Chapter 4 Section 3 Ancient Egypt

Chapter 4 Section 3 Ancient Egypt

The Middle and New Kingdoms

The Middle Kingdom

The wealth and power of the pharaohs declined. They didn't have enough money to keep building and maintaining pyramids.

Nobles began to challenge the pharaoh's power and chaos was everywhere. Trade and farming declined.

Mentuhotep II came into power and united Egypt. His rule was the beginning of the Middle Kingdom

Unfortunately the Hyksos invaded Lower Egypt and ruled for 200 years. Ahmose drove them out and declared himself king of Egypt.

The New Kingdom

Ahmose's rise to power was the beginning of the New Kingdom. Egypt was powerful. There was a lot of trade and wealth.

The leaders prevented future invasions by controlling all routes to Egypt. They began to invade other kingdoms and became an empire.

They took over the Hyksos and Syria and all of the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. They also defeated the Kush kingdom to the south. The defeated kingdoms sent treasures to Egypt as payment.

Trade Routes

Trade expanded throughout the lands.

Queen Hatshepsut increased Egyptian trade by sending traders south to Punt on the Red Sea and north to Asia Minor and Greece.

Poll

Where was timber available? (Hint: look at the map on p.98)

• Nubian Desert

• Asia Minor

• Western Desert

• Arabia

Invasions of Egypt

Ramses the Great came to power in the 1200s BC. He fought the Hittites who lived in Asia Minor.

After Ramses died the Sea Peoples invaded. No one really knows who they were. They crushed the Hittites too and destroyed cities in southwest Asia.

Egypt never regained its power.

Work and Daily Life

Daily did not change much in Egypt through all the changes in leadership and all the wars.

There were scribes, artisans, artists, architects, soldiers, farmers, peasants, and slaves.

Most families lived in their own homes. Men were expected to marry young so they could start families. Egyptian women took care of the home but some had jobs and women had some rights like owning property. Children played and went to school.