ANCIENT EGYPT

THE KINGDOMS OF NILE

Did you know?

• The oldest human fossils have been found near North Africa.
• Nile river is the largest river in the world (6650 km).
• Sahara desert is the largest hot desert in the world (3.5 million sq.miles)
• Egyptian invented 365-days calendar.
• Great pyramid was not built by slaves.
• Every city had their favorite Gods during ancient times
• One of the Greatest stories in history is The Story of Cleopatra, it tells the
tale of how Egypt was under Greek control, but still keeping most Egyptian
cultural traditions.
Egyptian civilization

Kingdoms of Nile (5500 BCE)

• Upper Egypt
• Lower Egypt
King Namer (Menes) (3200 BCE) brought upper and lower Egypt together.

Egyptian king was the absolute ruler, and owner of all the land, water, people, etc.
in his or her kingdom.

31 dynasties controlled Egypt during nearly 4000 years of history.

FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

Theocratic Monarchy a government ruled by religious leaders.

1st pharaoh established a dynasty, or a family control of government,

and a capital city of Memphis.
Social Class

Pharaoh > Royal court > High priest > Government officials > Scribes > Nobles

Doctors
Engineers
Craftsman
Farmers
Unskilled workers
Foods
• Bread
• Meat during festival
Religion

• Polytheistic
• Monotheism
Culture

Ritual
• Mummification the most well-known ritual, using salt
called Natron and wrap it in linen cloth.

• Sarcophagus this is where the mummified body placed.

INVENTIONS

Writing system
• Hieroglyphs writing system of Egyptians that composed of pictures and
symbols.
• Rossetta stone (1822 CE) a stone with the same message written in 3
different languages.
• 365-day calendar and used a number system based on 10.
• Papyrus is a writing material similar to paper.
• Ship Builders
• Mathematicians (Fractions, decimals, additions, subtractions, multiplication,
division and basic ideas of geometry.
INVENTIONS

• Obelisk is a tall narrow monument that becomes more narrow as it goes up.

• Mastaba is a burial building that has a flat roof , similar to the base of
pyramid.

• Building of mastaba led to the building of pyramids during the old kingdom.

• Archetics
6 KINGDOM PERIODS

1. Old kingdom – 3rd to 6th dynasty (2686 BCE – 2181 BCE)

During this time the egyptian kingdom was divided into stages or
provinces called nomes. Pharaohs of Old Kingdom was DJoser his temple
was one of the first pyramid, it was a step pyramid and it started the tradition
of building pyramids as a burial ground for pharaohs.
Pyramid at Giza and Sphinx were built for Pharaoh Khufu

2. First intermediate period

3. Middle kingdom- 11th ,12th, 13th dynasties (2055 BCE- 1650 BCE) Ended when foreign
armies called Hyksos of the north.

4. Second intermediate period – Hyksos of the north.

5. New kingdom -18th, 19th, 20th dynasty (1550 BCE- 1069 BCE) Egyptians begun to
invade , expanding their armies and territories.
18th dynasty
• Pharaoh Hatshepsut was the women pharaoh.
• Pharaoh Akhenaten tried to start a new religion with only one GOD.
19th, 20th dynasty
• Many of Pharaoh were named Ramsses
• Ramsses II (Ramsses the great) was probably the greatest pharaohs in Egyptian
history.
“King of Egypt was Named Pharaoh”

6. Third intermediate period foreign invaders from different cities begin to conquer Egypt.
The civilization lasted from around 3200 BCE until about 525 BCE before
outsiders completely conquered them.