Ancient Egypt developed along the fertile banks of the Nile River around 4,000 BCE. As the climate changed and became hotter and drier, societies were forced to settle along the river, developing irrigation systems and villages. Around 3100 BCE, King Menes unified Upper and Lower Egypt, establishing it as the first centralized state in Africa. Egyptian civilization went on to develop complex social hierarchies, administrative bureaucracies, specialized labor, extensive trade networks, and sophisticated cultural traditions like hieroglyphic writing and monumental architecture and temples. The legacies of ancient Egyptian society continued to influence Nubia and other neighboring cultures for millennia.

1. Egypt

2. ObjectiveSWBAT Describe the legacies left behind by ancient civilizationsEgypt

3. Where in the World are We?

4. More specifically

5. Early Agricultural Society in Africa

6. Climate and Agriculture in Africa10,000 BCESahara was a grasslandRivers and lakesSustained people5,000BCESocietal organization Small monarchies Semi divine kings

7. It’s getting hot in here!Climactic changeRegion is hot and dryso NOW WHAT?Forced to settle by waterLake ChadThe Nile

8. D’Nile is just a river in EgyptRiver floods on a scheduleRecedes Level of fertile soil

9. We Get Presents!The gifts of the NileEgypt and NubiaAffected by othersMesopotamia-grains and wheatSudanic people-cattle, donkeys, Irrigation improvedMove to higher lands further from the NileBy 4,000BCE many villages along the Nile

10. Menes the Great UnifierEgypt and Nubia like bickering neighbors3100 BCE Menes-Minor officialUnified Egypt into one large centralized stateNubia continued to be decentralizedEgypt tried to conquer NubiaKushMore cordial with trade

11. The Old KingdomPre 2040BCEPharaohs were considered gods Deserved massive tombsBuilt pyramids

12. The Middle Kingdom2040BCE-1550BCEHyksos Semitic speaking people invadedEventually Egyptians drove them outStarted the New Kingdom

13. 1550BCEBureaucracy vastly expandedNew pharaohsBuilding projectstemplesPalacesAnd statuesConquered coastal regions of the MediterraneanDown through NubiaThe New Kingdom

14. But what had happened was…Egyptian decline1100BCEUpper Egypt fell to Nubian forces7th century BCEAssyrians(M) invaded the Northern Nile ValleyCommencing a continual pattern of foreign domination

15. The Formation of Complex Societies and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions

16. Civilization is so complexEgypt is very prosperousGrowth of citiesComplexReligionWriting systemsSpecialized laborSocial stratification

17. CitiesSeveral Large cities serves as political, cultural and economic centersMemphis & ThebesNotable for political roles

18. Social strataPharaoh No nobility Military bureaucracy-high social positionsUrban middle classPeasants SlavesNubian society developed similarly

19. Where my girls at?More authority than (M-women)Some ladies gained power as regents to young rulersQueen Hatshepsut –co rulerDepicted w/ a beardPriestesses and scribesNubia had many women rulers

20. EconomySpecialization & tradeSlow to adopt metallurgyDid so because of the Hyksos

21. Cont’dEgyptians travel much by boatSome long distance overland trade routesAdopted wheeled vehicles (m)TradeNubia, Mediterranean, and EthiopiaCotton , pottery & wineFor ivory, ebony, animal skins, gold, and slavesImport trees from the middle east

22. WritingPossible borrowed from M.Appeared around 3200BCEpapyrusCarved into monumentsHieroglyphsEventually adopt Greek alphabetProfessional scribes-prestigious social statusNubians have hieroglyphs that evolve into alphabet

23. ReligionPolytheisticGods Amon, Ra, OsirusAssociated with nature & super natural (sun, moon etc.)Massive temple complexes dedicated to godsPharaohs associate with gods1473-breif period of monotheism after AkenatenMummificationNubians polytheistic and adopts some Egyptian gods