The Persian EmpireChapter 2 Section 4

Pages 50-55

What you will learn

Who shaped the growth and organization of the Persian Empire?

• What were the main teachings of Zoroastrianism?

• What were the most significant Persian achievements?

Main Idea

The Persians formed one of the largest and best governed empires in the ancient world and made great cultural achievements.

The Persian Empire

Persia under the Medes

• Both Indo-European tribes

• Medes conquered Persians

• Persians allowed to keep their own leaders as long as they did not rebel

Darius I

• Crushed rebellion after death of Cyrus’s son

• Strengthened army, empire

• Ceremony and ritual

• Created satraps to help govern regions

Cyrus the Great

• Defeated Medes in 559 BC

• Expanded Persian Empire

• Freed Jews in Babylon

• Respected by those he conquered

Persia in Decline

• Rule of Darius high point of Persian culture

• Son, Xerxes, failed to conquer Greece

• Last strong ruler of Persia

• Fell to Alex the Great in 330 BC

Growth and Organization

Cyrus the Great Darius 1

Analyze

How did Persia grow and change under Cyrus and Darius?

Answer(s): expanded rapidly under Cyrus; Darius also expanded the empire, organized empire into satraps, minted coins, built roads

During the reigns of Cyrus and Darius, a new religion called Zoroastrianism took hold, based on the teachings of

Zoroaster.

• Ahura Mazda, source of good

• Ahriman, evil spirit

• Dualism = good and evil

• Free will

• The Avesta

• End of time

Teachings• Much of Persian Empire

• Darius worshipped Ahura Mazda

• Other religions discouraged

• The Greeks converted the Persians

• Zoroastrianism almost. But never completely disappeared

Spread

Zoroastrianism

Analyze

What does Zoroastrianism teach about good and evil?

Answer(s): that the world is controlled by dueling forces of good and evil; those who live good lives will be rewarded; the wicked will be punished

Blended Culture• Cyrus and Darius encouraged cultural unity• Shared culture led to peace• People worked together to improve empire

Art and Architecture• Animals a common subject• Persepolis, monument to Persia’s glory• Greatest example of Persian architecture

Communication• Network of high quality roads• Royal Road = world’s first long highway- Foster

communication• Horseback messengers in shifts

Persian Achievements

Royal Road

Persian art

Analyze

How did Persian roads make communication faster and easier?

Answer(s): roads linked cities; messengers could travel across empire in a few days

GROG 2-4 (5 Points)

Summarize Using your notes, fill in the interactive graphic organizer by listing the political or religious achievements of each person named.

The Kingdom of EgyptChapter 3 Section 1

Pages 63-70

Bell Ringer 3-1 (5 points)

• Write a paragraph explaining the governmental changes Darius I made in the Persian Empire. Be sure to include details of what he changed about the

government and why he felt those changes were necessary.

Crash Course

• Ancient Egypt: Crash Course World History #4 - YouTube

Reading Focus

• How did geography influence Egypt’s early history?

• What achievements were made in the Old Kingdom?

• What happened during the Middle Kingdom?

• What was Egypt like during the New Kingdom?

Main Idea

Egypt was one of the most stable and long-lasting civilizations of the ancient world.

The Kingdom of Egypt

Egypt

Geography of Egypt

• The Nile flooded every year

– Predictable floodwaters with spring rains

– Left rich, black silt

• Narrow band of fertile soil

• Became home of Egyptian civilization

Geography and Early Egypt

• The Nile

– Most important physical feature in Egypt

– 4,000 miles long; flows through the Sahara Desert

• Without the Nile’s waters, no one could live there.

• Nile afforded protection itself

• Flowed through cataracts to the south

• Currents and waterfalls made sailing impossible

• Not an easy invasion route

Cataracts• Egypt’s most fertile soil

in Nile Delta

• Silt deposits at mouth of river

• Black Land of rich arable soil

• Red Land unlivable but afforded protection

Delta

Geographical Features

Unification

• Two kingdoms unified around 3100 BC

• Upper Egypt ruler Menes conquered north

– Founded capital city of Memphis

– Adopted both symbols,

the snake and the vulture

• First of 31 dynasties

Two Kingdoms

• First farming villages as early as 5000 BC

• Northern Kingdom, Lower Egypt

– Mild climate; cobra goddess worshipped

• Southern Kingdom, Upper Egypt

– Warmer climate; prayed to a vulture goddess

Draw Conclusions

How did geography affect where the early Egyptians lived?

Answer(s): They lived in a narrow strip of fertile land where they could raise crops. It was surrounded by inhospitable desert, which would not easily support life.

Many of the institutions for which the Egyptian civilization is known were created during the period which began

around 2650 BC.

• Most famous symbols of Egypt

• Largest located near Giza

• Built as tombs for rulers

– Hollow chamber for burial

– Treasures buried with them

– Deadly traps within

• Design changed to smooth-sided over time

The Pyramids

• Took great planning and skill

• Ordered when kings took the throne

• Built from the inside out

• Not built by slaves

– Peasants required to work

one month per year

– Professional craftspeople

like architects, artists

Building Pyramids

The Old Kingdom

Egyptian Bureaucracy

• Pharaoh could not rule Egypt alone

• Aided by bureaucracy, many of whom were pharaoh’s relatives

• Most powerful official was the vizier

• Hundreds of lesser officials kept Egypt running smoothly

The Pharaohs

• The head of the government was the king

• Became known as pharaoh (“great house”)

• Had great power because he was believed to be a god

• Egypt a theocracy, a state ruled by religious figures

Summarize

What Egyptian institutions were developed during the Old Kingdom?

Answer(s): a government headed by the pharaoh, highly structured bureaucracy

The Middle Kingdom

Old Kingdom collapsed around 2100 BC

Warfare, economic strife for almost 200 years

• New dynasty began Middle Kingdom 2055 BC

– Strong leadership brought stability

– Trade with surrounding lands encouraged

• Trade routes not always safe

– Fortresses built along the Nile

– The Hyksos invaded, conquered around 1650 BC

Summarize

How did the Middle Kingdom rise and fall?

Answer(s): new dynasty came to power after almost 200 years of chaos; brought stability and economic prosperity; Middle Kingdom fell when Egypt was invaded by the Hyksos, who conquered Lower Egypt

Hyksos ruled almost 100 years

•Not harsh, but resented

•Defeated by nobles from Thebes who became new rulers of Egypt

First permanent army

• Traditional foot soldiers

• Archers and charioteers

• Adopted weapons from Hyksos

Securing Egypt

• Egypt could not rely on geography for protection

• Desert and sea not enough

• Had to build powerful military

Created an empire

• Egypt to rule beyond Nile Valley

• Headed south into Nubia

• Also campaigns east into Asia

The New Kingdom

Monotheism in Egypt

• Amenhotep IV, 1353

– Worshipped only one god, Aten

– Banned worship of all other gods

• Built temple to Aten at Akhetaten

• The next pharaoh restored worship of traditional gods

The Reign of Hatshepsut

• Hatshepsut best known for encouraging trade

• Only woman pharaoh

– Wanted to be treated like any other pharaoh

– Dressed like a man, statues of her as a man

Egypt expanded empire• Fought campaigns in Nubia and Syria• A new foe around 1250 BC• Hittites invaded from Mesopotamia

Ramses’ rule• Reign marked with extravagant splendor• Built more temples and monuments than other pharaohs• Many political and artistic achievements

Confrontation with Hittites• Ramses the Great led army• Accounts of battle vary, but two armies signed truce• Ramses married Hittite princess and conflict ended

Ramses the Great

Egypt’s Decline

• Ramses’ successors faced challenges to authority

• Major invasions of Egypt

– Sea Peoples devastated empires

– Ended Hittite Empire, weakened Egypt’s control of Syria

• Egypt broke into small states

– Many foreign rulers over next 700 years

– Libyans, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks

– Finally fell to Rome

Sequence

How did Egypt grow and change during the New Kingdom?

Answer(s): built strong military, created own empire, increased trade

GROG 3-1 (5 Points)Using your notes, fill in the interactive graphic organizer by choosing the event from your notes that you think is most important, listing it in the second column, and telling why you think it is so important in the third.

Egyptian CultureChapter 3 Section 2

Pages72-79

Bell Ringer 3-2 (5 Points)

• Write a description of an Egyptian burial chamber as though you were part of the expedition that discovered it. Remember to use vivid details in your description.

• ( Hint:)Think Ramses the Great

Reading Focus

• What were the main principles of Egyptian religion?

• Why did Egyptians practice mummification and burial?

• What was daily life like in ancient Egypt?

• What advances did Egyptians make in art, writing and science?

Main Idea

The ancient Egyptians are famous for their religion, their burial practices, and their advances in art, writing and science.

Egyptian Culture

Egyptians worshipped many gods

• Some from the earliest days of the Old Kingdom• Others like Imhotep added later• Believed that gods controlled all natural events

Anubis

• The protector of the dead, weighed souls to decide fate• Light souls had been good in life and were rewarded• Unworthy souls fed to terrible monster

Chief gods and goddesses

• God of sun always a key figure, Re in Old Kingdom• Later linked to sky god, Amon, and known as Amon-Re• Sun god temple at Karnak the largest ever built in Egypt

Egyptian Religion

Hathor and Thoth

• Hathor was the cow-headed goddess of love

• Thoth was the god of wisdom

• There were also local gods with power over small areas or single households

Osiris, Isis and Horus

• Osiris introduced civilization into Egypt

• Brother Seth killed Osiris, scattered pieces of his body around Egypt

• Wife Isis reassembled pieces and brought Osiris back to life

• Osiris became new judge of dead, replacing Anubis

Temples and Religious Practices

Temples built to honor, provide homes for gods

Ruins can still be seen in Egypt

• Features

– Decorated with massive statues

– Elaborate paintings, detailed carvings

• Obelisks

– Tall, thin pillars with pyramid-shaped tops

– Made from single piece of stone

– Carved with intricate designs

Temples and Religious Practices

• Rituals to fulfill gods’ needs

– Cleaned and refreshed statue of god daily

– This kept gods alive

– In return gods would bring Egypt prosperity

• Priests had responsibility for care

– Common people had no part in rituals

– Ordinary Egyptians never entered temples

– People did worship gods at annual festivals

Analyze

What religious practices did the Egyptians follow to honor their gods?

Answer(s): They built temples to honor them and provide homes for them. In the temples, priests performed rituals to fulfill the gods' needs.

Central to Egyptian religion was the belief in an afterlife, a land of the dead where souls would go to live. Because of this belief, Egyptians developed elaborate rituals regarding death and burial.

• Physical body dies, releases ka

• Ka was individual’s personality

• Ka needed food and drink to survive

• Sought to prevent decomposition so ka would not vanish

Teachings

• Developed process to prevent breakdown of body

• Mummification only for kings, royal family at first

• Process available later to any who could afford

Mummification

• Internal organs removed

• Heart left in body

• Body wrapped with linen strips

• Features painted on mummy to help ka recognize its body

Process

Mummification and Burial

Possessions

• Dead Egyptians buried with possessions needed for afterlife

• Food and drink for the ka

• Pharaohs and nobles buried also with treasures and riches

Decorations

• Walls painted with scenes from person’s life

• Walls painted with stories about the gods

• Egyptians believed figures would come to life and maximize ka’s happiness

Pharaohs’ tombs

• Filled with statues of servants

• Egyptians thought statues would come to life to serve ka

• Also contained models of animals, chariots and boats

Burial

Summarize

How did beliefs about the afterlife shape Egyptian burial practices?

Answer(s): Egyptians believed in an afterlife for the ka, or life force. The ka needed food and drink to survive, so both were buried with bodies. Great care was taken to keep the body from decomposing so that the ka would not shrivel away and vanish.

Burial Practices

• Archeologists learned much from items buried in tombs

• Also learned from images painted on tomb walls

• Good picture of society, culture

Social Structure Next Level

• Next level included artisans, craftspeople and merchants

• The people who made and sold goods used by others

Social Structure Top Layer

• Highly layered, with pharaoh, then key officials, priests, priestesses, scribes, military leaders, doctors, landowners

• All among wealthiest in Egypt

Social Structure Bottom

• 90% of society were peasant farmers

• Sometimes recruited to build large public works, pyramids

• Recruited also for mines, army

Daily Life

Slaves

• Slaves were not a large part of the population

• Most convicted criminals or prisoners of war

• More slaves in New Kingdom

Home and Family Life

• Varied from class to class

• Pharaohs had more than one wife, most men only one

• Pharaohs married sisters to keep royal blood pure

Status• Egyptian society less rigid

than other ancient civilizations

• Possible to move up in society

• Becoming scribe the fastest way to gain status

Houses

• Most lived as family units with father as head of household

• Poor families lived in huts

• Rich families had brick homes

• Noble families lived in palaces

Daily Life

• Egyptians paid close attention to their appearance

• Many shaved heads, wore wigs, as well as perfume and makeup

• Clothing of linen and wool

• Children wore no clothes until adolescence

• Enjoyed sports, fishing, sailing and board games

Appearance and Customs

• Woman’s primary duty to care for home and children

• Egyptian women had more rights than other civilizations, could work outside home

• Could be priestess, own property, divorce husband

• Few children educated

• Played with wooden toys

Women and Children

Daily Life

Contrast

How did life differ for rich and poor Egyptians?

Answer(s): Rich had large homes, poor might live in tiny huts; wealthy men wore longer skirts or robes than peasants; wealthy men and women often wore gold jewelry.

Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted more than 2,000 years and made many tremendous advances, particularly in art, literature

and science.

• Very distinctive and easily distinguished from art of other ancient civilizations

• Paintings

– Detailed and colorful– Stories of gods– Pictures of daily life– Most on walls of tombs,

temples– Some in manuscripts

Egyptian Art• Statues

– Large, imposing– Most show gods,

pharaohs– Show power and

majesty• Great Sphynx, the largest

and most famous

Egyptian Statues

Art, Writing, and Science

Hieroglyphic Work Sheet

Egyptians used the pulp of the papyrus plant that grew along the Nile to make paperlike sheets. Many papyrus scrolls are still

readable today.

The Egyptians were prolific writers who recorded events in great detail and composed beautiful songs and stories. However, before they could create even the simplest tale, they needed a system of writing.

• The main Egyptian writing system

• Uses picture symbols to represent objects

• formal writing, stone monuments, religious texts

• Difficult to learn, time consuming

Hieroglyphics

Egyptian Writing

• Two other systems for texts that needed to be written more quickly

• Hieratic, religious texts

• Demotic, legal and literary writings

• Simpler and less attractive

• Made on wood, pottery and papyrus

Other Systems

Egyptian Writing

Historians could not decipher hieroglyphs

• Rosetta Stone

– Discovered near Nile Delta village of Rosetta in 1799

– Long passages of writing on the broken stone

• Same text in hieroglyphic, demotic and Greek

– Using Greek as guide, hieroglyphs and demotic meanings revealed

– Unlocked the mystery of Egyptian writing

Egyptian Science

• Greatest scientific advances were in medicine

• Egyptians masters of human anatomy

• Doctors treated wounds, performed surgery, used medicines made from plants and animals

• Prescribed regimens of basic hygiene to prevent illness

Egyptian Math

• Egyptians had thorough understanding of basic arithmetic

• Also understood basic principles of geometry

• This along with grasp of engineering helped them build pyramids

• Buildings still standing, so skills were great

Find the Main Idea

What advances did the ancient Egyptians make in art, writing, and science?

Answer(s): detailed, colorful paintings, large, imposing statues, developed several writing systems, grasp of geometry and engineering, anatomy

GROG 3-2 (5 Points)

• Write 1 page essay comparing and contrasting Ancient Egyptian Culture with current cultures in the United States. Use examples and be descriptive.