The Middle and New Kingdoms

Social Studies for 8th E.G.B. | Teacher: Mauricio Torres

By 220 BC, the Pharaoh’s power declined along with it’s

wealth. Their monumental projects required a lot of money and money was scarce.

Greedy nobles attempted to seize power for themselves for 160 years. The kingdom had no central ruler and famine struck the land.

Middle Kingdom: Chaos

Around 2050 BC a powerful

pharaoh named Mentuhotep II defeated his rivals, uniting all of Egypt once again.

This period lasted until 1750 BC, because his successors could not hold Egypt together.

Also, an invasion of Asian people called Hyksos disrupted the peace.

Mentuhotep II

The Hyksos conquered Egypt by using bronze weapons and battle chariots. They had Semitic background (coming from Canaan, in modern day Israel). They ruled Egypt for 200 years. The Egyptians resented paying tribute to them decided to expel them. Ahmose

of Thebes drove them out and declared himself king of Egypt.

The Hyksos

During this period, Egypt

reached the height of it’s power. It lasted from 1550 BC to 1050 BC.

Conquest and trade brought tremendous wealth to the pharaohs.

The New Kingdom

Fearing future invasions, the

Egyptians sought to block all the “entrances” into the kingdom. The conquered the homeland of the

Hyksos and then moved north to Syria.

The Egyptians took over the southern kingdom of Kush.

These conquests made the Empire rich.

Also, thanks to their power, other kingdoms (Assyrians, Babylonians, Hittites) sent gifts to the pharaohs to maintain good relations with them.

Building an Empire

With an extended empire, traders

could contact far away people. Trade routes, or paths followed

by traders, developed. Those new lands also had

valuable resources. Queen Hatshepsut sent traders

as far as Punt to the south and Greece to the north. She left a legacy of support of the

arts and architecture. Her most important monument is located near the city of Thebes.

Growth and Trade

Event though it was a powerful

nation, it didn’t go unchallenged. In the 1200s BC, Ramses II also

known as The Great, came to power. His reign was one of the longest of

Egypt. Ramses spent a lot of time fighting

the Hittites, both armies fighting fiercely. Battle of Kadesh: 6000 battle

chariots involved. Neither side won, and they

eventually signed a truce and became allies.

Invasions

Ramses also fought against

other invaders like the Tehenu from the west.

After he died, some people known as The Sea People invaded Egypt. They had crushed the Hittites!

They turned all the invasions back, but they were weakened and never regained full power again.

Invasions

Identify:

Where were the Hyksos from? Who was Hatshepsut?

Analyze: What were two reasons why the pharaohs’ power declined at

the end of the Old Kingdom? What weakened the New Kingdom?

Evaluate: What may the Hyksos’ success indicate about Egypt’s level of

technological advance? Judge:

Why do you think Egyptian leaders wanted to control all of the eastern Mediterranean shore?

Ask Yourselves

At home, read the biography of

queen Hatshepsut (page 97) and Ramses’ (page 101).

1. In a paragraph (5 typed lines at least): Try to identify important facts

of their lives. Compare them.

2. When you are done, imagine you are one of them (choose one) and answer the following question: What was the biggest

challenge you faced as a ruler?

Homework