Ancient Egypt - Old, Middle, and New

EGYPT

OLD - MIDDLE -NEW KINGDOMS AND late period

tHE oLD kINGDOM

The "Old Kingdom" is a period of time during the history of Ancient Egypt. Main characteristics:

• Egypt had a strong central government.
• Egypt had a prosperous economy.
• The Old Kingdom is most famous as a time when many pyramids were built, it is sometimes referred to as the "Age of Pyramids."

tHE oLD kINGDOM- Facts

• The first pyramid was the Pyramid of Djoser.
• The largest pyramids were the Great Pyramids of Giza.

• The Fourth Dynasty built the Great Sphinx.
• The capital city of Egypt during the Old Kingdom was Memphis.
• Egypt established trade with many foreign civilizations during this period.

VIDEO

What do you know about the construction of the pyramids?

tHE Middle kINGDOM

The "Middle Kingdom" is a period during the history of Ancient Egypt where all of Egypt was united under a single government and Pharaoh. Early history:

• During the First Middle Period, Egypt was divided and in political chaos.
• An influential leader named Mentuhotep II became king of southern Egypt: he reunited Egypt under one rule.

tHE Middle kINGDOM- Facts

• Under the rule of Mentuhotep II, Thebes became the capital of Egypt.
• Pharaohs of the time built a powerful standing army that protected the country from invaders.
• The Middle Kingdom is sometimes referred to as Egypt's "classical age" or "The Period of Reunification."

tHE New kINGDOM

The "New Kingdom" is a period of time during the history of Ancient Egypt known as the golden age of civilization. Early history:

• Dynasties of this time included some of the most famous and powerful of all Egyptian pharaohs such as Ramses II and Tutankhamun.
• It was a time of wealth, prosperity, and power.

tHE New kINGDOM- Facts

• During the New Kingdom, Egyptian Empire conquered the most lands.
• Pharaohs launched wide-ranging expeditions taking over lands to the South and East.
• Egypt expanded trade with many external nations and kings.
• Pharaohs built massive temples to the gods.
• One of the most famous archeological sites from the New Kingdom is the Valley of the Kings; pharaohs were buried there for 500 years.

lATE PERIOD: Under the Persian rule

The Late Period of Ancient Egypt began around 653 BCE. Around 525 BCE, the Persians conquered Egypt.Early history:

• A foreign invasion caused Egypt to reunite again and fight off the threat.

• In 525 BCE, the Persian Empire invaded Egypt. They defeated the Egyptian army and took control of Egypt.
• When the Persian Empire conquered Egypt, it became the largest empire in the world.

• Persian rule came to an end with the invasion of Alexander the Great in 332 BCE followed by the control of the Ptolemaic Dynasty.

VIDEO

The Book of the Dead is an ancient Egyptian funerary text generally written on papyrus and used from the beginning of the New Kingdom to around 50 BC.