Unit 2
Ancient Civilizations
Egypt, India, Middle East and China
• Egyptian– 6000 B.C. E
• Started farming
– 4000 B.C.E. - 300 B.C.E.
• Major settlements
Dates of Civilization
Major Rivers
• Egyptians– Nile
Geographical Setting and Natural Barriers
• Egyptians– Nile River– Nubian and Libyan
Deserts– Mediterranean and Red
Seas– Cataracts– Well Protected
Civilizations• Egyptian
– Old Kingdom • Pharaohs• Pyramid Age, Sphinx• Menes - United Upper
and Lower Egypt• Nobility grew stronger,
weakened Pharaoh's power
– Middle Kingdom• “Golden Age”• Prosperity and Stability,
Increased trade• Nobility grows strong
again– New Kingdom
• Power and Size at its peak
• Great Pharaohs – regain absolute power
• Strong army, gained land• Built and empire - Ruling
over other ethnic groups.
Religion• Egyptian
– Polytheistic• Many Gods• Amon Re - Sun God• Osiris - God of Nile –
Judged you in the afterlife
• Gods associated with animals
– Mummification – preparation for the afterlife
– Afterlife – at first only for pharaoh, later believed for everyone.
• Eternal happiness or• Eater of the Dead• Book of the Dead –
guide for the afterlife– Monotheistic
• Akhenaton• One God -> Aton
Government
• Egyptians– Dynasties
• Family of rulers• Menes was the first
– Pharaoh• means ‘Great House’• Absolute control,
ruler & owner of all, controlled trade
– Area split into Provinces
• Officials were of Noble Class
• Collected taxes
Leaders• Egyptians
– Pharaohs - religious and political leaders
– Menes - United Egypt
– Queen Hatshepsut• First known female ruler
– Akhenaton - Monotheism
– Tutankhamen.• Returned to polytheism
– Ramses II• Revived the Empire
• Last Great Pharaoh
• Built Temples and monuments
– Cleopatra - Last Pharaoh
Language• Egyptians
– Hieroglyphics
• About 3000 BCE
• Carved in stone
• Written by Priests
• Scribes – read &write
– Worked for church and govt.
• Over 600 symbols
– Papyrus
• used to make paper
– Rosetta Stone
• Translate Hieroglyphics – 1798
• Hieroglyphics, Greek and Demonic
Social Classes• Egyptians
– Ruling class• Pharaohs• Priests• Nobles/Govt. Officials
– Lower Class• Peasant farmers
– owed service– Army or labor
– Women relatively equal status to men.
• Could own property– Later a merchant class
emerges– Could improve status but
not change class.
Achievementschoose 3 to put in notes
• Egyptians– Hieroglyphics– Engineering Skills
used to build Pyramids, Tombs, Canals
– Land Surveying– 365 day Calendar– Medical Advances
• Surgery• Setting of Bones
– Chariot, Compound bow– Mined copper, made
Bronze– Sculpture, pottery– Numbers – based on 10
Hyksos Charioteer
The End