X. Ancient Egyptian Civilization

I. New Rulers in Egypt

A. The Middle Kingdom begins 2100b.c-1700b.c.

B. Egypt’s hard won unity started breaking down.

1. In 2000b.c. the leaders in Upper Egypt revolted and set up a new pharaoh

and capital in the southern town of Thebes.

C. During this time Egypt’s contact with other parts of the world increased.

1. Egypt conquered kingdoms in Nubia and made use of the areas gold mines.

2. Egypt began to trade with cities in western Asia.

3. People from western Asia began moving to the Nile Delta region in 1650 b.c.

II. War with the Hyksos

  1. These settlers from western Asia were known as the Hyksos. (In Greek Hyksos

means “rulers of the hill-lands”)

B. They challenged the Pharaoh and ruled Lower Egyptfor the next 100 years.

C. Under the leadership of the Pharaoh Ahmose the Egyptians learned from their

wars with the Hyksos and took back Lower Egypt.

  1. They used weapons and chariots that they copiedfrom the Hyksos to defeat them and take back Lower Egypt.

D. The defeat of the Hyksos begins the time period known as the New Kingdom

in 1550 b.c.

III. Expansion and Trade

  1. During the New Kingdom period Egypt becamean Empire.
  2. An empire is a group of lands and peoples ruled by one government.
  3. Egypt’s economy no longer revolved around farming, the empire now had other valuable resources from conquered lands.

IV. Across Land and Sea

  1. Egypt now traded far and wide.

1. Export-goods that a region has that can beshipped out of that region.

2. Import-goods that a region does not have and will ship into their region.

3. Some of Egypt’s exports were golden jewelry,linen cloth, and papyrus.

  1. Egypt’s most important trading partner was the kingdom of Kush.

1. Kush controlled rich trade routes to other African kingdoms.

V. Hatshepsut

A. One pharaoh expanded Egyptian trade well beyond the boundaries of the

Egyptian empire.

B Hatshepsut was Egypt’s first female pharaoh.

1. Her husband died and her 10 year old son was too young so she became co-

pharaoh.

  1. Hatshepsut organized trading expeditions.

1. An expedition is a group of people who go ona trip for a set reason.

2. The goal of these expeditions was to trade with a region known as Punt.

3. These expeditions increased Egypt’s wealth tremendously.

VI. Medicine in Egypt

  1. Most Egyptian doctors were priests.
  2. When writing was invented scribes wrotedown the information from the doctors andthe first medical textbook was created.

VII. Math and Science

A. Along with medicine these priests also knew agreat deal about Math.

  1. They developed mathematical rules needed to build the pyramids.
  2. They also used their math knowledge to understand the stars.

XI. Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

  1. A Social Pyramid

1. A social pyramid is a chart that shows the social class system of Egypt.

2. A person’s position in society depended on what they did for a living.

1. Pharaoh

2. Government Officials

3. Soldiers

4. Scribes

5. Merchants (people who buy & sell goods)

6. Artisans (craft-workers)

7. Farmers

8. Slaves

B. Slavery in Egypt

1. Slavery is the practice of one person owning another person.

2. The slaves in Egypt were mostly prisoners of war.

3. Slaves did some of the hardest work in Egypt.

a. Mined gold in the desert

b. Alongside farmers in the flood waters

c. Dug canals

d. Prepared land for planting

e. House servants

4. They had some basic rights and could own property.

  1. Farm Life

1. Most Egyptians lived on big farms owned bypowerful people.

2. Farms were run by local scribes.

D. Planting and Harvesting

1. The farmers dug up large fields with cattle drawn wooden plows.

2. Farmers dug irrigation canals to bring waterto their fields.

3. They hauled water using shadoufs.

4. Men, women, & children worked the field during harvest time.

  1. Cities in Egypt

1. Craft-workers and artists lived in small mud brick homes.

2. Each day items were bought and sold in the marketplace.

  1. Children in Egypt

1. The children loved to play games.

2. Their favorite pets were dogs, cats, & monkeys.

3. They swam in canals and the children of pharaohs swam in their own pools.

4. Children in Egypt trained to do the same workas their parents.

  1. New Kingdom Ends

1. At the end of the New Kingdom armies from thewest and northeast challenged the

Pharaoh.

2. 1100 b.c. united Egypt collapses ending the New Kingdom.