Chapter 3

Ancient Egypt and Nubia

Maps

• Page 67• In which direction does the Nile River flow?• Support this statement. Use the map.• Look at the elevation as you go North, the

elevation drops and water always flows downhill. Why?

Section 1: The Geography of the Nile

• The Nile river is the world’s longest river.• Flows north from its sources in East Africa to the

Mediterranean sea or more than 4000 miles.• It has two main sources: Blue Nile- rises in

highland of present day Ethiopia, races down into desert in thundering torrents. White Nile- much calmer in East Africa and flows northward through the swamp.

• Two rivers meet in Sudan. There the Nile goes through the desert and into the Mediterranean Sea.

Nile through Ancient Nubia

• Just north of where the Blue and White Nile meet, there are two huge bends and forms an S shape 1000 miles in length.

• Northern tip of the S is the city of Aswan in Egypt. Nubia was also along this stretch.

• Nubian section contained six cataracts or rock filled rapids.

• Between the first and second cataracts was Lower Nubia.

• Desert and granite mountains lined the riverbanks so there was very little land for farming.

Continued…

• Rarely rained in Lower Nubia so the people had to live very close to the Nile for water supply.

• South, between the second and sixth cataract is the area of Upper Nubia. Rain did fall so they could plant in the fall and harvest in the spring.

• Farmland was in very narrow strips (2 miles) wide on each side of the river.

The Nile Through Ancient Egypt• Nile ran for about 700 miles.• Passed through Upper Egypt.• Upper Egypt was a fertile area of around 6 miles on each

side of the river.• In the North, Lower Egypt was a fertile marshy area.

Beyond that were deserts on either side of the river bank.• At the end of the Nile, the river split into several streams

that flowed into the Mediterranean sea. This area formed a Delta or a plain at the mouth of the river.

• The river would deposit rich sediments and the delta was very fertile.

Gifts of the Nile

• Every spring the water would rush downstream from the highlands of Africa and brought with it rich sediments called silt.

• Silt is fine soil found at the river bottom.• When the Nile flooded the silt would wash

onto the shores.• In gratitude, the Egyptians praised Hapi the

god of the Nile.

Black Land and Red Land

• Ancient Egyptians called their land Kemet or “the black land” because of the silt.

• Unlike Mesopotamians, the Egyptians usually didn’t have to worry about flash floods.

• Dry years, wile rare, caused famine.• “Red land” was the vast desert on either side

of the river- Sahara to the west and Eastern- to the east. Useless for farming, not friendly.

Desert Protection

• Desert shielded Egypt and Nubia from foreign attacks.

• Mesopotamia did not have this protection.• Over a period of 2000 years there were only a

few invasions of Egypt and Nubia.• They were not isolated though and the Nile

Valley provided a path for trade with Central africa.

• Mediterranean sea and Red sea allowed trade to Southwest Asia.

Growth of Communities and Trade along the Nile

• Hunting and Fishing communities appeared in Nubia around 6000 B.C.

• Nubians formed settlement before farming unlike the fertile crescent communities that farmed then settled.

• Egypt's farming communities settled in the delta and valley of the Nile.

• Homes were built of straw or bricks of mud and straw.• In the south, Upper Egypt, scattered farming villages were

along the banks of the Nile.• Nubia had less farmland along the Nile than Egypt.• Nubians supplemented farming by fishing and hunting

ducks and other birds.

Highway for Trade

• In Egypt, the Nile was used to transport goods.• Ships traveled downriver or north and upriver

with the help of wind that blew from the south.• Trade ran east across the desert to the Red Sea

ports or to Mesopotamia.• Caravans loaded gold, silver, copper, and pottery

to sell.• Cedar from Phoenicia and gold from Nubia were

sold in bazaars of Egypt’s towns.

Routes through Nubia

• Because of the cataracts, large swells of water, people could not travel to Nubia by river.

• Trade routes over land.• Famous traders- carried good from Central Africa

and Nubia into Egypt and Southwestern Asia.• Example- One caravan had 300 donkeys and they

carried ebony wood, ostrich feathers and eggs, and panther skins, as well as throw sticks.

Questions?

• How did the Nile river affect the lives of early Egyptians and Nubians?

• Nile brought Ancient Egypt and Nubians a constant source of water to fish, farm, trade, and build communities.

• How did the Nubians become famous as traders?

• Carried goods in huge caravans through and to many distant lands.

Section 2: Rulers of Egypt

• A pharaoh is a King of Egypt.• Hatshepsut was not the only woman to rule

but this title was traditionally held by men.• Sometimes she even wore the false beard

traditionally worn by pharaohs.

Egyptian Kingship

• Hatshepsut was one of many famous Egyptian Pharaohs.

• Some were wise and others were cruel, regardless that Egypt’s fortunes rested on them.

• The History of Egypt is the history of its Dynasties or a series of rulers from the same family or ethnic group.

• Egypt had 31 dynasties.

Continued…

• The dynasties are in three time periods called Kingdoms: Old Kingdom (2686-2181 B.C.), Middle Kingdom (1991-1786 B.C.), New Kingdom (1567-1085 B.C.)

• Remember the kingdoms are NOT places but time periods.

• The gaps between Kingdoms were times of trouble or war, invasions, or weak rulers. These periods were rare.

Egypt Unified

• Egypt’s first dynasty began when a King named Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt.

• Built Memphis near present day Cairo.• He ruled over the “two lands” which was what

he called the upper and lower Egypt.• This unification was said to have made most

stable civilization in history.

All Powerful Pharaohs• Pharaohs had absolute power.• They would turn to their advisors or Ma’at the goddess

of truth for help with decisions.• Whatever the pharaoh decided became law.• Example: When a field would be planted.• Ancient Egyptians believed that the Pharaohs were the

earthly form of Horus the Falcon god.• Over time they became connected with other gods

such as the Sun god Re.• They were considered God-kings, it was the Pharaoh

that provided the Niles yearly floods and harvest.

The Three Kingdoms

• Old Kingdom: Pharaohs kept peace and traded with Nubia, only occasional conflicts.

• Well run system of Government.• Got timber from Mediterranean coast to build

houses, boats, and furniture.• Toward end governors in provinces began to

challenge the power of the Pharaohs’ government.

• Unity crumbled and dynasties grew weak.

Continued..

• Middle Kingdom: Early rulers restored order and reunited country.

• Pharaohs spent nations wealth on public works instead of on war. Example: Irrigation

• Egypt grew richer.• Unfortunately, weaker and less able rulers

followed.• Lost control of the country to invaders.

Continued..

• New Kingdom: Egyptian princes were strong enough to drive out invaders when they did it. Was the start of the New Kingdom.

• First pharaohs wanted to build an empire, created huge armies of foot soldiers, mounted warriors, and charioteers.

• Bronze swords and body armor made them almost unbeatable.

• King Tutankhamen- a famous pharaoh and still a child.

Rule during the New Kingdom

• 1504 B.C. Thutmose III became ruler but because he was a child his stepmother was appointed Regent or someone who rules for the child until the child is old enough to rule.

• Stepmother was Hatshepsut and she didn’t want to be regent so she made herself the Pharaoh.

• She was supreme ruler for 15 years.

Pharaoh Queen

• Hapshepsut’s reign was good for Egypt.• Bold leader who created a time of great peace

and economic success.• Encouraged trade with far away lands including

the land of Punt where they got ivory, leopard skins, and special trees to make incense.

• When Thutmose grew up, Hatshepsut refused to yield her thrown, when she died Thut destroyed all of her statues and he may have played a role in her death.

Thutmose III

• One of the greatest pharaohs of the New Kingdom.

• Led armies to war against Syria and Phoenicia.• His troops went as far as the Euphrates river

and south into Nubia.• He treated those defeated with mercy unlike

most rulers of his time.

Ancient Egypt after the New Kingdom

• Toward the end, Egypt declined.• Civil war left Egypt weak and poorly defended.• 332 B.C., long after the New Kingdom fell,

Egypt fell to Alexander the Great of Macedonia.

• The Macedonians ruled Egypt for 300 years.• 51 B.C. Queen Cleopatra VII became the last

Macedonian to rule Egypt.

Continued..

• She shared the throne with other members of her family until Egypt was conquered by the Romans.

• Egypt became part of the Roman Empire in 31 B.C.• Cleopatra thought that the Romans would parade

her through the city to show their victory so she committed suicide.

• Egypt would not govern itself, in other words other countries would control, for almost 2000 years.

Questions?

• What unusual powers did the Egyptians believe that their kings had?

• Power to provide floods and harvest.• What were some accomplishments of each

kingdom?• Old- Pharaohs kept peace, trade with Nubia.• Middle- Irrigation, public works• New- Huge, powerful armies.