Ancient Egyptian Empire

The Ancient Egyptian Empire was one of the earliest, longest-lasting and most influential civilizations of the world. Ancient Egypt was one of the first true monarchies and lasted for nearly 2500 years. The Ancient Egyptian government was managed by one of the first bureaucracies which is a model used by many countries today. The Ancient Egyptians also had other great achievements in engineering, mathematics, architecture, medicine and the arts. Ancient Egypt became a world power by conquering other civilizations.

1.  How did the Ancient Egyptian Empire acquire power?

The Ancient Egyptian Empire was located in North-eastern Africa on the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Modern Egypt borders the Gaza Strip, Israel, Libya, Sudan and the Sinai Peninsula. Most of Egypt is desert plateau but the eastern part contains the Nile River Valley.

1. A.  Settlements

In approximately 5000 BC, the first settlements were established around the Nile River Valley. The Egyptians split the land into two types: the “black land and the “red land.” The black land, or Kemet, was very fertile land that bordered the Nile. The annual floods left thick black silt on this land making it the only land the ancient Egyptians could use for agriculture. The barren desert, or “red land” that surrounded the fertile land was not only a source of precious metals and semi-precious stones, but it also separated ancient Egypt from neighboring countries and invaders.

Various tribal chiefs ruled the different settlements, which were the predecessors of the Ancient Egyptian Empire. The settlements all had rulers who governed the people, who were farmers and laborers. The rulers supervised the construction of large, walled towns with brick buildings and irrigation systems to manage the floods of the Nile. These leaders were learning how to create societies of large numbers of people and governments that made the societies function efficiently. To do that, the rulers had to master governance, organization, administration, construction, engineering and mathematics and then passed those skills down to their successors. Without a history of leaders with these skills, an empire as large and powerful as Ancient Egypt would have never existed.

      B. The Unification of Egypt

Egypt was split into two lands, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, with Lower Egypt in the North and Upper Egypt in the South. Upper Egypt was in the south and stretched north for more than five hundred miles from the first cataract to the beginning of the Nile delta. Lower Egypt was the Nile delta itself. It was only a hundred miles long but was many times wider than Upper Egypt.

Most historians agree that the Ancient Egyptian Empire was established in approximately 3,000 BC when King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt. Menes was the first king of the 1^st Dynasty and his crown was a combination of the Upper Egyptian and Lower Egyptian crowns. Now the unified kingdom of Egypt occupied the entire Nile River Valley and Menes built the capital, Memphis, on the border between Lower and Upper Egypt. When Ancient Egypt was its largest in about 1250, it covered all the land from the Syrian coast in the north, the Red Sea in the east, down the Nile River Valley to Nubia in the south and west, and into the Libyan Desert.

During this time, the Ancient Egyptians developed a system of writing called hieroglyphics that used pictures to represent objects, ideas and sounds. The key to understanding hieroglyphics, the Rosetta Stone, was discovered in 1799. In 1822, Jean Champollion found the key when he determined that the three passages written on the Rosetta Stone were the same passage written in three different ways: Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphics and a cursive form of Egyptian. Champollion compared the Greek words with the hieroglyphs and decoded the Rosetta Stone. He then used the Rosetta Stone to create a key for decoding hieroglyphics.

Historians divide the nearly 2,500-year history of the Ancient Egyptian Empire into three kingdoms: the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom.

2.  How did Ancient Egypt become successful?

Egypt’s location on the Nile River, its geography and fertile lands allowed it to develop, prosper and gain strength.

The Nile River flows through many countries, including, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda and into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile was critical to the creation, development and survival of the Egyptian Empire.

Life in Ancient Egypt was centered around the Nile and it gave the Egyptians many gifts: water, mud, animals and marshes. The Egyptians used the Nile for everything. They built irrigation channels that carried water into the fields and built dams to hold back the water for use during droughts. The thick black mud left behind from the annual flooding enriched the soil and made the farmland extremely fertile. The Egyptians’ economy was based on agriculture and they were actually able to produce a large surplus of food. The marshlands served as homes for fish and edible water birds, such as ducks and geese and fish, which were important parts of the Egyptian diet. Papyrus was used to make baskets, boats, sandals and lightweight writing material. The first paper made of papyrus leaves was invented during the early years of the Empire.

3.  How did Ancient Egypt influence its population?

The rulers of Ancient Egypt used the government and social hierarchy and religion to influence and control its population.

A.   Government and Social Structure

Ancient Egypt had the first government that was able to rule an entire nation. It was organized as a rigid hierarchy in the shape of a pyramid. The king or pharaoh, which translates into “Great House” in Egyptian, was at the top of the social pyramid and everyone was required to serve him. The pharaoh had complete power over all of the people. Not only was he the political leader who made all the laws, he was also the religious leader, meaning that the Egyptians actually followed a monarchy and a theocracy. Pharaoh was called “Lord of the Two Lands,” meaning he ruled all of Upper and Lower Egypt. He was also the high priest of every temple, meaning that he represented all the gods on all the Earth. Pharaohs were believed to be gods in the human form of Horus, the God of the Sky and one of the most important gods the Egyptians worshipped.

All the land in Ancient Egypt was owned either by the pharaoh or a few wealthy families. The pharaoh was in charge of Ancient Egypt’s army and would go to war if the Empire was threatened.

The pyramids of Ancient Egypt were built as tombs for the pharaohs. Some historians believe that the pyramid shape was chosen to depict the rays of the sun shining down through clouds. When the pharaohs died, they were mummified and sealed inside the pyramid with treasures, food and other items they would need for the afterlife, including servants. The first stone pyramid was the ‘Step Pyramid’ built for Pharaoh Djoser. It was built at Saqqara, which is located south of modern Cairo on the west bank of the Nile. During the Old Kingdom, the largest of the Pyramids of Giza was built for Pharaoh Khufu. This pyramid took tens of thousands of workers and approximately 20 years to build. The construction of Egyptian pyramids ended in 1700 BC.

Just below the pharaoh in the hierarchy were the priests. The priests had many duties, including teaching school, advising people on problems, funeral rites, and supervising artisans and workers. Every temple had a high priest who collected taxes, performed rituals and oversaw the construction of new temples.

Next in the hierarchy were the officials and scribes, who were responsible with helping the pharaoh govern. As the society grew in size and complexity, it was impossible for the pharaoh to rule by himself, so government officials assisted the king in governing the country. Government officials helped the pharaoh do everything, from building canals to punishing criminals. They made laws and collected taxes, were responsible for the royal storehouses and distributed grain to the people when crops were poor. The people were required to give the king a percentage of the crops, livestock and all they had, and the government official ensured that the people obeyed. The scribes were Egypt’s writers and record keepers. They might work at the king’s palace, travel with high officials or serve as public letter writers or record keepers. They also assisted the tax collectors.

Next were the farmers and free working people or artisans, which included carpenters, painters, jewelers, brick makers, and stonemasons. Many of them provided goods for the king and his family. The farmers provided food. Because the farmers couldn’t work during the flood season, they were required to work on royal building projects, such as irrigation works and building the pyramids, and later the temples.

At the bottom of the hierarchy were the slaves and peasants. Slaves were used as domestic servants and peasants were the laborers who built the pyramids and temples and worked on irrigation projects.

B.   Religion

In ancient Egypt, religion was a very important part of daily life. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the mystical world of the gods and the real world were closely intertwined and that they strongly influenced each other. Because the pharaoh was the personification of a god on earth and was the ultimate religious leader of Ancient Egypt, he was worshipped like a god and used religion to influence and control the people.

Thanks to the "Book of the Dead" we know much about ancient Egyptian religion. The book contains the major beliefs and ideas in the ancient Egyptian religion. The Egyptians followed a polytheistic religion, meaning they worshipped many gods. Only during Pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign in the 18^th dynasty did the Ancient Egyptians followed a monotheistic religion where they believe in only one god. The ancient Egyptians worshipped over 2,000 gods and goddesses, many of which were part person and part animal. For example, Horus, God of the Sky, had the head of a falcon and a human body. Some of these gods and goddesses were worshipped all over the Empire, but others were worshipped locally. The ancient Egyptians had two chief gods, Amon-Ra, the Sun God and lord of the universe, and Osiris, the God of the Underworld.

Ancient Egyptians believed that all the gods, and therefore the pharaoh, should be obeyed at all times. Every Ancient Egyptian also had a personal god whom he could ask for help with daily matters. The more an individual could submit to and serve his or her god, the more he or she could call on them for protection or assistance with their daily lives. Egyptians also believed worshipping the gods led to a long and healthy life of wealth and prosperity.

4.  How did Ancient Egypt interact with other civilizations?

Ancient Egypt’s location on the Nile River made it a center of international trade, which was really “gifts” between rulers. The Nile was the only way goods could travel from the southern parts of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, meaning all the traders had to pass through Egypt. Egyptian traders traveled all over Africa to find ivory, gold, ostrich feathers and black slaves, which allowed Egyptian culture to spread outside the borders of the Empire.

Ancient Egypt also expanded its empire by conquering other civilizations. For more than four centuries Ancient Egypt enjoyed peace and prosperity, but this all changed in 2200 B.C. Peace turned into a series of civil wars that lasted for the next 150 years local leaders rose in rebellion against the all-powerful pharaoh and eventually the government collapsed. The Empire was split again into Upper and Lower Egypt.

Around 2050 B.C., a new king united Egypt a second time. The capital was moved from Memphis to s where it remained for the next 1,800 years. After Egypt’s reunification, Egypt took over Nubia, which was just over Egypt’s southern border. Nubia had valuable gold and semi-precious stones that Egypt wanted.

In 1700 BC, Egypt was in trouble again. Not only was there a renewed civil war, but there was also the threat of invasion by Hyksos, a desert people. Using superior weapons and technology, the Hyksos conquered the Egyptians and ruled for the next century. The Egyptians eventually overthrew the Hyksos, which began the period known as the New Kingdom.

During the New Kingdom, the pharaohs united Egypt once again, and using the military skills they learned from the Hyksos, they expanded their territory. As their territory grew, their power and wealth did also. Thebes, the capital of the New Kingdom, was very wealthy and known for its treasures such as gold, art, fine cloth and large construction projects.

5.  What circumstances led to the end of the Egyptian Empire?

The New Kingdom eventually fell into decline. In 1100 BC, Pharaoh Ramses III led Egypt into war in an attempt to conquer Syria. This war was very expensive and drained Egypt’s treasury.

Beginning in 945 BC, a succession of foreign powers conquered and ruled Egypt. In 728 BC, Piy, a Nubian king conquered Egypt and started the 25^th dynasty. In 669 BC, the Assyrians came to power and ruled Egypt until 525 BC when the Persians from the Near East invaded and took power. The Persians ruled until 332 BC when Alexander the Great conquered the kingdom. After Alexander’s death in 323 BC, Ptolemy gained control and his descendants ruled Egypt for approximately 275 years. This was known the Ptolemaic period.

Cleopatra, a descendant of Ptolemy, was one of Egypt’s greatest leaders and its last. She ruled from around 51 BC – 30 BC and was the last Egyptian ruler to hold the title of “Pharaoh.” She was a savvy ruler and businesswoman for Egypt. She was able to bring peace and prosperity to Egypt, even after it had gone through bankruptcy and civil war.

Cleopatra lived during a time of change. Hellenism, a version of Greek culture spread by Alexander the Great, had been the dominated the region for hundreds of years. When Cleopatra was born, Hellenism was declining and Rome had been rapidly gaining power and territory. Cleopatra inherited the throne at 18, but she had to share it with her 12 year-old brother. The two of them didn’t get along well, so a group of her brother’s friends removed her from the throne.

 

The expansion of Rome was due to the conquests of Julius Caesar, Rome’s number one general. In 48 BC, Julius Caesar went to Egypt to settle the dispute between Cleopatra and her brother. Cleopatra won Caesar to her side and he made Cleopatra the sole ruler of Egypt. They eventually fell in love and had a son named Caesarion.

Caesar became dictator of Rome but was murdered in 44 BC by a group of Roman senators. After Caesar’s death, Rome was run by Octavian, Caesar’s adopted son, and Marc Antony, a powerful general who was married to Octavian’s sister. Desperate to stay in power, Cleopatra asked Mark Antony for protection. In 42 BC, she sailed across the sea to meet him in a boat filled with rose petals and manned by maids dressed as sea nymphs. She lay under a golden canopy and was fanned by boys dressed as Cupid. Mark Antony fell in love with her. They travelled back to Egypt together and a few years later, they got married and had three children. Antony decided to make Cleopatra’s children rulers of several Roman territories.

The Romans were very angry with Antony for giving away their territory. Plus, he was already married to Octavian’s sister. So, Octavian convinced the Roman senate to declare war on Egypt. At the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, Octavian won and Cleopatra and Antony fled back to Egypt. Most of Antony’s remaining soldiers abandoned him and he and Cleopatra both committed suicide. Afterward, Octavian conquered Egypt, changed his name to Augustus and became the first Roman emperor. The Roman Empire had begun.

6.  What Are Some of Ancient Egypt’s Greatest Achievements?

In addition to governance, administration and organization discussed above, the Ancient Egyptians made many great achievements in writing, government, mathematics, architecture, agriculture and shipbuilding.

1. A.    Architecture

The Ancient Egyptians built some of the most famous structures in the world, such as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. The pyramids are some of the most amazing man-made structures ever built. The Ancient Egyptians built the pyramids without the high-tech construction and engineering equipment we have today. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest pyramid in the world and covers 13 acres. It originally stood 488 feet (149m) high, but due to wear and theft of the limestone bricks used as the outer walls, the pyramid now stands 33 feet lower, or 455 feet (138m) high. Around 1,300,000 cut limestone bricks were used to build this pyramid. These are not the bricks and stones we use today; the “small” cut limestone pieces weigh 5,500 pounds each and each of the “large” limestone bricks weighs 33,000 pounds!

1. B.    Mathematics

The Ancient Egyptians needed high-level math skills to build the pyramids and temples with very simple tools. 

1. C.    Medicine

Ancient Egyptian medicine was famous in the ancient world. Ancient Egyptian doctors could stitch wounds, set broken bones and amputate limbs. They bandaged cuts and used opium as a painkiller. Onions and garlic were some of their health foods.

 

1. D.    Shipbuilding

Ancient Egyptians needed to travel on the Nile and by 3000 BC they had built a 75-foot boat. They tied wooden planks together with straps or reeds and used grass to plug the holes. Later they used wooden nails and caulk.

7.  What Are Some Fun Facts?

A.   Temples were like the McDonald’s of Ancient Egypt; they were everywhere. Each city had its own temple for its city god. At temples, men could communicate directly with the gods.

B.   The Ancient Egyptians saw death as a transition to the next world. They believed that they could only reach their full potential in the next world and they devoted a lot of time and wealth in preparation for survival in their lives after death. The Ancient Egyptians believed that each person had three souls, the “ka”, the “ba”, and the “akh”. If these didn’t stay intact, the person would not be able to experience the pleasures of the afterlife. Without the Ancient Egyptians’ beliefs, there would have been very different funeral practices.

C.   Ancient Egyptian funeral ceremonies lasted for 70 days. After death, priests recited prayers and made a final attempt to revive the dead. The body was purified at the ibu or ‘place of purification’. At the ibu, the embalmers washed the person with palm wine and water from the Nile. At the wabet, or the embalmer’s workshop, the body was mummified. All organs except for the heart were removed because the heart was the center of intelligence and feeling, the person would need it in the afterlife. The body was then covered with natron to dry it out. All fluids and rags would be saved and buried with the body. After 40 days, the body was washed a second time with water from the Nile and covered with oils to keep the skin elastic. The dried out organs are wrapped in linen and placed back inside of the body. The body was stuffed with dry materials such as linen or sawdust, leaves resin and natron, so the person looked alive. The body was covered in good-smelling oils a second time. Amulets were placed between the layers of linen wrapped around the body. A priest said prayers as the body was being wrapped to ward off evil spirits and help the dead make its journey through the next world. The mummy’s arms and legs were tied together. During the New Kingdom, a papyrus scroll with spells from the “Book of the Dead” was placed between the mummy’s hands. The mummy was wrapped in more layers of linen and liquid resin was painted over the cloth to glue them together. A cloth was wrapped over the body and a picture of Osiris was painted on top. Another large cloth was placed over the mummy and fastened with strips of linen that ran from the top to the bottom and around its middle. A board of painted wood was placed on top of the mummy. The mummy was lowered into its first coffin, or ‘sarcophagus’ and the first sarcophagus was then placed inside a second sarcophagus. During the Old Kingdom, coffins were made of basketry, wood, clay or even stone. At the end of the Old Kingdom, coffins were decorated with food offerings. During the Middle Kingdom, they were inscribed with spells. A funeral was held for the deceased’s family. Finally, items used in daily life such as, games, hand mirrors and clothing were put into the tomb with the mummy.

D.   One part of the Book of the Dead describes a trial in which the soul of a dead person argues its case before a jury of 42 gods. The souls pleaded their innocence of any wrongdoings during their lifetimes. During the second part of the judgment process, the soul was weighed against the feather of truth. If the person’s soul was too heavy with sin (defined by pharaoh), the soul was fed to Ammut, ‘the devourer’; this was a death that the Ancient Egyptians believed in in which there was no returning. Life in the Field of Rushes (sort of like Ancient Egyptian heaven) was a mirror image of life in the real world. There were gods and goddesses to worship, blue skies, rivers and boats for transportation, and fields and crops that needed to be ploughed and harvested. The dead were given a plot of land that they were responsible for maintaining. They could either do the work themselves, or make their shabtis (small statuettes) do the work for them. Shabtis were often supplied with agricultural tools such as hoes and baskets and they were often led by an overseer or foreman who carried a flail instead of tools.

E.   Embalmers wrapped the dead body in up to 400 yards of linen strips.

F.   Items used in daily life such as, games, hand mirrors and clothing were put into the tomb with the mummy.

G.    Some Egyptian royal tombs had traps and false stairs that led to nowhere, to fool robbers

 

Works Cited

Abu Simbel. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.crystalinks.com/AbuSimbelTemple.html>.

"Ancient Egypt - Architecture History Photo Guide - Pyramids of Giza." About.com Architecture. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://architecture.about.com/od/periodsstyles/ig/Historic-Styles/Ancient-Egypt-.htm>.

"Ancient Egypt - The Egyptian Timeline." Ancient Egypt - The Egyptian Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/access/egypt/timeline_egypt.htm>.

Ancient Egyptian Boats. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.egyking.info/2012/08/ancient-egyptian-bread.html>.

"Ancient Egyptian Religion." Ancient Egyptian Religion. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www2.sptimes.com/Egypt/EgyptCredit.4.3.html>.

"Ancient Egyptian Timeline - Dynasties and Kingdoms." About.com Ancient / Classical History. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/pharaohs/a/DynastiesEgypt.htm>.

Canopic Jars. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://cowofgold.wikispaces.com/canopic+jar>.

"Cleopatra." : Meaning Of Name. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://nameberry.com/babyname/Cleopatra>.

Cleopatra. Dir. Q. L. Pearce. N.d. Online Video.

<http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/famoushistoricalfigures/cleopatra/>.

Cleopatra. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.amazon.com/Egyptian-Hand-Made-Papyrus-Painting-Cleopatra/dp/B00971KH06>.

Crook and Flail. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://labdanum-creta.blogspot.com/2006/05/crook-and-flail-in-ancient-egypt.html>.

"Dynasties." Ancient Egyptian History:. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/dynasties.htm>.

"Egypt - Learn Geographic Information about the Country of Egypt." About.com Geography. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://geography.about.com/od/egyptmaps/a/egypt-geography.htm>.

"Egyptian Dynasties Old Kingdom." Egyptian Dynasties. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.discoveringegypt.com/Egyptian-Old-Kingdom-dynastys.html>.

"Egyptian Dynasties Old Kingdom." Egyptian Dynasties. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.discoveringegypt.com/Egyptian-Old-Kingdom-dynastys.html>.

"The Egyptian Empire - World History For Kids - By KidsPast.com." The Egyptian Empire - World History For Kids - By KidsPast.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.kidspast.com/world-history/0030-egyptian-empire.php>.

"The Egyptian Empire - World History For Kids - By KidsPast.com." The Egyptian Empire - World History For Kids - By KidsPast.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.kidspast.com/world-history/0030-egyptian-empire.php>.

"Egyptian Pharaohs." BrainPOP. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/egyptianpharaohs/>.

This Brainpop video told me about the ancient Egyptian government. It gave me a brief summary of the social hierarchy, and showed me how powerful the pharaohs were in ancient Egypt. The pharaohs were not only the political leaders, but they were also the religious leaders. The video also informed me about some pharaohs’ achievements.

<http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/egyptianpharaohs/>.

This Brainpop video told me about the ancient Egyptian government. It gave me a brief summary of the social hierarchy, and showed me how powerful the pharaohs were in ancient Egypt. The pharaohs were not only the political leaders, but they were also the religious leaders. The video also informed me about some pharaohs’ achievements.

<http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/egyptianpharaohs/>.

"Egyptian Pyramids." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/the-egyptian-pyramids>.

"The Fertile Crescent - World History For Kids - By KidsPast.com." The Fertile Crescent - World History For Kids - By KidsPast.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.kidspast.com/world-history/0035b-fertile-cresent.php>.

"Funerary Objects." Ancient Egypt:. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/funerary_practices/funerary_objects.htm>.

"Geography." Geography. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/geography/home.html>.

"Great Pyramid of Giza." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 May 2014. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza>.

"How Ancient Egyptian Religion Related to Daily Life | The Classroom | Synonym." The Classroom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://classroom.synonym.com/ancient-egyptian-religion-related-daily-life-6293.html>.

King Tutankhamun. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://spiritmanjoseph.blogspot.com/2007/07/king-tut-exhibit-ancient-egypt-past.html>.

"Mark Antony." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 May 2014. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony>.

"The Monumental Achievements of the Old Kingdom of Egypt." Historical Articles and Illustrations » Blog Archive ». N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.lookandlearn.com/blog/18909/the-monumental-achievements-of-the-old-kingdom-of-egypt/>.

"Mummification Story." Mummification Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/mummies/story/main.html>.

"Nile." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 13 May 2014. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile>.

"Old Kingdom." About.com Ancient / Classical History. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/egypt/g/oldkingdom.htm>.

Pyramids Of Giza, Egypt, HD. Digital image. Top Travel Lists. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://toptravellists.net/pyramids-of-giza-egypt-hd.html>.

Rosetta Stone. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/02/rosetta-stone.html>.

Sphinx. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.lisallamrei.com/2012/02/11/the-riddle-of-the-sphinx/>.

Sphinx. Digital image. Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx>.

"Sphinx." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 Dec. 2014. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx>.

"TimeMaps." Atlas of World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/Ancient-Egypt>.

"Tracing The Past." Menes ». N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://tracingthepast.com/index.php?p=1_16_Menes>.

"The Underworld and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt - Australian Museum." The Underworld and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt - Australian Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://australianmuseum.net.au/The-underworld-and-the-afterlife-in-ancient-Egypt>.

Valley of the Kings. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/time/explore/time.html#1800>.

Weighing the Heart. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/past_exhibitions/2011/book_of_the_dead.aspx>.

"What Happened to Cleopatra’s and Julius Caesar’s Son?" Nat Geo TV Blogs. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://tvblogs.nationalgeographic.com/2011/02/25/what-happened-to-cleopatras-and-julius-caesars-son/>.

"What Is a Wabet?" WikiAnswers. Answers Corporation, n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_wabet#slide=1>.

A Message of Ancient Days. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.

A Message from Ancient Days gave me a lot of information about the Egyptian empire. I learned about its geography and how it benefited the Egyptians, the unification of the two lands and some accomplishments from the three kingdoms. I also learned about the ancient Egyptian religion, government, the Rosetta stone, and great achievements by the ancient Egyptians.

Driving questions

This is my tumblr and it shows my powerpoint.. It answers the driving questions, map and the timeline. You need to look from bottom to top...

 

https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard

video resource

I love this video because it helped me a lot for me to start of the reasearch of the Korean Empire. This is basically how the empire all started... It can be little bit graphic for some people but it will be okay...

Roman Empire Project- Anna

 

My Booklet with Artifacts and Timeline

"History of the Roman Empire"

Map that I made, during the highest point of the Roman empire in 395.

Mad Man Writings-

1. How did the Roman Empire acquire power?

Rome existed as a republic for about 400 years- but it kept getting bigger and bigger. At the battle of Actium, where Octavius, a roman military general, fought against Cleopatra and her army, Octavius won and he became the first roman emperor. When he became the roman emperor, he changed his name to Augustus.

The Roman Empire grew even more powerful when an emperor called Julius Caeser came to power. He was a very smart leader, and built a strong army. With this army, Julius conquered lots of land. By 300, the population of the entire Roman Empire was 60 million, and most of Western Europe was part of their territory.

The main reason the Roman Empire grew powerful is because of the strong military they were able to expand. Since they owned so much land, they had lots of soldiers to fight.

2. How did the Roman Empire become successful? 

The Roman Empire was very successful with Julius Caesar as a leader. When he became dictator in 49 BC, he had total control over the government. With this power, he made a lot of changes right away- such as, he gave land to his soldiers, free grain to poor citizens, made a new calendar (the Julius Calendar), and granted roman citizenship to people who weren’t born in Rome. This way, the Roman Empire could have even more soldiers to fight- so they could have a very strong army.

With this powerful military, Rome won many battles- allowing the empire to gain territory, power and population. By 300, the population of the entire Roman Empire was 60 million.

As an emperor, Julius Caesar conquered Rome and France, and governed it for 9 years. He also conquered almost all of Western Europe, and most of the Mediterranean world.

3. How did the empire influence its population?

As a dictator of the Roman Empire, Julius Caesar wanted the citizens to trust him, believe in him, and think he was extremely powerful. To put these thoughts into their heads, he made lots of changes as a dictator.

Firstly, he made new and improved laws. The citizens liked these laws, because they improved their lives. For example, he gave free grain to poor citizens and more land to the soldiers. He also named a calendar after his name- the Julius Calendar, and, he named a month in the calendar after his name- July, for Julius.

These changed led the citizens to believe that Julius was trustworthy, smart and a very powerful leaver.

For example, at the time when the Roman Empire was overrun with crime, and people were afraid to go out into the streets, Caesar spoke to the people.  He told them what to do, and the Roman citizens believed and trusted him as a leader. They never doubted him, because of what he led them to believe.

4. What circumstances led to the end of the empire?

Lots of things led to the end of the Roman Empire. One of the big reasons was bad leadership- firstly, no one came up with a reliable system for electing emperors, so many emperors made terrible decisions, some of which were hard to reverse.

Over time, the power from the government slipped into the hands of single leaders. Some of them even ignored the advice given from the senate. There were also constants battles over power- for example, if somebody wasn’t elected emperor, they would violently kill the emperor and become leader.

The Roman Empire also faced financial problems. Roman emperors often bribed their soldiers with money, to make sure they remained loyal. When they didn't have enough to pay their soldiers, they would mint cheaper coins. This caused the value of roman money to plummet.

Also, since there was money shortage, there was also food shortage- so crime increased in the empire. It didn’t help that many emperors wasted huge sums of money on parties and festivals.

The biggest problem was that most of the roman military had been stationed on the border of the empire. When troops left their post to fight one another, it left big gaps, allowing invaders to sneak into roman territory. The problem was that the tribes that invaded were stronger than the actual roman army.

When Romulus Augustus surrendered to the tribe leader in 476, the Roman Empire officially came to an end.

5. How did the empire interact with other civilizations?

Trading was vital to the Roman Empire. They got lots of important goods, which they couldn’t get themselves throughout the trading.

The Roman Empire traded with Britain for silver and wool. They used the silver to make jewelry and coins, and they used the wool to make clothes. They also imported dyes to color their clothes, and spices to flavor their food from the southeast. From China, they imported silk to make fine clothing. Cotton came from Egypt, and wild animals for the gladiator fights came from Africa.

In 430, Attila, the leader of the Huns, invades Italy and starts a battle. In the end, they ended up signing a peace treaty with the Roman Empire.

Also, Julius Caesar conquered Rome and France, and governed it for 9 years. He conquered almost all of Western Europe, and most of the Mediterranean world.

 

MUGHAL EMPIRE : Madman writings and artifacts

Madman writings

 

How did the empire acquire power?

The reason why the Mogul empire acquired power was because Lodi the previous emperor had neglected his subjects. When this situation took place, Babur the first Mogul empire thought it was the right time to strike for power. The neglect of the subjects led to an uprising, Lodi’s own uncle invited Babur to invade.  As stated by many historians Lodi was not a great emperor. His neglect for subjects and corruptness left the citizens no choice but to invite another ruler to conquer Lodi.

 

Why did the empire become successful?

The main reason why the Mogul empire became successful was due to the immense acceptance of religion. The previous emperors had usually designated one religion to be followed by the whole population but in the Mogul empire freedom of religion was very important.  The usual fighting between the Hindus and Muslims came to an end as either religion was accepted.

Another reason why the empire was so successful was because of the art, literature and spices. These trades at chapter attention of many countries, since the money from the trade eventually came into the empire, economy revised very rapidly.

 

How did the empire influence its population?

The Mogul Empire mainly influenced its population by using taxes. The land was usually distributed between noble men, which rent it to farmers. This meant that there was always enough money to support empire.

One more way that the empire influenced it’s population was by using the non-Muslim tax. It was taken from those who were not Muslim; it encouraged Islam and also forced it upon those who could not pay the tax.

 

How did the empire interact with other civilizations?

The Mughal Empire interacted with other civilizations in two major processes. They either conquered the civilization or traded with them. The bigger one of the two would probably be their trade. When the Silk Road was established the Mughal Empire did not exactly exist, but as it came to power the demand for Indian goods and spices increased. Countries such as Britain, Persia and China were some of the many empires that traded with the Mughals. The culture expanded due to the several trades. The spices represented the food, the garments and jewels were signs of luxury and the medicinal plants were highly demanded since India and Pakistan were very tropical areas at that time.

When the Mughals conquered most of Central Asia, another great interaction occurred that still affects that part of the world. When the idea of Islam came into India many conflicts occurred between the Hindus and the Muslims.

 

What circumstances led to the empire’s end?

The most repeating answer would probably the promising changes proposed to the citizens by the British. In the late Mughal Empire the Emperors lacked the strict and powerful rule of their ancestors. They did not think for themselves and agreed to what their advisers suggested. The citizens were tired of their ludicrous rule. So when the British approached them the majority instantly thought that the Mughal Empire should end; however others disagreed. The emperor being so weak willed quickly fell under the British. Therefore ending the Mughal Empire.

Artifacts

MadMan Writing British Empire

How did the British Empire acquire Power?

I think the British Empire acquired power by invading other lands and winning wars. They won wars by having their own military strength but also having allies that most times outnumbered the opposition. They also acquired power by colonizing countries that had no colonies in them, they saw a deserted island and they took it. They also acquired power by signing treaties with other countries, which means they couldn't attack the British Empire; also if someone were to attack the British Empire they would be facing the Navy against them.  In my opinion they also acquired power by not doing anything to bad that would make the colonies that they took anger them and start a rebellion.

 

How/Why did the British Empire become successful?

I think the British Empire became successful by gaining lots of land and they also were very rich from wars that they could send expeditions almost everywhere to find more land. They also became successful because they had a lot of power, land, and economy. Also I think the British Empire became successful by often just attacking countries for their land.

 

 

How did the empire influence its population?

The British Empire influenced its population by when they invaded colonies in Africa, since they had multiple countries all around the world, I believe that they mixed cultures everywhere. You can see that all around the world people speak English. The British empire spoke English in her countries so that might of influenced English in many countries.

How did the empire interact with other civilizations?

They interacted with other civilizations by having a lot of voyages to Asia, North America, Australia and surrounding islands, Africa, and they had some bit of Antarctica. Also they had multiple wars like the Napoleonic Wars, The Boer Wars, The American Revolution, The Opium Wars, and the Two World Wars. I sense that they wanted to invade and keep invaders out.

What circumstances led to the end of the British Empire?

The end of the British Empire was when after WW2 happened. The whole country was broke and the countries they invaded knew it. The countries didn't like being ruled over by Britain and wanted their independence. Britain knew it to and started to decolonize them quickly before riots broke out. After they decolonized them Britain only had Norther Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and 14 other small islands around the globe.

INCA EMPIRE

INCA EMPIRE PREZI



Leader Profile:

Inca in quechua,means “leader” or “chief”. Sapa means unique. Sapa Inca means unique leader or chief. Here is a list of the 13 spap Incas that ruled the empire. Together, it means unique chief of leader.

Manco Capac, Manco Capac established the Inca empire and was the first sapa Inca. He began the empire in Cuzco, a city now in southeastern Peru by bringing small tributes around the the city of Cuzco together. Blending the tribes around Cuzco together so not so challenging because most of the tribe members were ordinary farmers. If they refused to combine with Manco Capac, it would cause war, which farmers had no interest in. On the other hand, setting up a new city was a great challenge and it demanded constant attention.

There were legends about how Manco Capac founded the empire. Because there wee no written language, the legends were passed down orally. It story may have changed, but here's one legend. Four brothers, Ayar Cachi, Ayar Uchu, Ayar Auca, Ayar Manco, and four sisters lived in the cavern of Pacaritambo, a cave in the Andes Mountains. The brothers and their sisters left the cave in search of a better existence. The first brother, Ayar Cachi had mystical powers. The other sibling coveted the power. The jealous brothers tricked Ayar Cachi into returning to their cave. The siblings later blocked the cave's entrance to prevent him from escaping. The remaining siblings came across Mount Huanacauri during the journey. There, Ayar Uchu turned into stone and became a holy shrine. With only Ayar Auca, Ayar Manco, and the four sisters left, they walked by a village. Auca became frighten and fled. He ran across a rough terrain. Soon, he got exhausted and sat down for some rest. Like his brother, he turned into stone immediately. Ayar Manco and his sisters finally arrived at Cuzco. There, Ayar Manco and his sister brought together the small tributes living near Cuzco forming the Inca Empire. He chnaged his name to Manco Capac and married his sister, Mama Ocllo.

Mayta Capac was fourth ruler of the Inca Empire. He established a school system for the Inca nobility, encouraged religious tolerance, and conquered the people of Tihuanaco / Tiwanaku (located in western Bolivia). Early in his reign, he decided that princes needed basic knowledge and understanding of government and warfare. Later on, he expanded the school concept to include curacas (sons of the Inca chief's relatives) and sons of rulers whose tributes had been absorbed into the empire. At that time, some European rulers forced their people to follow the dominant religion, or suffer with consequences. Mayta Capac was different. He wanted the conquered people to worship the Inca gods, but also respected the other as well because he realized that different cultures honored their gods the same way the Incas felt to their gods. Mayta Capac allowed them to pursue their own gods and religion. Mayta's greatest contribution during his ruling period was the assimilation of the Tiahuanaco's stone cutting, shaping and building. He applied that knowledge to creating stronger stone structures.

Did you know? The sapa Incas were believed to represent the sun gods, similar to how the Egyptian pharaohs were served as gods. Some sapa Incas were born to greatness, but Capac Yupanqui, one of Mayta Capac's son, achieved greatness by his look. Capac Yupanqui wasn't the first in line, he had an older brother, but the designated heir was not chosen, instead Mayta Capac chose Capac Yupanqui, for the reason that he was too ugly to be the Inca chef. Mayta Capac decided that Capac Yupanqui made a better-looking king or sun god.

According to the cronistas (a writer who collects historical or current facts and writes them), the legend begins like this: In 1438, Cuzco came under attack from the Chancas, a violent, belligerent culture that Incas feared. Huiracocha, the sapa Inca at the time, and his heir, Urco Inca, fled to escape capture, and possibly torture. This only left Cusi Yupanqui, the younger son to defend the empire. As the Chancas prepared their attack, Cusi Yupanqui led his soldiers against the Chanca.  As the legend goes, Inti, the sun god caused stones on the battlefield to rise as warriors to assist Cusi Yupanqui in defeating the Chancas. Then, Cusi Yupanqui forced his father to abdicate, causing him become the next sapa Inca. From that time on, he was called the Pachacuti meaning the earth shaker. Pachukuti was the ninth sapa Inca of the empire. Pachukuti started a military campaign to expand the empire. He inherited a well-disciplined and experienced army. Every adult male between 25 to 50 were required to have military training. Plus, a part of the manhood rituals included getting weapons of war as gifts and learning how to handle the weapons. A well equipped warrior wore padded cloth armor and a helmet, and carried a spear, mace, sling, and shield. Because of Pachukuti's strong army, many enemies gave up before the fighting had even begun. Pachukuti offered gifts such as gold and valuable cloth and guaranteed peace to whose who promised their allegiance to the empire. In fact, some less powerful cultures chose assimilation. As the empire expanded, he had to maintain control over a larger number of conquered people. One way to keep rebellion was by bringing a conquered culture's god to the Coricancha, the central temple in Cuzco, which had been replaced by Intihuasi. He also built the royal estate at Machu Picchu, the most famous Inca ruins.

 

Journal Entry: Life in Inca

 I did my journal entry in a diary form.

Topic 1: Growing up in the Inca Empire

Today, it was my little sister's naming ceremony. I'm glad that she made it through her first year! My parents named her Achiq, meaning beloved. They have her a haircut, it's a tradition in the naming ceremony. Our people do not name their children until after the child is one year old, perhaps because so may children die as infants. There was another ceremony held for my cousin Alma today, right after Achiq's. The ceremony congratulated 14th birthday. In our empire, we consider men once they are about 14 years old. I had mine a year ago, but it wasn't so fun. I had to sell all my favorite dresses to be able to afford the animal sacrifices. After the ceremony I went out to the meadow to pick flowers for Achiq with my cousin Alma, but he had to leave for school. Only the sons of Inca nobility can attend school, but Alma is the sapa Inca's son's cousin's half brother and his father once saved the sapa Inca's daughter from drowning. I don't understand why only boys are supposed to go to school. I hate the fact that I cannot go to school because I'm a girl, but I keep it to myself.

*Quechua names from http://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/usage/quechua*

Topic 2: Food

Today, I taught Taruka, a friend of mine, how to keep certain foods from spoiling. Taruka is 7 and she lives next door. She is my only, but best friend. Because we are farmers do not have time to socialize, but I am happy least have a friend. Some have none. Anyway, the secret to keep certain foods from spoiling is to freeze-dry them. Freeze-drying have food lots of other benefits. It decreases the weight of the food, it takes up less space, it's easier to store and transport. In order to dry food such as potatoes, meat, or fish, we leave them out on winter nights for the food to freeze. During the day, the food was placed in the sun. The process is repeated until all the water comes out of the food. Meat persevered in this method is called charqui (jerky).

Topic 3: Religious Sacrifice

Next week, the annual children sacrifice will be practiced. During this sacrifice, three children walk to a special platform on the summit of a mountain more that 6700m in height led by Incan priests. Dressed in their finest clothes, the three children have to travel more than 800km to reach the Andean peak. Between the travel, they drank chicha, a fermented beverage made from maize. Chicha includes corn beer and non-alcoholic beverages. Chicha caused the children began to weaken drinking. Then, they lay down, and priests kill them, either by hitting them on the head, or by strangling them. We do the sacrifice in the mountains because mountains have powerful spirits called apus and we can have better contact with the gods. I'm not so sure if it is true but it's what my father told me so I guess it's true. My father also said the sacrifices are often young children because children are pure; they did not have much time to do evil things. Having a "pure" sacrifice is important because they will have to send messages from the gods back to earth.

Topic 4: People

In our empire, most people are commoners, including our family. We have no political rights, but because the government counts on us to raise crops and herd animals, the government makes sure that we are treated well. In return, each household has a to pay a form of tax, called mita. This work includes serving in the army, constructing buildings, roads, and bridges, and moving goods across the empire.

Although most people are farmers, some had special skills such as metalworking or weaving. Some villages only produced goods such as pottery or clothing for the state. But artisans and their families also worked the fields to raise crops. Mining is another important job for some of us. The empire lands provides gold, silver, and other copper, and the metals use to make bronze. Only the Inca noble can afford gold and silver, while we can only afford metal and copper and bronze. My dad used to mine. He told me that mining is hard work because all you have are deer antlers and stones. Some commoners have special roles in the empire. They are chosen by Inca royalty to be their servants. These people are called Yanaconas. My grandmother was one, but she is now retired. She was taken from her family at early age to begin serving. According to my grandmother, Yanaconas do not have to pay tax and they may pass their position to their children. My grandmother could’ve passed my mother her position, but my mother refused.

Topic 5: The Calendar

Our calendar was used to keep track of when certain religious ceremonies are held. We actually have two calendars. One is based on the cycle of the moon, just like the Chinese lunar calendar. The other one is based on movement of the sun. The first one has 354 days, and we sometimes had to add days to a month, but the second one has 365 days. So we just agreed on the second one, the one based on the sun. We, Incas track movement of the sun and stars through the sky. Stone towers in Cuzco lined up with the position of the sun as it rose and set on the longest and shortest days of the year. The calendar is very important to us, Incas because it tells us when to do certain farming tasks.

The Korean Empire - Sunny Lee

MADMAN Entries on The Korean Empire (5 Driving Questions)

Entry 1: How did the Korean Empire acquire power?

The Korean Empire first acquired “power” when King GoJong returned from the Russian Legation after 1 year of his wife’s assassination. During GoJong’s refuge at the Russian Legation, Russia took control of Korea and cleared off the Japanese soldiers a little bit so that GoJong could proclaim the Empire and have “power” again over the Korean Empire.

Entry 2: How did the Korean Empire become successful?

The Korean Empire was never really “successful” as an empire. Although the empire had an Emperor, a prince (successor) and soldiers, they were still dragged around by the Japanese Imperial as a whole. The Korean Empire was an empire that existed, but it was an empire that was not successful and never grew to power.

Entry 3: How did the Korean Empire influence its population?

The Korean Empire did not have a big influence on its population (or its land mass) because they were mainly focusing on trying to gain independence from Japan, which lead to a few sacrifices such as the 3 secret representatives to the Hague and An Jung-geun (the Korean nationalist that assassinated Ito Hirobumi).

Entry 4: How did the Korean Empire interact with other civilizations?

The Korean Empire interacted with several other civilizations but they were mostly negative interactions. The Korean Empire fought against Japan to gain independence from them but eventually became their protectorate because they were not strong enough. Korea also had a short interaction with Russia at the start of the Korean Empire where King Gojong took refuge in the Russian Legation after the assassination of his spouse (Empress MyeongSeong).

Entry 5: What circumstances led to the end of the Korean Empire?

In 1909, Ito Hirobumi (the prime minister of Japan) was assassinated by a Korean nationalist which made the Korean Empire believe that their independence was coming their way. But unfortunately they were not able to gain power over the rest of the Japanese government. Therefore after one year in 1910, the Korean Empire ended up signing the Annexation Treaty with Japan which gave the Japanese Empire full control over Korea, which also became the end of the Great Korean Empire.

Timeline & Map



Artifacts



Leader Profile (Emperor Gojong, Fakebook): http://www.classtools.net/F B/1559-VynjU2

Cited Work: http://easybib.com/public/list/key/e1cb0e

The Macedonian Empire

Guys this is a tumblr blog that I created to show the story of The Macedonian Empire. There are 2 leader profiles (sort of) and a timeline. There are 8 artifacts from 4th century BC (the most powerful century for Macedonia). My madman writing is also on the blog along with my citations.

The video is great but the beginning is a bit useless. You guys should skip ahead to around 2 or 3 minutes to find the info.

(Click the Pic)

Enjoy!

MAP OF CONQUESTS