Introduction to Ancient Egypt

Introduction to Ancient Egypt

Upper and Lower Egypt

Looking at a map of Egypt, the Nile River moves south to north, "up" the page, emptying into the Mediterranean Sea at the "top" of Egypt.

So, Lower Egypt is downstream from Upper Egypt (but appears "above" it on the map.)

Multiple Choice

How long did the ancient Egyptian empire last?

• 100 years

• over 3000 years

• about 1000 years

• only 500 years

Multiple Choice

Similar to Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt began as a series of ____________ along the Nile River.

• disasters

• armies

• city-states

• merchants

Meanwhile, in Egypt

. . . While the city-states we've studied were developing in Sumer between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, Africans were settling along the Nile River, developing their own city-states.

These were united into one Egyptian empire or dynasty around 3100 BCE.

Multiple Choice

Around 3100 B.C.E., Upper and Lower Egypt were _____________ into one great empire.

• united

• sieged

• forced

• fought

Pharaohs

-The rulers, or kings, of Egypt are called pharaohs.

-They were protectors of the Egyptian people.

-Considered divine links to the gods.

-Men and women ruled over Egypt through its 3000 year history.

Multiple Choice

What do we call Egyptian leaders?

• kings

• presidents

• lords

• pharaohs

Multiple Choice

True or False: Pharaohs were always Egyptian men.

• True

• False

Life after Death

• Believed pharaohs became gods in the afterlife

• Bodies had to be specially preserved through mummification

• Buried in a sarcophagus with everything they might need in the afterlife- food, clothes, furniture, jewelry, statues . . .

• Special ceremony allowed the body to be reanimated

Multiple Choice

Similar to Mesopotamian kings, Egyptians believed their pharaohs were _________.

• weak

• evil

• divine

• angry

Multiple Choice

Which item was often buried with the pharaoh so they would have it in the afterlife?

• food

• clothes

• furniture

• all of these

Sarcophagus

Egyptian coffin

Ramses II

Sarcophagus of Pharaoh Ramses II

Khufu

Entrance to the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu inside The Great Pyramid of Giza

Hatshepsut

Outer sarcophagus for Pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut

Valley of the Kings

Pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut's tomb in the Valley of the Kings

Senusret I

All that remains of his pyramid tomb, the burial chamber has not been reached

Innovations and Technology

• Mathematics

• Measurement- Cubits

• Astronomy- 24 hour day, 365 day year

• Engineering- dams, canals, irrigation

• Pyramids!

Multiple Choice

Egyptians made advances in

• math

• engineering

• astronomy

• all of these

Written Language

• Hieroglyphics

• Rosetta Stone has allowed us to translate hieroglyphic carvings

• Developed around 3150 BCE (same as cuneiform!)

• Papyrus- early form of paper they invented

• Scribes also highly respected in Egypt

Multiple Choice

The first Egyptian written language is called _______________.

• cuneiform

• hieroglyphics

• Sumerian

• pictographs

The Rosetta Stone

-Discovered by the French during their occupation of Egypt, July 15, 1799

-Part of a larger stele, from 197 B.C.E.

-Decree written in hieroglyphics (sacred script of the empire), Egyptian demotic (common language), and Greek (official language under Macedonian-ruled Egypt)

The Rosetta Stone

-Has allowed historians to translate ancient hieroglypics and unlock Egypt's history

Hieroglyphs and Art

The End of Egypt?

• Conquered by Persian Empire, then Roman Empire, controlled by outside powers for the next 2500 years!

• Today known as The Republic of Egypt- founded in 1953 (68 years ago)

• Now ruled by an Egyptian born president and parliament- President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, since 2014

Multiple Choice

True or False: The country of Egypt exists today.

• True

• False

Egypt Today

Cairo

-Since 969 CE (over 1000 year old city)

-Capital city of Egypt

-Population over 20 million

-Largest city in Africa

Cairo

Cairo

With the Great Pyramids

Cairo

Cairo

Houses right ON the Nile River

Alexandria

-Founded 331 BCE by Alexander the Great (2351 years old)

-2nd largest city in Egypt

-5 million people

-Largest city on the Mediterranean Sea