thoth (god of wwisdom), Geb (god of earth), Ptah (creator of the world), and Anubis (protector of the dead)
• They believed in an afterlife to such an extent that great pains were taken in the burial process
• Ancient Egyptians undertook a very involved embalming process, known as mummification, and detailed burial ceremonies in order to prepare and protect the soul for survival in the afterlife
• They held polytheistic beliefs
• In the beginning, separate gods controlled each village
• As the kingdom united, belief in the same set of gods took over
• Many temples were built to house their gods
• The main gods were Ra (the sun god), Osiris (god of the underworld), Isis (goddess of magic), Horus (god of the sky and of pharaohs), Thoth (god of wwisdom), Geb (god of earth), Ptah (creator of the world), and Anubis (protector of the dead)
• They believed in an afterlife to such an extent that great pains were taken in the burial process
• Ancient Egyptians undertook a very involved embalming process, known as mummification, and detailed burial ceremonies in order to prepare and protect the soul for survival in the afterlife
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/3/3/16330604/641305204.jpg?312)
Advancements/Achievements
• They made papyrus, one of the first paper products
• Developed a system of pictographs, known as hieroglyphics, as a form of written communication
• They created large and involved tombs (pyramids) and temples
• They demonstrated magnificent artistry through lively and colorful paintings which depict important historical events
• Skilled stone-workers erected amazing structures such as the Sphinx, pyramids, and temples
• They created lovely objects out of gold and precious stones such as necklaces, bracelets and collars
• They made papyrus, one of the first paper products
• Developed a system of pictographs, known as hieroglyphics, as a form of written communication
• They created large and involved tombs (pyramids) and temples
• They demonstrated magnificent artistry through lively and colorful paintings which depict important historical events
• Skilled stone-workers erected amazing structures such as the Sphinx, pyramids, and temples
• They created lovely objects out of gold and precious stones such as necklaces, bracelets and collars
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/3/3/16330604/1390281244.jpg)
Architecture
• They built enormous temples for their gods
• Temples exhibited obelisks at each side of the thick gate, huge columns covered in paintings and hieroglyphs held up the ceiling, while high windows let in light and promoted air circulation
• Pyramids were built using sizable limestone blocks, and used a series of false entrances and exits to hide the burial chamber
• 100,000 workers were required to pull the sleds containing a blocks of limestone to be used in pyramid construction
• They built enormous temples for their gods
• Temples exhibited obelisks at each side of the thick gate, huge columns covered in paintings and hieroglyphs held up the ceiling, while high windows let in light and promoted air circulation
• Pyramids were built using sizable limestone blocks, and used a series of false entrances and exits to hide the burial chamber
• 100,000 workers were required to pull the sleds containing a blocks of limestone to be used in pyramid construction