Ancient Egypt

and Kush
Chapter 4

Holt McDougal,
Ramses The Great Temple at Abu Simbel

Holt McDougal,
The entrance is flanked Ramses The Great Temple
by four 66 foot high at Abu Simbel
statues of the pharaoh. page 83
However, the structure
you see in the photo is
not in its original
location. When dam
construction of the Nile
River threatened to
flood the temple,
workers cut the entire
structure into blocks
and rebuilt it on higher
ground.

Holt McDougal,
 Geography and Ancient Egypt
The Big Idea
The water, fertile soils, and protected setting of
the Nile Valley allowed a great civilization to
arise in Egypt around 3200 BC.
Main Ideas
• Egypt was called the gift of the Nile because
the Nile River gave life to the desert.
• Civilization developed along the Nile after
people began farming in this region.
• Strong kings unified all of Egypt.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 1:
Egypt was called the gift of the Nile
because the Nile River gave life to the
desert.

• The Nile River brought life to

Egypt and allowed it to thrive.
• Biannual flooding of the Nile
made farming possible.

Holt McDougal,
 Ancient Egypt page 87

Holt McDougal,
 Features of the Nile
• The Nile is the longest river in the world, with
a distance of over 4,000 miles.
• Ancient Egypt included two regions, a
southern and a northern region, that were
given their names by their relation to the Nile.
• At several points, the rough terrain caused
cataracts, or rapids, to form.
• The Nile divided into several branches,
forming a delta, a triangular area of land
made from soil deposited by a river.

Holt McDougal,
 The Floods of the Nile
• a large arc of rich, or fertile,
farmland , but the Nile flooded
every year in the summer and fall.
• The Nile’s flooding coated the land
around it with a rich silt that made
the soil ideal for farming.
• Without the floods, people could
never have farmed in Egypt.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 2:
Civilization developed along the Nile after
people began farming in this region.

• The Nile provided both water and

fertile soil for farming.
• Egypt’s location offered another
advantage because it had natural
barriers that made it hard to invade.
• The Nile was an important means to
transport soldiers and resources

Holt McDougal,
 Nile River Valley
Canals • The Nile • Natural barriers
allowed made Egypt hard to
were built farmers to invade.
to carry raise animals • Desert in the west
water to such as cattle was too big and
harsh to cross.
and sheep.
fields of • Mediterranean and
• The river also
wheat, Red Sea provided
provided many
barley, types of fish to
protection from
invasion.
fruits, and eat, and
• Cataracts in the
hunters
vegetables. Nile made it
trapped ducks
difficult to invade
and geese. from the south.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 3:
Strong kings unified all of Egypt.

• According to tradition, Menes rose to power in Upper

Egypt and unified the two kingdoms by taking control
of Lower Egypt and by marrying a Lower Egyptian
princess.
• Menes was probably Egypt’s first pharaoh, the title
used by the rulers of Egypt.
• He also founded Egypt’s first dynasty, or series of
rulers from the same family.
• The First Dynasty lasted for about 200 years and
extended Egyptian territory southward along the Nile.

Holt McDougal,
 Section 2: The Old Kingdom
The Big Idea
Egyptian government and religion were closely
connected during the Old Kingdom.
Main Ideas
• In early Egyptian society, pharaohs ruled as
gods and were at the top of the social
structure.
• Religion shaped Egyptian life.
• The pyramids of Egypt were built as tombs for
the pharaohs.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 1:
In early Egyptian society, pharaohs ruled
as gods and were at the top of
the social structure.
• The Old Kingdom was a period in which
the Egyptians developed a system
based on the belief that the pharaoh
was both a king and a god.
• As the population grew, social classes
appeared.
• Egypt began to trade goods with its
neighbors.

Holt McDougal,
 Egyptian Society
• Social classes
– Pharaohs ruled Egypt as gods.
– Many nobles, or people from rich and
powerful families, were officials and priests
who helped run the government.
– Scribes and craftspeople wrote and
produced goods.
– Farmers, servants, and slaves made up
most of Egyptian society.

Holt McDougal,
 Egyptian Society page 91

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 2:
Religion shaped Egyptian life.

The Egyptians Egyptian religion They developed

had gods for focused on the embalming to
nearly afterlife, or life preserve bodies
everything, after death. and keep the link
including the They believed between the
sun, the sky, and that when a body and the
the earth. These person died, his spirit. The
gods would often or her ka left the specially treated
mix human and body and became bodies wrapped
animal forms. a spirit. in cloth were
called mummies.

Holt McDougal,
Building the Pyramids pages 94-95

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 3:
The pyramids of Egypt were built
as tombs for the pharaohs.
Pyramids are Pyramids The size and
huge stone displayed shape of the
tombs with four amazing pyramids
triangular sides engineering, or showed the
that meet in a the application of importance of
point on the top. scientific pharaohs. They
Historians are knowledge for were the
unsure how they practical people’s link to
were built. purposes. the gods, so the
Egyptians
wanted their
spirits to be
happy.

Holt McDougal,
 Section 3: The Middle and New Kingdoms

The Big Idea

During the Middle and New Kingdoms, order and
greatness were restored in Egypt.
Main Ideas
• The Middle Kingdom was a period of stable
government between periods of disorder.
• In the New Kingdom, Egyptian trade and military
power reached their peak, but Egypt’s greatness did
not last.
• Work and daily life were different for each of Egypt’s
social classes.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 1:
The Middle Kingdom was a period of stable
government between periods of disorder.

Following a Egypt fell into The Egyptians

period of disorder fought back,
competition for around 1750 and Ahmose of
power between BC. A group Thebes
the nobles and called the declared
the pharaohs, Hyksos invaded himself king
the Middle and ruled the and drove the
Kingdom region for Hyksos out of
began. 200 years. Egypt,
beginning the
New Kingdom.

Holt McDougal,
 Queen Hatshepsut page 97

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 2:
In the New Kingdom, Egyptian trade and
military power reached their peak, but
Egypt’s greatness did not last.

• Fearing future invasions, the Egyptians

took control of all possible invasion
routes into the kingdom.
• Egypt took over vast lands and was the
leading military power in the area.
• Egypt became rich because of the
lands it conquered.

Holt McDougal,
Egyptian Trade, c 1400 BC page 98

Holt McDougal,
 Growth and Effects of Trade
• Conquests brought traders into contact
with distant lands, and trade routes, or
paths followed by traders, developed.
• Queen Hatshepsut encouraged trade
and used the profits to support the arts
and architecture.
• Led by Ramses the Great, Egypt fought
invaders for many years, leaving their
empire diminished.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 3:
Work and daily life were different for
each of Egypt’s social classes.

• The complex society required people to take

on many different kinds of jobs.
• Family life was very important in Egyptian
society, and most Egyptians lived in their own
homes.
– Women had many legal rights, including
owning property, making contracts, and
divorcing their husbands.

Holt McDougal,
 Egyptian Jobs
Scribes Artisans, Artists, Merchants and
and Architects Traders
Few people
were more These jobs Although trade
respected than required was important,
scribes. They advanced skills few held these
did not have to and were also positions.
pay taxes, and very admired in Some had to
many became Egypt. travel very
wealthy. long distances
to buy and sell
goods.

Holt McDougal,
 Additional Egyptian Jobs
Soldiers Farmers and Slaves
Other Peasants
Egypt created a Slaves were
permanent This group
made up the usually
army that
offered soldiers vast majority criminals or
a chance to of the prisoners.
rise in social population. They had
status and They grew
some legal
receive land as crops to
support their rights,
payment.
families and to however.
pay taxes.

Holt McDougal,
 Section 4: Egyptian Achievements

The Big Idea

The Egyptians made lasting achievements in
writing,
architecture, and art.
Main Ideas
• The Egyptians developed a writing system
using hieroglyphics.
• The Egyptians created magnificent temples,
tombs, and
works of art.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 1:
The Egyptians developed a writing
system using hieroglyphics.
• Hieroglyphics was the • Historians learned how
Egyptian writing to read hieroglyphics
system. after discovering the
Rosetta Stone, which
• Egyptians learned to
was written in three
write hieroglyphics on
languages.
papyrus, a long-lasting,
paper like material – Hieroglyphics
made from reeds.
– A later form of
• Scribes wrote on Egyptian
papyrus using brushes
– Greek
and ink.

Holt McDougal,
 Egyptian Writing page 103

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 2:
The Egyptians created magnificent temples,
tombs, and works of art.

• Egyptians
believed the
People Temples had

massive temples visited to • Stone sphinxes

were homes of and other
the gods
worship, statues
•Egyptians
offer gifts to • An obelisk: a tall,
believed that the gods, four-sided pillar
gods were and ask for that is pointed at
connected to the top
natural forces favors.
• Painted walls
and physical
and columns that
bodies
also had
hieroglyphics

Holt McDougal,
The Temple of Karnak page 105

Holt McDougal,
 Egyptian art filled tombs.

• Egyptian art was filled Tombs contained work

with lively, colorful such as:
scenes.
• Art and hieroglyphics on
• Art showed historical walls and columns
events, everyday life,
• Stone statues and
and religious events.
carvings
• Painting had a
– Egyptians were
distinctive style in
skilled stoneworkers.
which people’s heads
and legs are always • Jewelry
seen from the side, but
upper bodies are shown
straight on.

Holt McDougal,
 Section 5: Ancient Kush
The Big Idea
The kingdom of Kush, which arose south of Egypt in a
land called Nubia, developed an advanced civilization
with a large trading network.
Main Ideas
• The geography of early Nubia helped civilization
develop there.
• Kush and Egypt traded, but they also fought.
• Later Kush became a trading power with a unique
culture.
• Both internal and external factors led to the decline of
Kush.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 1:
The geography of early Nubia helped
civilization develop there.

• A group of people called the Kushites

settled in a region now called Nubia
and established the first large kingdom
in the interior of Africa.
• The development of the Kushite
civilization was greatly influenced by
the geography of Nubia, especially the
role played by the Nile River.

Holt McDougal,
 Nubia
• Ancient Nubia • Farmers thrived
was fertile due to there, and one
annual flooding. became the king
of a region he
• It was rich in
called Kush.
valuable minerals
that contributed • The capital city of
to its wealth. Kerma was
– Gold protected from
– Copper invaders by the
cataracts of the
– Stone Nile River.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 2:
Kush and Egypt traded, but
they also fought.
Egypt and Kush Kush was an During a time of
traded with each Egyptian decline in Egypt,
other. However, territory for Kushite leaders
relations about 450 years. regained control
between Kush Many Kushites of Kush,
and Egypt adopted Egyptian becoming
became hostile. religious independent
Egypt feared that practices, again.
Kush would names, and
become too language.
powerful, so it
invaded and
conquered Kush.

Holt McDougal,
 Kush Regains Power
• Kush regained its • Shabaka, The Kushite
strength and brother of Dynasty
conquered Egypt Piankhi, remained
under the declared strong until the
direction of himself Assyrians
Kashta and his pharaoh and drove them out
son Piankhi. began the of Egypt in the
Kushite 670s BC.
• By 751 BC the
Dynasty.
Kushite king
Kashta had • This dynasty
conquered Upper tried to restore
Egypt. Piankhi the old
ruled all of Egypt Egyptian
by the time of his cultural
death around 716 practices.
BC.

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 3:
Later Kush became a trading power
with a unique culture.

Kush devoted • Meroë, the Meroë became

itself to kingdom’s new the center of a
increasing capital, large trade
developed an
agriculture and network, a
iron industry.
trade. Within a system of
few centuries, • Resources such people in
it became a as iron ore and different lands
rich and wood for who trade
furnaces
powerful goods.
helped the
kingdom again. industry grow
quickly.

Holt McDougal,
 Kush’s Trade Network page 110

Holt McDougal,
 Kushite Culture
Kushite culture • The Kushites The women of
was influenced also had their Kush were
by Egypt. They own gods. expected to be
worshipped as active in
• They
Egyptian gods, society as the
developed
built pyramids, men. Some
their own
wore Egyptian rose to
written
clothing, and positions of
language,
had rulers authority and
called
called power,
Meroitic.
pharaohs. especially
religious
authority.

Holt McDougal,
 Rulers of Kush page 112

Holt McDougal,
 Main Idea 4:
Both internal and external factors led
to the decline of Kush.
• Loss of Resources
– Cattle overgrazed the land, leaving nothing to hold the
soil down and allowing it to blow away.
– Ironmakers used up the forests near Meroë. Military
power declined when weapons were not produced.
• Trade Rivals
– Merchants set up new trade routes that went around
Kush, weakening its trade.
• Rise of Aksum
– The Aksumite army of King Ezana took over when
Kush’s power started to decline.

Holt McDougal,
 Chapter 4 Review page 115

Holt McDougal,
 Achievements of Fertile Crescent Empires
Hittite Assyrian Chaldean Phoenician
• • • •

Holt McDougal,