10 November 2014• Bellringer: Social Pyramid DBQ – Packet

page 4– 2 Sentences– Answer Statement– Source & Describe the Source

• 1st of the Three Kingdoms–Old Kingdom & Social Pyramid

• HW: Chapter 4.2 Magnet Notes – due tomorrow– Chapter 4.1 & 4.2 Quiz - Wednesday

Cause: When Menes united the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt, he took a bride of the other kingdom and combined

the crowns. • So…what

happened as a result of that?

• 1. Menes founded the first dynasty.

• 2. The people of both kingdoms respected his rule.

Egyptian Social Pyramid

Pharaoh

Nobles (Officials & Priests)Often related to the Pharaoh

Merchants, Scribes & Craftspeople

Farmers ~ 80% of the population!----------------------------------------------Servants & Slaves

The ThreeKingdoms of Egypt

Old Kingdom

• 2700 BC – 2200 BC• Ruled by strong

pharaohs who were thought to be both king and god.

• One of the most famous pharaohs was Khufu (2500s BC) – known for monuments that were built to him

Old Kingdom

• Egyptians traded with their neighbors.

• Ex:– wood– perfume and medicine– gold, ivory, and stone

Old Kingdom• Polytheistic Religion• Much of the religion focused on the afterlife

• Built large temples and pyramids for burial and the afterlife. (It was during this Kingdom that the pyramids were built.)

• They symbolized the pharaoh’s importance & the shape symbolized the pharaoh’s journey to the afterlife….but they were $$$$

2200 BC – 2050 BC

• The building and maintaining of pyramids was expensive. The pharaoh’s wealth and power declined.

• Nobles gained enough power to challenge the pharaoh’s authority.

• Without a central ruler, trade was disrupted and the Egyptian people faced economic hardship and famine.

Cause: At the end of the Old Kingdom the pharaoh’s power declined. The cost of building pyramids cost a lot of money.

• So…what happened as a result?• 1. Pharaohs couldn’t pay for the

projects.• 2. Nobles slowly took power. • 3. The Old Kingdom fell apart.

• Split to 3– Ba (soul)

• Human headed bird

– Ka (life force )• spirit double

– Akh (“effectiveness”)

Old Kingdom

Egyptian social pyramid consisted of pharaohs and

nobles on top with farmers and slaves on the bottom.

13 November 2014

• Bellringer: Mummy Maker! – Let’s see what you remember from yesterday!

• Middle & New Kingdom Notes– How did they Start & End?

• HW: Read Chapter 4.3– Reading Questions– Reading/Writing Grade

Middle Kingdom

• 2050 BC – 1750 BC• Mentuhotep II

defeated his rivals and brought unity back to Egypt.

Middle Kingdom

• Trade resumed, irrigation was repaired, and writing was rediscovered.

• Cities kept their political independence. (Pharaohs had little power)

1750 BC – 1550 BC • But…they began to experience internal

disorder. The pharaohs could not hold the kingdom together.

• The Hyksos from Southwest Asia conquer Lower Egypt. (They had horses, chariots, and advanced weapons.)

• Egyptians have to pay high taxes to the foreign rulers.

New Kingdom• 1550 BC – 1050 BC• Ahmose defeats the Hyksos and declares

himself pharaoh of all Egypt.• Period during which Egypt reached its height of

power and glory.

New Kingdom• Egyptian army

invades and conquers neighboring land and turned Egypt into an empire.

• Military conquests made Egypt rich.

• Recreates old trade routes.

New Kingdom• Queen Hatshepsut increases the number of

new trade cities.• The wealth gathered from trade was used to

support the arts and architecture.

Looking Good~ Work/Daily Life• Scribes were highly honored – they worked for

the government and temples. Many became very wealthy.

• Most Egyptian women were devoted to their homes & families, but some had jobs outside of the home.

• Women had some legal rights – they could own land, have contracts & divorce their husbands.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PPk2y_n49g – Looking Good Ancient Egyptian Style• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JSMkwVU_Xw- Farmers vs. the Pharaoh

End of the New Kingdom

• Ramses the Great was a great military ruler

• He fought against the Hittites (from the North East)

• After Ramses died, the Sea Peoples invaded Shortly after the invasions of the Sea Peoples and Hittites, the New Kingdom ended