Egypt

Gift of the Nile

• Yearly flooding bring water and silt

• More regular flooding than Tigris/Euphrates

• Build irrigation system

– Delta: land formed by silt deposits at the mouth of river

Nile River

Kingdom of Egypt

• Villages of Egypt ruled by both Lower Kingdom and Upper Kingdom.

• King Narmer unites them 3000BC- makes Memphis capital- 1st Egyptian dynasty

• Leaders are seen as gods; Pharaohs: Egyptian god-kings

• Theocracy: Government based on religious authority- Pharaohs control religion, government, army

Pyramids

• Kings are believed to rule even after death

• Pyramids: usually contain elaborate tombs with items that meet needs after death.

• The Kingdom had strong leadership/ government and was economically strong.

Sphinx with Second Pyramid Great Pyramid

Culture

• Religion: believed in 2000 gods/ goddesses (polytheistic)

• Believe in life after death- person will be judged by their deeds on earth

• Mummification: Process that prevents body from decaying King Hatshepsut

Hammurabi’s CodeDirections (you can do this individually or with a partner). Please use your own paper for this activity. Everyone should turn a copy in. 1. Choose any five laws and explain them in your own words 2. Choose any 3 laws.

• Compare & contrast each law to a law or laws we have today.

• Make sure to include how it is similar AND different to the law from today.

3. Answer this question: Do you think Hammurabi’s Code is better or worse than the types of laws we have today? Explain your answer.