Chapter 2 The first Civilizations— Egypt—The Gift of the Nile
Jan 21, 2016
Chapter 2
The first Civilizations—Egypt—The Gift of the Nile
Egypt
Nile River Valley Narrow strip of land about 10 miles wide Early people learned to control river –
canals, dikes, reservoirs, irrigation ditches
Nile River
River Flows north Originates in the highlands of Ethiopia
(Blue Nile) White Nile comes from lakes of central
Africa-main source is Lake Victoria Ends in the Mediterranean Sea Longest river in the world at 4,160 miles
Nile River
Floods Until recently, flooded annually in July-
Sept Floods predictable Added moisture to the soil Deposited silt, replenishing the soil with
nutrients-food, water and transportation delta to form at the mouth of the river Provided papyrus-reed that grows along
the banks of the Nile
First People 5,000 to 4,000 B.C.E. Divided into two regions Upper Egypt – first cataract to 100 miles
of the sea Lower Egypt – from delta inland 100
miles
Natural Barriers Deserts- Lybian, Nubian, Arabian Seas- Mediterranean and Red Cataracts- waterfalls and rapids which
interrupt Nile six times Only real access into Egypt was across
the Sinai Peninsula- invaders and traders used this route into Egypt
The Nile River Valley
King Menes 3100 B.C.E.
Unites the two kingdoms First Egyptian dynasty
Ruling Dynasties Approximately 31 dynasties (ruling
families) from 2700 B.C.E. to 1090 B.C.E.
Dynasties ruled Egypt for a total of ~ 2700 years
Years between kingdoms without ruling dynasty usually marked by civil wars and/or invasion
Egyptian Historical Periods Ancient Egyptian history divided
into three periods Old Kingdom Middle Kingdom New Kingdom
Old Kingdom 2700 B.C.E. to 2200 B.C.E.
AKA - The Pyramid Age Rulers called Pharaohs (great house) - claimed to
be divine and worshiped as gods on Earth Chief god – Amon-Re (pharaohs sons of Sun
god) Pharaohs had absolute power ( owned all land
and water) Viziers – supervisors that ran the government
OLD KINGDOM Era was remarkable for prosperity,
artistic flowering, and the evolution of religious beliefs
Pharaoh commanded the wealth, resources, and people of all Egypt
Pharaoh cared for his people
The Great Pyramid of KhufuAbout 2560 B.C.E.
The Great Pyramid of Khufu Egypt had great enormous quantities of
stone for building Took 20 years to build 481 feet tall- tallest structure in the world
for 43 centuries Each side perfectly aligned North, South,
East, & West
The Great Pyramid of Khufu Each side 751 feet long – error of less
than 9 inches per side Covers 13 acres Used more than 2 million stones – each
more than 2 tons some more than 15 tons
The Great Sphinx Located in Giza Body of a lion and face of a man (the
pharaoh Khafre) Faces the rising sun—tall as a six-story
building
Step Pyramid at Sakkara is oldest stone building in the world which was built for the pharaoh Zoser
Old Kingdom ended about 2200 B.C.E.
Reasons: Cost of Pyramids Crop failure Power struggle
Results: over 100 years of chaos Princes from the city of Thebes reunited
Egypt
Middle Kingdom- 2050 B.C.E. to 1800 B.C.E.
Marked by troubles – corruption, rebellions, Nile failed to flood
regularly Accomplishment:
Drainage projects Canal from Red Sea to Mediterranean Sea Pharaohs more concerned with common
people-allowed mummification
Middle Kingdom Increased trade Egyptian Army invades Nubia and
occupied rich gold lands
End of Middle Kingdom About 1700 B.C.E. invaded by the
Hyksos Hyksos had advance military
technology-the horse drawn chariot
Hyksos Adopted Egyptian customs, language &
beliefs Fully introduced bronze age to Egypt Ruled for about 100 years About 1600 B.C.E. overthrown by the
Egyptians
New Kingdom 1550 B.C.E. to 1100 B.C.E.
Powerful Pharaohs created a new larger empire – all the way to the Euphrates River
Egypt at the height of wealth and power—widespread slavery became a feature of Egyptian life for the first time
Hordes of slaves brought home
Important rulers of the New Kingdom Hatshepsut- first
female ruler known in history
1501 B.C.E.- 1482 B.C.E.
Increased trade
Known as the Napoleon of Egypt because of his military victories
Not allowed to rule in his own right because of his age
Ruled Egyptian Empire at its greatest size
Tried to wipe out the memory of Hatshepsut
Thutmose III
Pictures of Thutmose III
Ramses II Last great ruler of the New Kingdom Signed first known treaty in history
with the Hittites Ruled for 67 years—he was in his
nineties when he died It is believed he fathered more than 150
children
Mummy of Ramses II
Foreign Invaders Nubia – 750 B.C.E.
650 B.C.E. Assyrians Persians Later the Greeks & Romans All wanted the Nile Valley for its food
Religion (polytheism) Amon-Re – Sun god- Chief god
Osiris and Isis
Osiris and Isis God of the Under
World-ruler of the Nile
Judges the dead Rise & Fall the Nile
believed to be the death & rebirth of Osiris
Father of Horus
Wife of Osiris Brought him back to
life after Set killed him-symbol is the ankh-mother of Horus
Taught women how to grind corn, spin flax, care for children
Horus Son of Osiris – kills Set – god of the sky
Bastet and Anubis Goddess of
fertility, sensuality and fire prevention
Symbolized by cats
god of mummy wrapping/embalming
Holds the scales of justice while your heart is weighed
Pictures of Bastet
Pictures of Anubis
Egyptian Afterlife Believed in a life after death Each soul needed to pass a test Weighed the heart against the feather
of truth Sinners were fed to the Eater of the
Dead Worthy souls entered the “Happy
Field of Food”
Mummification—presevation of the body after death
At first just for Pharaohs Process took 70 days Removed all organs and
preserved them in jars Needed body in afterlife-home
for the Ka-eternal spirit
Valley of the Kings
Amenhotep IV Religious rebel Akhenaton Tried to outlaw all
gods except Aton Introduced monotheism
Nefertiti Wife of Amenhotep
IV Helps her husband Husbands rule
started the downfall of the New Kingdom
Tutankhamen Reestablished
Amon-Re “Boy King” Howard Carter
Pharaohs organized centralized state
Built enormous tombs, the pyramids
Power struggles, crop failures and cost of pyramids caused collapse
Corrupt government suffered frequent rebellions
Land drained for farming
Hyksos invaded and conquered
Pharaohs created a large empire
Traded with lands along eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea
Nubians, then others invaded
Egyptian Society Social Class
A persons social position and occupation determined at birth
Parents taught their children their own trade
Egyptian Society Social Structure
Top = Pharaoh (royal family) Ruling class of vizier, priests and nobles Scribes and soldiers Middle class of merchants, artisans, doctors Peasant farmers were majority of population and
slaves
Egyptian Social Stucture
Ruling Class Egyptian life revolved around religion Priests and nobles had highest status after
pharaoh Only priests knew how to please gods Gods controlled nature Priests performed rituals to obtain fertile
land etc.
People paid tax to the temples Grain, gold, linen, etc
nobles mainly held government positions Generals in armies, governors of provinces,
tax collectors and court officials Had many luxuries
Middle Class Small group Settled in cities Provided goods & services to the ruling
class
Peasants Majority of Egyptians Lifestyle unchanged for thousands of years Pharaoh owned all the land
60% of the crops had to be paid as taxes
Usually had to work on palace or government project-serve in army, up keep and repair of irrigations systems
Slaves Brought to Egypt as POW’s or were
descendents of POW’s Some slaves lived comfortable lives Some became trusted officials (Joseph) Some earned their freedom Life was tough for most- Average 36 at
death
Status of Women Relatively high status for that time
in history—more independence Could buy and sell property Could seek divorce (although rare) Property inherited through female
line Role of wife and mother important A woman’s status increased
when she had children
Status of Women Sometimes women considered
property, but were treated kindly Wore make-up/wigs etc. (lice
always an issue) Queen might rule with pharaoh If pharaoh had more than one
wife, the first wife was most important Her son would be the next pharaoh
Egyptian Writing ~3100 B.C.E.
Hieroglyphics Developed by priests
Scribes Scribes were very important Kept records, recorded history Could possibly become rich About the only social mobility of the era
The Rosetta Stone - 1799 Slab of black rock carved in
three languages Hieroglyphics Demotic (everyday language) Greek
Jean Champollion deciphered the Rosetta Stone
Egyptian Achievements In areas of math and science
Developed system of surveying land Important due to annual floods
Surveying land led to Geometry Area & volume Did not develop the concept of zero
Egyptian Achievements Development of astronomy
To predict floods, eclipses Led to development of calendar based on Sirius
365 days, 12 months 3 seasons, 30 days for 11 months, 35 for the 12th
6 hours short of a solar year
Development of building techniques engineering
Egyptian Achievements Medical discoveries
Magic heavily used Developed surgery Greeks & Romans based much of their
medical knowledge on that of the Egyptians
Egyptian Achievements Literature
Hymns Book of the Dead Love poems Folk tales
The Tale of Sinuhe
The Fertile Crescent
“Crossroads of Civilization” It commands land routes to 3
continents Few natural barriers Constant exchange of ideas through
invasions and migrations
Mesopotamia Tigris River & Euphrates River Floods almost every year (April –June) Periods of drought Rivers unpredictable and deadly
Sumerian Civilization – 3200 B.C.E.
City States—large towns and cities and the surrounding countryside Ur Uruk Kish Cities are independent of each other Social classes set up in hierarchy-system
of ranks
Ziggurats Largest building
in the city-state
Pyramid-temple
Economy First to use wheeled vehicles Trade with neighboring city-states was
basis of the economy Sumerians fought for control of land and
water Cities protected by high walls
Religion Polytheism
Council of gods & goddesses rule the earth Each city-state had it specific god/goddess Natural events explained through actions
of gods/goddesses-keep gods happy Gods & goddess behaved like ordinary
people—kings were gods representatives Believed in an afterlife-gloomy underworld
Writing – cuneiform means wedged-shaped
Stylus Scribes
Achievements Basic algebra & geometry Number system based on 6
Hour = 60 minutes Circle into 360 degrees
Invented the plow & sail First to use columns, inclined walks &
arch
Empires of the Middle East Sargon – 2300 B.C.E. ruler of Akkad
conquered the city-states of Sumer First empire in recorded history
Babylonian Empire Amorites invade Sumer & locate their
government in Babylon Became known as the Babylonian
Empire Promoted chief Babylonian god called
Marduk
Hammurabi Code of
Hammurabi 300 laws carved
into stone pillars Criminal law Civil Law “eye for an eye”
Hittites – 1400 B.C.E.
Conquered Mesopotamia because of their secret weapon – iron
Introduced Iron Age in Europe, Africa, & Asia
Assyrians – 1100 B.C.E. Most cruel & warlike First people to develop effective way of governing
an empire Ruled by fear-uprooted people which spread ideas Well-ordered society-capital at Nineveh New military techniques-cavalry, siege weapons,
disciplined army Assurbanipal established first library-helped
preserve history of Middle East 612 B.C.E. crushed by their neighbors
Nebuchadnezzar (Chaldeans) Ruled from Babylon-New Babylonians Enslaved the Jews- known as the
Babylonian Captivity Built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
& Tower of Babel
Accomplishments Astrology-stars determined human
destiny Calendar – accurate to within 7 minutes
Lydians Introduced the
use of coined money
Created money economy which helped trade
Did not eliminate barter system
Persian Empire – 539 B.C.E.
Cyrus the Great began empire Created the largest empire yet seen in the
world-Asia Minor to India to Egypt Treated conquered peoples with
toleration and respected customs and traditions
Darius – 522 B.C.E.
Concerned for justice Divided empire into provinces called a
Satrapy which was ruled by Satrap Sent spies “eyes and ears of the king” to
check on satraps
Accomplishments Linked empire with roads-Great Royal Road
(1,677 miles)--early pony express system Created set of common weights & measures First large empire to create uniform system
of coinage Single code of laws for all
Persian Religion Created by Zoroaster – 600 B.C.E. Single wise god – Ahura Mazda-symbolized by
light In a battle with evil prince of lies Ahriman-
symbolized by darkness Sacred book called Zend Avesta Each individual chooses who to follow and there
would be a Day of Judgment
Phoenicians Greatest sailors/explorers of ancient
times-established colonies “Carriers of Civilization”-spread
Middle Eastern civilization around the Med. Region
Made glass and had purple dye made from a tiny sea snail
Gave us our alphabet
Hebrews – 2000 B.C.E.
Nomads out of Ur in Mesopotamia Abraham – founder of Judaism Monotheism – single God – Yahweh Torah-first five books of the Old
Testament which is their most sacred text
Developed a code of ethical laws
Moved to Canaan then to Egypt Enslaved by
Egyptians
Moses Passover Freed Hebrews from
bondage in Egypt Ten Commandments
Religious The Covenant—binding agreement Prophets— spiritual leaders who
interpret God’s will Ethics—moral standards of
behavior
Kingdom of Israel – 1000 BCE
Saul first king of Israel David – slew Goliath—ruled for 40
years Solomon was the son of David
Built the Temple of Jerusalem Home of the Ark of the Covenant
Kingdom of Israel Kingdom split – Israel in north & Judah
in the south Israel conquered by the Assyrians in 722
B.C.E.
Judah conquered by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.