THE EGYPTIAN EMPIRE

Quick Review

The Nile Valley – Regular predictable flooding allowed people to settle in this rich fertile river valley.

Natural Barriers Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt Unit Egyptian writing system – Hieroglyphics Rise in governments – advances of farming,

crafts, and trade created the need. Government responsible for public services

Social Classes - Family Life

Quick Review

Religion - belief in many gods and goddesses Main god – Re the sun god

Life after Death – Book of the Dead - magical spells to help

obtain life after deathEmbalming – leads to introduction to

medicineMummies – buried in tombs with personal

items

The Old Kingdom2600 BC – 2300 BC

During this time the Egyptians built huge stone pyramids as tombs for their pharaohs

Great Pyramid – King Khufu – Great Pyramid of Giza

Land of Confusion

About 2300 BC, the pharaohs lost control of Egypt as nobles battled one another for power

About 200 years of confusion follows

The Middle Kingdom2050 BC – 1670 BC

Finally, a new dynasty of pharaohs came to power.

The capital is moved south – from Memphis to Thebes

The Middle Kingdom2050 BC – 1670 BC

In Thebes, order is restored and Egypt becomes stable

This is the beginning of what historians call, The Middle Kingdom

It is during this time, Egyptians enjoyed a golden age of stability, prosperity, and achievement.

The Drive for More Land

During the Middle Kingdom, Egypt takes control of new lands and makes them pay tribute – or forced payments, causing Egypt to become even more wealthier

Pharaohs order new waterways and dams increasing the amount of land being farmed and built a canal between the Nile River and the Red Sea

The Arts Blossom

During the Middle Kingdom Arts – Painters covered walls of temples and

tombs with colorful scenes of the gods and daily life

Literature – Poets wrote love songs and tributes to the pharaohs

Architecture – Instead of building pyramids, pharaohs had their tombs cut into cliffs west of the Nile River. This area became known as the Valley of the Kings.

Valley of the Kings

Who Were the Hyksos?

The Middle Kingdom ends in 1670 BC As before, Nobles were plotting to take

power from the pharaohs Problem this time

Hyksos – from western Asia attacked Egypt They were major warriors They crossed the desert in horse-drawn chariots

and used weapons made of bronze and iron. Egyptians had always fought on foot with copper and stone weapons

Prince Ahmose

The Hyksos ruled Egypt for about 150 years

Around 1550 BC, and Egyptian prince named Ahmose led an uprising that drove the Hyksos out of Egypt.

Ahmose Reign begins a new period called The New Kingdom

The New Kingdom1550 BC – 1080 BC

During the New Kingdom, Egypt acquired new territory and reached the height of its power

Egypt becomes even richer and powerful Most pharaohs made empire building a

priority – fought wars east into western Asia

A Woman RulerQueen Hatshepsut

About 1473 BC Hatshepsut came to power

She ruled first with her husband, then after his death, she ruled on behalf of her young nephew

She finally crowned herself queen and becomes one of the few women to rule Egypt

Queen Hatshepsut

She was more interested with trade than conquest

Egyptian traders sailed along the coast of East Africa exchanging breads, metal tools and weapons for gold, ivory, ebony and incense

These trade journey brought even more wealth to Egypt

Hatshepsut’s legacies

Hatshepsut used some of this wealth to build monuments

One of her greatest projects was a great temple and tomb in the limestone cliffs of the Valley of the Kings

Expanding the Empire

When Hatshepsut died, her nephew becomes pharaoh – King Thutmose III

Under Thutmose III, Egypt began aggressive wars of conquest

Thutmose’s armies expanded north to Mesopotamia and south of Nubia

Under Thutmose, Egypt controlled more territory than it ever had before

Thutmose’s Empire

Empire grew rich from trade and tribute

In addition to taking gold, copper, ivory and other valuables from conquered peoples, Egypt also enslaved prisoners of war.

Legacies of Two Pharaohs

Amenhotep IV – becomes pharaoh c. 1370 BC and tries to led Egypt in a new direction

He notices that Egypt’s priests were gaining too much power

He introduces a new religion that throws out all gods, except Aton

When the priests resisted, Amenhotep IV removed them from their position, seized their lands, and closed the temples

Legacies of Two Pharaohs

Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaton – which means “Spirit of Aton”

The Egyptian people feel that these changes have been an attack on Egypt itself.

They refuse to accept Aton as the only god

Akhenaton is so devoted to his new religion, he neglects his duties as pharaoh, his administration is inexperienced

The Hittites

The Hittites attack Egypt Egypt lost most of its land in western Asia Egypt’s empire shrinks as a result

The Boy King

When Akhenaton died, his son-in-law inherited the throne

King Tutankhamen – only 10 years old King Tut relies on help from palace

officials and priests and restores the old religion

He rules Egypt for only 9 years, then dies unexpectedly

Why the fascination with Tut?

He played a very small role in Egypt’s history

He becomes more popular after his tomb was discovered in 1922AD by a British archaeologist, Howard Carter.

King Tut’s Tomb Tut’s tomb contained the king’s mummy

and treasures including a brilliant gold mask of the young king’s face.

This tomb discovery was a thrilling discovery because most royal tombs in Egypt were looted by robbers long ago.

The End of the New Kingdom

Ramses II – king from 1279 BC to 1213 BC

Under his rule Egypt regained lands in western Asia Launched an ambitious building program –

constructing several major temples – many built by slaves

Karnak at Thebes

The most magnificent temple built under Ramses II

Remember?

Temples were considered houses for the gods and goddesses

Most Egyptians prayed at home Temples used by priests to preform daily

temple rituals Sometimes temples served as banks

storing valuables such as gold, jewelry, oils, and cloth

Egypt’s decline and fall

After Ramses II, Egypt’s power began to fade

By 1150 BC, Egypt’s empire was lost and they only controlled the Nile delta

By 900 BC, Egypt came under the rule of one outside group after another Libya Kush Assyrians

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