wh chapter 2 section 1 notes
TRANSCRIPT
Section 1 Notes
Chapter 2
“Egypt is wholly the gift of the Nile”
Herodotus
Farming villages were formed along the Nile River
“Black Land”---narrow band (10 miles) of irrigated land
“Red Land”---Sahara DesertFarmers used the fertile soil of the Nile Valley
to grow crops such as wheat and flaxThe ancient Egyptians eagerly awaited the
yearly flooding of the Nile---it brought life-giving water and spread a layer of silt
Geography of the Nile Valley
Flooding needed to be controlledAncient Egyptians used dikes, reservoirs, and
irrigation ditches to channel the rising river and store water for the dry season
Geography of the Nile Valley
The Nile River
The Nile River
Ancient Egypt had two distinct regions: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt
Upper Egypt stretched from the first cataract of the Nile northward to within 100 miles of the Mediterranean
Lower Egypt covered the delta region where the Nile empties into the Mediterranean
About 3100 BC, Menes united the two regions---the Nile helped to make Egypt the world’s first unified state and served as the major trade route in Egypt
Geography of the Nile Valley
Regions of Egypt
History of ancient Egypt is divided into three main periods
Old Kingdom---about 2700BC to 2200BCDuring the Old Kingdom, Egyptian rulers called
pharaohs organized a strong, centralized statePharaohs claimed divine support for their ruleEgyptians believed the pharaoh was a god---the
pharaoh thus had absolute power, owning and ruling all the land in the kingdom
Vizier---chief minister of a pharaoh who supervised the business of government
The Old Kingdom
Under the vizier, various departments looked after tax collection, farming, and the all-important irrigation system
The majestic pyramids at Giza were built during the Old Kingdom
To complete the pyramids, workers hauled and lifted millions of limestone blocks, some weighing two tons or more. The builders had NO iron tools or wheeled vehicles. Workers quarried the stones by hand, pulled them on sleds to the site, and hoisted them up earthen ramps. Building a pyramid took so long that often a pharaoh would begin to build his tomb as soon as he inherited the throne.
The Old Kingdom
Pharaoh
Pyramids
Pyramids
Pyramids
Middle Kingdom---about 2050BC to 1800BCThe Middle Kingdom was a turbulent periodThe Nile did not rise as regularly as it had Corruption and rebellions were common
The Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom---about 1550BC to 1100BCDuring the New Kingdom, powerful and
ambitious pharaohs created a large empireAt its height, the Egyptian empire reached
the Euphrates River (in Iraq)
The New Kingdom
The most powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom was Ramses II
Between 1290BC and 1224BC, Ramses pushed Egyptian rule northward as far as Syria
The New Kingdom
Ramses II
Ramses II
Nubia was located just to the south of ancient Egypt
For centuries, Egyptians traded or fought with their southern neighbor. From Nubia, they acquired ivory, cattle, and slaves.
During the New Kingdom, Egypt conquered Nubia. Ramses II used gold from Nubia to pay charioteers in his army
Egypt and Nubia