The Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms

The Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms The history of Egypt is split into three time periods: the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. During the Old Kingdom, Egypt grew and developed. In the Middle Kingdom, arts were important and trade grew. During the New Kingdom, leadership changed often. During each kingdom, Egypt grew, prospered, and developed into one of the most complex civilizations in ancient history. During the Old Kingdom, religion was very connected to the government. People thought the pharaohs were like gods. Pharaohs were the highest-ranking rulers in Egypt. The first pharaoh in Egypt was Menses. He united Upper and Lower Egypt by marrying a princess from Lower Egypt. Menses reign marked the beginning of the first dynasty. A dynasty is a series of rulers from the same family. The First Dynasty lasted around 200 years. During this time in Egypt, the population grew, trade with neighboring people increased, and social classes formed. Civil wars between different pharaohs and nobles brought the Old Kingdom to an end. The country was divided it was a mess. The Middle Kingdom began when a new pharaoh restored order within Egypt. Arts grew and trade expanded. However, this time of success didn t last forever. A group of invaders called the Hyksos attacked Egypt. They conquered the Egyptians and ended the Middle Kingdom. The New Kingdom started when the Hyksos were thrown out of Egypt. There were several changes of power during the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt. King Amenhotep IV was a ruler during the New Kingdom. He tried to make major changes to Egypt s religion. Amenhotep tried to move from polytheism, meaning believing in multiple gods, to monotheism, meaning believing in one god. This change created a mess in Egypt. The next ruler, King Tutankhamun, restored polytheism, which helped Egypt a great deal. Ramses II was another strong ruler who helped Egypt prosper during the New Kingdom. He was the second longest ruling pharaoh in all of ancient Egypt. All Egyptians loved Ramses II. Unfortunately, after his death, Egypt became weak. Several neighboring groups of people attacked the country. In 332 BC, Macedonia and its leader Alexander the Great took over Egypt. This ended the rule of Egyptian pharaohs. Macedonian leaders ruled over Egypt for three centuries. After that, the country was ruled for six centuries by the Romans. Eventually, Arabian rulers took control and have been in power ever since. Word Count: 396 The Sweetest Thing 34

Geography of Egypt The Nile River is the most defining geographic feature in Egypt. It cuts right through the heart of Egypt. It is 4,160 miles long. That makes it the world s longest river! The area around the Nile River that is covered in deserts is called red land. The desert land did not provide natural resources, but was a protective barrier. It kept out many invaders. In between the red land and the Nile were narrow strips of fertile land called black land. The black land is where the ancient Egyptian civilization called home. The rich, black soil in Egypt was called the Gift of the Nile. Most of Egypt was covered in deserts. However, the soil around the Nile was fertile. It was perfect for growing crops. The Egyptians mostly grew wheat. They mixed wheat with yeast and water to make bread. They also grew flax. Flax was woven into linen, a light cloth, for clothing. Papyrus trees were used to make paper and baskets. Once a year, the Nile River flooded. These floods refreshed the fertile soil to make it ready for new crops to be grown. The Egyptians knew how to prepare for the flooding each year because it always happened around the same time. The Egyptians liked the flooding because it made up for the lack of rain in the area during the rest of the year. The Nile River did more than just make fertile soil for the Egyptians. The river also provided transportation for the Egyptians. Easy river transportation made it easy for the Egyptians to develop trading relationships with others people groups around them. The Egyptians used the Nile River like a highway for travel. The Nile also provided natural resources for building. Mud and sandstone were helpful resources for building. The Egyptians used these resources to build their homes and their famous pyramids. Most Egyptian homes were made out of mud and straw. Roofs were made from the leaves of palm trees. The Nile River also provided food. The Egyptians could fish and hunt the animals that lived in and around the river. Without the Nile River, the Egyptian people would not have been able to survive in the desert land. The Nile River was very important to the growth and development of Egypt. It created fertile land and provided many resources. The Egyptians made the most of the fertile soil that the Nile gifted to them. They also developed new agricultural technologies that helped them expand their farmland. Word Count: 406 The Sweetest Thing 18

Politics, Social Class, and Religion of Egypt Ancient Egypt was a complex, interesting, and powerful civilization. The Egyptians developed religion, government systems, and social classes. They prospered for over three thousand years. The Egyptians left behind many customs and traditions for future generations to explore. In fact, so many people enjoy learning about Egypt that the word Egyptology was coined. Egyptology is the study of all things Egyptian. In Egypt, religion and government were very connected. The pharaohs that ruled the nation were seen as gods. Pharaohs were the highest-ranking rulers. The first pharaoh in Egypt was Menses. Pharaohs continued to rule over Egypt until 332 BC when the first Macedonian ruler came into power. Pharaohs held most of the power in Egypt before the Macedonian takeover. A group of leaders and officials supported the pharaohs. The vizier was the highest leader under the pharaoh. He held almost as much power as the pharaoh. All of the other lower officials reported to the vizier. Nomarks were more local leaders that ruled certain areas. They acted in a similar way to how mayors govern cities today. Military leaders and scribes were also important. The Egyptian people had no say in the business of the government. Pharaohs were thought of as gods, so their decisions were not questioned. The social classes in Egypt were organized like a pyramid. There were four levels of ranking. Pharaohs ruled as gods and ranked at the top of the pyramid. Nobles, or rich people from powerful families, were below pharaohs in power. Military leaders, officials, and priests were equal to the nobles. On the next level of society were scribes and craftsmen. These skilled workers were respected because society valued their work. Farmers, servants, and slaves made up the majority of the population, but they ranked the lowest in power. Pharaohs were not the only gods that the Egyptians worshipped. The Egyptians believed that there were gods for almost everything. They worshipped gods for the sun, moon, stars, and more. Egyptian religion was centered on the idea of the afterlife. The afterlife is the belief that when a person dies his body becomes a spirit. The Egyptians developed complicated methods of preserving bodies by creating mummies. They thought that mummifying bodies would help the dead transition into the afterlife. Word Count: 377 The Sweetest Thing 14

Written Religion Language: and Egyptian Cuneiform Life Worshipping The earliest the forms gods of was writing a part were of daily simple, life pictorial in Egypt. drawings But the that Egyptian were focus made on to religion represent extended actual objects. beyond For example, people s lives. a picture Many of customs barley represented focused on barley. what happened The pictographs after were people simple died. and easy to use, but they were also very limiting. People could really only use them to draw objects Like the or nouns. Sumerians, As civilizations the Egyptians became practiced more polytheism complex, and people believed developed the gods a were need very to powerful. communicate During with the a Old more Kingdom advanced period, form Egyptian of writing. officials The expected Sumerians everyone of Mesopotamia to worship are the credited same with gods, developing though how the they earliest worshipped form of script the gods writing, might called differ cuneiform. from place Script to place. is a group The of signs or letters that are used to make words. Egyptians built temples to the gods all over the kingdom. Temples collected payments from both worshippers and the government. These payments allowed the temples to grow more You might be interested to learn that the earliest forms of writing were not created to tell influential. stories. Instead, written language was developed to record business transactions. Scribes, or men who The had Egyptians mastered had reading gods and for nearly writing everything, cuneiform, including used cuneiform the sun, to the record sky, information and the earth. on clay Many tablets gods on a mixed daily human basis. They and recorded animal forms. information For example, about Anubis, daily events, the god astronomy, of the dead, and had other a important human body events but or a ideas. jackal s The head. Code of Other Hammurabi, major gods one included of the most important and earliest legal codes written, Re, or was Amon-Re, recorded the using sun cuneiform. god Osiris, the god of the underworld The Isis, name the cuneiform goddess of explains magic what the script looked like: wedge-shaped. Instead of using pens or pencils Horus, to a write sky god, on paper god of like the people pharaohs do today, scribes wrote on clay tablets with reeds. Reeds made Thoth, wedge-shaped the god of wisdom marks in the wet clay. Clay tablets were used like people use paper today. Unlike Geb, paper, the earth re-wetting god the clay allowed the tablet to be used again. Each mark in the clay represented a different sound or meaning. Every syllable had its own symbol, which made Egyptian families also worshipped household gods at shrines in their the first steps in preparing the mummy. reading and writing very difficult. Very few people knew how to read or write, which is why scribes homes. were so highly valued in Mesopotamian society. Most of the cuneiform tablets that have been discovered Egyptian were ideas either about government the afterlife documents shaped their or burial financial practices. ledgers, and very few contained The literature. Egyptians Despite believed this, one that of a the body earliest had to and be most prepared famous for stories the was written in cuneiform: the afterlife Epic of Gilgamesh. before it could be placed in a tomb. This meant the body had to be preserved. If the body decayed, its spirit could not recognize It is important it. That would to know break that, the like link the between alphabet the that body you and use spirit. today, cuneiform does not refer The to one ka would specific then language. be unable Rather, to receive it refers the to a food method and of drink writing. The meanings The body s and organs structures were preserved of in needed. cuneiform symbols and signs have changed over the years. Different groups used the script characters To keep to the mean ka from different suffering, things. the Archaeologists Egyptians developed have had a a difficult method time deciphering called embalming some of the to clay preserve tablets bodies that have and keep been them found from because there were so many different variations of cuneiform used in ancient times. decaying. The Egyptians preserved bodies as mummies, specially The alphabet system of phonemic writing was invented around 1800 BC. treated bodies wrapped in cloth. Embalming preserves a dead body The alphabet had far fewer signs than cuneiform because rather than for many, many years. A body that was not embalmed would having a symbol for each syllable as was the case in the cuneiform system, decay alphabet quickly letters in a could tomb. be combined to make syllables. Reading and writing Embalming became was much a complex quicker and process easier that to do took after several the alphabet weeks to system complete. was created, In the and first cuneiform step, embalmers was soon replaced. cut open the body and removed all the organs except for the heart. The removed organs were FAST FACT: stored The in special people jars of called ancient canopic Mesopotamia jars. Next, used embalmers clay envelopes to used keep a documents special substance private. to dry out the body and later applied some special oils. The embalmers then wrapped the dried-out body with linen cloths and bandages, often placing special charms inside the cloth wrappings. Wrapping the body was the last step in the mummy-making process. Once it was completely wrapped, a mummy was placed in a coffin. Only royalty and other members of Egypt s noble class could afford to have mummies made. Peasant families did not need the process, however. They buried their dead in shallow graves at the edge of the desert. The hot, dry sand of the desert preserved the bodies naturally. Only the god Anubis was allowed to perform special jars and kept next to the mummy. The body was preserved as a mummy and kept in a case called a sarcophagus. The Sweetest Thing 32

Hieroglyphics and the Written Language Do you wish your teacher would let you draw pictures all day? If so, you would have loved living in ancient Egypt! The ancient Egyptians used picture words to write. Their system of writing was called hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics comes from a Greek word meaning sacred words". Hieroglyphics were very complex. The system included over 1,000 symbols. Keep in mind that the alphabet you use only includes 26 letters! Some hieroglyphic symbols represented sounds (like our alphabet letters do) and others represented words. Some ancient civilizations wrote on clay or carved in animal bones. Rather than doing this, the Egyptians created a special type of paper. It is similar to the paper we use today. Papyrus was strong, durable paper made from the river plant also called papyrus. Hieroglyphics weren t only written on papyrus. They were also carved in stone on walls and painted on decorative objects. Hieroglyphics were first created to keep records. Later, they were used to express religious beliefs and tell stories. Most Egyptians could not write or read. Hieroglyphics were difficult and involved. Some people spent years learning and practicing the use of the writing system. These people were called scribes. The job of a scribe was highly thought of in ancient Egypt. Hieroglyphics were not the only type of writing used in Egypt. The Egyptians also used a type of cursive script called hieratic. This type of writing was faster and easier to use than hieroglyphics. It was a great alternative to hieroglyphics. Another form of cursive called demotic was used for government and business purposes. Coptic script was created later, too. It was a combination of hieroglyphics and the Greek alphabet. Lastly, meroitic was developed in the Kush or Nubia region. The Egyptians conquered the Kushites several times and pushed their culture on the Kushites. This is probably why a mix of the two civilization s languages was created. Hieroglyphics was one of the first written languages ever developed. It dates back over 5,000 years ago. It was used until around the fifth century AD. For many years after that, historians did not know much about the language because they could not decipher, or make meaning of, it. In 1799 AD, French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte s army discovered the Rosetta stone. This stone was carved in three languages: Egyptian, demotic, and ancient Greek. The stone gave historians the code to cracking the different languages. Historians have been able to learn a lot about the Egyptians based on what they wrote about now that they can decipher the languages. Word Count: 423 The Sweetest Thing 22

Trade in Egypt The land in Egypt was a lot like the land in Mesopotamian. Egyptian soil was rich and fertile. It was perfect for growing crops. However, Egypt lacked some natural resources. It did not have forests that supplied timber and minerals. The Egyptians were forced to trade with nearby nations to get what they needed. The Egyptians bartered their goods. Bartering means to exchange goods and services for other goods and services. The Egyptians also used an easy form of payment called a Deben. A Deben is a specific weight of copper or silver. Egypt is located along the Nile River. The river was an easy trade route for the Egyptians to use. Goods were carried by boat along the Nile. Once the boats reached their destination on land, goods could be hauled in carts, strapped to donkeys, or carried by hand on foot. Most trading took place in markets near the docks of the river or at the entrances of cities. People who traded goods for a living were called merchants. They were respected in society. The Egyptians traded with other civilizations. Kush, Greece, and Syria were some of the groups they traded with. The Egyptians imported precious stones, gold, and ivory from Kush. Import means to purchase and ship in. The Egyptians imported luxury goods from Egypt and other places. Luxury goods make life more comfortable and enjoyable. Gold and precious stones were luxury goods. Egypt s main exports were papyrus items, stones, gold, copper, and crops. Exports are goods that are shipped out of the country to sell. The trade relationship between Kush and Egypt eventually became complicated. Kush had many natural resources that Egypt did not have. The powerful Egyptians eventually conquered Kush. They forced their culture on the Kushites. Kushites had to learn to speak Egyptian. They also had to change their dress and religious beliefs. Centuries later when the Egyptian kingdom fell, Kush became its own country again. Eventually, Kush conquered Egypt. The Egyptian s trade relationships impacted the country s development. Trading gave the Egyptians access to goods that they otherwise would not have had. Their lifestyles became much more luxurious as a result of trade. Trade also resulted in the spread of the Egyptian culture around the world, specifically in Kush. The Egyptian kingdom grew and developed in power and complexity as a result of trade. The Sweetest Thing 26

Art and Architecture of Egypt Egypt was one of the first groups of civilized people in the history of the world. Their art and architecture was very expressive. This means it showed their religious beliefs, daily life, and government structure. Religion was all over Egyptian art and architecture. It was central to the lives of the Egyptians. Most of what historians know about the Egyptians came from studying their art and architecture. Architecture is the design and construction of buildings. Many structures were built to worship gods and pharaohs. Temples, pyramids, and monuments were some of the structures that were built most often. The Egyptians worshipped their gods in temples built out of stone. The temples had stone pillars supporting their heavy stone roofs. Large statues of gods were built inside the temples. The Great Sphinx of Giza is one of the most famous giant sculptures. It is over 200 feet long. The Great Pyramids in Egypt are one of the great wonders of the ancient world. Pyramids are some of the most famous Egyptian structures. People travel from all over the world to see the remains of these structures today. Pyramids were built in order to burying dead kings. Some of the fanciest Egyptian artwork was made to be buried with the dead. The Egyptians were very religious people. They believed strongly in the afterlife. They believed in preserving bodies and burying valuable things. The Egyptians thought this would make sure the dead were prepared for afterlife. Royalty, especially pharaohs, were buried in the fanciest tombs. Pharaohs were placed in the biggest pyramids with all of their wealth. Egyptian history is preserved in these pyramids. The Egyptians are famous for their large sculptures and structures. They are also known for their detailed smaller sculptures. Egyptian artists used expensive materials for decoration in these smaller sculptures. Ivory and gold were often used. They also made masks, jewelry, and pottery. The Egyptians designed and decorated their sarcophaguses. Sarcophaguses were the mummy cases or stone coffins where the dead were buried. Precious metals and jewels covered these coffins. Most artwork was made to worship kings and gods. Rituals and ceremonies for the gods were also shown in paintings. Sometimes paintings were made on the sides of walls or on other structures. Relief carvings were a type of art that was either carved or painted on walls or structures. The Egyptians only drew the profile of a person s face. They rarely ever drew a person facing forward. Egyptian artists drew and painted flat in 2-D. Egyptian people had a rich culture and created a great deal of artwork. Egyptian art told a lot about the life and values of the people. The subject matter of the art changed over time depending on who was in power. However, the style of Egyptian artwork did not change very much. Most Egyptian art and architecture that has been found, studied, and preserved came from tombs. Egyptian art and architecture is not only fun to look at, but is also important in understanding how the civilization went about daily life and what they valued the most. Word Count: 514 The Sweetest Thing 30

King Tut Can you imagine a nine-year-old as the President of the United States? Believe it or not, one of ancient Egypt s most famous pharaohs was that young. The boy king was named King Tutankhamen or Tut for short. He took the throne at just nine years old. People didn t know much about King Tut until the last century. When his tomb was discovered in 1922, historians learned a lot about him. Tut was buried with lots wealth. This made him famous right away. People have been interested in him ever since. He is one of the most famous ancient Egyptians. FAST FACT: King Tut s name can be spelled different ways: Tutankhamen, Tutankhamun, and Tutankhamon. Tut was born in 1341 BC. He was the son of the powerful King Akhenaten of the 18th Dynasty. It was not strange for royal men in Egypt to have more than one wife. This practice is called polygamy. It was also not strange for both royalty and common people to marry their own family members. Tut s father did both of these things. Because of this, historians don t know if Tut s mother was King Akhenaten s main wife (and cousin) Nefertiti or one of his lower wives (and sister) called The Younger Lady. King Akhenaten tried to change Egyptian religion while he was king. He wanted things to be different than they had been in the last 1,000 years. Akhenaten wanted the Egyptians to only worship the sun disk god Aten. He even named his son Tutankhamen after this god. Tut s name means living image of Aten. After ruling Egypt for seventeen years, King Akhenaten died. Tutankhamen was only seven years old at the time. Two years later, Tut married his sister Ankhesenpaaten. He became pharaoh when he was nine years old. Tut inherited a kingdom that was a mess because of the changes his father tried to make. Although Tut was technically the king, he probably didn t make all of the decisions. He probably had elders giving him advice and guidance. Historians think two men in particular helped Tut: a general named Horemheb and a vizier named Ay. With their help, Tut undid much of the work his father had done. For example, Tut restored the original capital city of Egypt. His father had tried to move it. Tut also changed his name from Tutankhamen to Tutankhaten. His new name meant the living image of Amun." After ruling for ten years, King Tut died suddenly. For many years, historians thought the young king been healthy. They thought that his early death was either an assassination or an accident. However, recent research has changed these ideas. Researchers found defects in Tut s left foot and face. They also found signs that he had malaria. It turns out that Tut s health wasn t so great. Tut and his wife had two children, but neither child survived for very long. Both children died while they were very young. Tut s unexpected death left no heir to the throne. His death ended his family s dynasty. His two advisors later took his place on the throne. Tut s tomb was still being built when he died. Remember that his death was very sudden. Historians think Tut was buried in a minor tomb in the Valley of Kings because it was all that was ready when he died. This actually turned out to be a good thing. The smaller tomb kept him hidden and untouched until 1922 AD. Many other kings tombs had been raided, but Tut s wasn t. After it was found, King Tut s tomb was very interesting to people. His untouched tomb showed Egyptian wealth. Within the bigger picture of Egypt, King Tut was not an important leader. He only ruled for a short time. However, the mysteries around his short reign and life have kept people interested in him for many years after his death. Many scientists and historians have dedicated themselves to learning more about the mysterious boy king, his puzzling death, and the majesty of his burial. Word Count: 664 The Sweetest Thing 42

Queen Hatshepsut One of the most successful and long-ruling pharaohs in ancient Egypt was a woman. Queen Hatshepsut ruled for over twenty years. She was the third female pharaoh in Egyptian history. She shared the throne first with her husband and later with her son. Egypt grew peacefully under both of her shared leaderships. Hatshepsut was the daughter of King Thutmose I and his wife Ahmes. Her father was a well-known ruler with strong military skills. Queen Ahmes never had a son, so the king had to have children with his lesser wives. He needed to have a son to make sure his family would keep the throne. Thutmose II was the oldest son of King Thutmose I and one of his lesser wives. When her father died, Hatshepsut married her half-brother Thutmose II. Hatshepsut was only twelve years old at the time. She and her new husband took over the throne in 1492 BC. Together, Queen Hatshepsut and King Thutmose II ruled until Thutmose II died in 1479 BC. Thutmose II left the throne to his baby son when he died. Thutmose II and Hatshepsut did not have any sons together. Thutmose III s mother was one of Thutmose II s lesser wives. The throne belonged to Thutmose III right away, but he was not old enough to rule. So, it was custom for Hatshepsut to take his place until he was old enough. However, when Thutmose III was still very young, Hatshepsut took over completely. She made herself pharaoh. Queen Hatshepsut became the sixth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty. Historians are not sure why Hatshepsut took the throne for herself. For many years, they thought she did it because she was power hungry. New research suggests she did it for a different reason. It is possible that she took the throne to protect Egypt from outside attackers. Regardless of why she did it, Queen Hatshepsut s reign was not easy. Not all Egyptians liked Queen Hatshepsut taking over as pharaoh. She had to work hard to justify her position. She even ordered that she be shown as a male pharaoh with a beard in some paintings and statues. FAST FACT: Architecture was one of Queen Hatshepsut s strengths as a leader. Some of the structures she ordered to be built are still marveled at today. Hatshepsut died around 1458 BC. Thutmose III finally took over the throne after her death. By that time, Thutmose III was in his early twenties. As Thutmose III began to rule, Hatshepsut was buried in a tomb in the Valley of Kings. Thutmose III ruled for the next thirty years. He was just as strong and powerful of a leader as his stepmother had been. He worked hard to destroy anything left from Hatshepsut s reign. No one knows for sure why he wanted to erase her from history. He may have done it out of anger because she took his position. Because of Thutmose III s destruction and the damage that was later done by tomb raiders, much of Hatshepsut s reign as a powerful woman leader of Egypt is still a mystery. The Sweetest Thing 46

Ramses the Great Ramses the Great wasn t called the great for no reason. Ramses really was a great pharaoh of Egypt. He was the second longest ruling pharaoh in Egyptian history. Ramses was the third king of the 19th Dynasty. He ruled from 1279 BC to 1213 BC. Ramses ruled during the height of the Egyptian Empire. This time period is called the New Kingdom or the Golden Age. He was a strong and wise military leader. He was both a political and a religious figure. He was also known for being a great builder. Future Egyptian leaders were always compared to him. Ramses family was different than the families of most pharaohs. He didn t come from a family of rulers. His father Seti I was a strong and fierce military leader. He fought hard to restore Egypt when it was weak. By the time Ramses was born in 1303 BC, Seti I had become the pharaoh of Egypt. His mother Tuya was the queen. Ramses older brother was supposed to be the next king, but his brother died when Ramses was fifteen. When he became Prince of Egypt, Ramses married two wives and joined his father in the military. FAST FACT: Ramses is also spelled Ramesses or Ramssess. Sometimes he is called Ramses the Great and other times he is called Ramses II. He was named after his grandfather Ramses I. After his father died in 1279 BC, Ramses inherited the throne when he was just twentyfive years old. Ramses was a strong military leader, like his father. He led the Egyptian Army against many enemies and expanded the empire. The most famous battle Ramses fought in was called the Battle of Kadesh. Ramses led 20,000 Egyptians against 30,000 to 50,000 Hittites. Ramses returned home a war hero because his he led his men to safety and brought them home alive. In addition to being a war hero, Ramses was known for the great structures that he had built during his reign. FAST FACT: Ramses is also known for organizing the first peace treaty to end a war. After twenty years of fighting the Hittites, he realized the war would never end, so he developed the treaty with the Hittite leader. Ramses fathered over 100 children during his lifetime. Unfortunately, Ramses had to train thirteen different sons to take his place because he lived so long. Twelve of these sons died before Ramses did. Ramses reigned for many years until he died when he was ninety years old. Ramses was buried in the Valley of the Kings. His son Merenptah inherited the throne after his death. Egypt was devastated by his death because Ramses had been such a strong, long-lasting, and beloved ruler. Word Count: 451 The Sweetest Thing 50

Cleopatra Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt was a famous female ruler. Her life tells an interesting story. She even inspired William Shakespeare to write a play about it. Although the drama of her life often overshadows her leadership, Cleopatra was a strong leader. She was loyal, patriotic, and dedicated to her country. Cleopatra is best known for her beauty, power, intelligence, and sad life story. Cleopatra was born into the Macedonian dynasty around 69 BC. Her father King Ptolemy II died in 51 BC. Eighteen-year-old Cleopatra and her ten-year-old brother Ptolemy XIII were left with the throne. Like many siblings, Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy XIII did not always get along. Ptolemy XIII eventually ran Cleopatra out of Egypt. She moved to Syria. There, she organized an army to fight back against her brother and take the throne. FAST FACT: Cleopatra wasn t Egyptian. Her family was filled with a long line of Greeks who ruled in Egypt. At the same time that Cleopatra and her army were returning to Egypt, Roman leader and warrior Julius Caesar was also headed to Egypt. By chance, Cleopatra and Caesar met. The two fell in love. With Caesar s help, Cleopatra s army overthrew Ptolemy XIII. Caesar restored Cleopatra to the throne in Egypt. He also used his power to stop Rome from invading Egypt and taking over. Soon after, Cleopatra and Caesar had a son named Caesarion. The family of three returned to Rome. By that time, some Roman leaders had become jealous of Caesar s power. They ordered for him to be killed in 44 BC. FAST FACT: According to legend, Cleopatra rolled herself in a carpet and snuck into Caesar s room when he was in Rome. It was this brave move that made Caesar fall in love with her. FAST FACT: After Caesar s death, Cleopatra ordered to have her brother Ptolemy poisoned and her sister Arsinoe killed. She didn t want there to be any chance that her son wouldn t get to have the throne. Cleopatra needed to protect her place on the throne after Caesar was killed. She formed relationships with other powerful Roman leaders. Roman general and politician Mark Antony met and fell in love with Cleopatra right away. Antony was Caesar s successor in Rome. Cleopatra and Antony both wanted to be powerful and to strengthen their countries. The power couple had three children together and worked to build a Roman-Egyptian empire. Antony made Cleopatra and her children leaders of certain Roman territories. Several Roman government leaders, including Octavian, were mad that an Egyptian queen was ruling their land. Octavian was supposed to be the heir to Caesar s throne. Octavian and other Roman leaders took revenge. They attacked Egypt with military force. Antony s army was defeated in Egypt. Stories tell that Cleopatra spread a rumor that she died after Antony s army was defeated. Antony was devastated when the news reached him. He took his own life by falling onto his sword. In a shocking turn of events, Antony s advisors rushed him to the stillliving Cleopatra so the two could spend their last moments together. Shortly after Antony s death, Cleopatra committed suicide to avoid being captured by Octavian. She did this by allowing a poisonous snake to bite her. Her death in 30 BC marked the end of the entire Egyptian Empire. Egypt became part of the Roman Empire under the leadership of Octavian. FAST FACT: Octavian became the first Roman emperor after his victories over Antony and Cleopatra. He later changed his name to Augustus. Word Count: 581 The Sweetest Thing 54

(reigned 1525-1504 BCE) Amenhotep I (reigned 1279-1212 BCE) He was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the 19th dynasty and is often egarded as the greatest and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian empire. He built many temples and defeated the Hittites at the battle of Kadesh in 1274 Ramses II BCE to secure Egyptian land. Ramses was married to a beautiful woman named Nefertari, and carvings of this beautiful queen can be seen on Ramsses temple at Abu Simbel. He lived a long life, and died at an age of 92. His successors often referred him as "Ramses the Great" due to the great wealth he brought the empire. MENES The length of Menes's rule in Egypt is highly debated because so little is known of him. Most agree, though, that the year 3000 BCE marks at least some point of his rule. Historians treat Menes rule as the dawn of Egyptian civilization and they even refer to him as the first pharaoh, since it is believed he and Pharaoh Narmer are the same person. He is remembered as the conqueror who first united the Upper and Lower Kingdom s of Egypt and established the famous capital of Memphis, the seat of Egypt's unparalleled cultural achievements during the time of the Pharaohs. (reigned circa 3000 BCE) Khufu (reigned 1475-1425 BCE) Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School History with Mr. E - A Social Studies Professional h of the 18t h Thu tmo se III bec ame the sixt h pha rao his you ng age, dyn ast y whe n his fat her died. Due to her, Hat she psu t, he rule d Egy pt alon g wit h his step mot reig n; whe n for the first t wen ty- t wo yea rs of his e con trol as pha rao h. He is bes t she died, Thu tmo se III gained com plet bec ause of his braver y in bat tle rememb ered as the war rior pha rao h ing Egy pt. The Egy pt emp ire was and his unw illin gne ss to stop exp and se s reig n! the larg est it eve r was under Thu tmo Thutmose III dynasty, and like his successor Khafra, is best remembered for building the Great Step Pyramid, as known as the Great Pyramid of Giza. This has drawn such amazement that it has been labeled as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Kufu s ability to build this structure stands as his proof to command and lead people. e Sphinx was es in mind. Khafra s featur (reigned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khenaten Many believe th Khafra Hatshepsut Amenhotep I was the second pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt and he inherited (reigned 1498-1483 BCE) (reigned the throne upon the E) BC 2 53-2 58 She was an Egyptian qu 25 death of his father and een and took charge up on the death of her husband two older brothers., Thutmose II, because the ir pt son gy, Th E utm ose III, was too young to aoh of Little is known about rule. In her jointfra was the phar ha rul K e wit of h he y r son an, she named herself phara Amenhotep s reign, but nasty. Like m oh and went on to be one of Egypt s most suc in the fourth dy we do know that he cessful. She reigned lon is he, hs ger than any other ao wo ar me n ph of y the rl Egypt continued to maintain Egypt s ea nstr uction how she led tradin ian dynasty and the walls of her temple show co t ea gr s hi r fo g expeditions throughout tight control over Egypt s remembered the world. She is often remembered for he r unusual clothing - she territory. He even : ts en em ev dressed like a achi male so others would tak e a female pharaoh more s extended Egypt s reach into Nubia (modern-day Sudan). As he aged, seriously. hafra was famou K Amenhotep founded a village for the workers who labored in the royal e th g in for build cemeteries called Dayr al-madinah. When he died, the village turned forever at (reigned 2589-2566 BCE) Second Pyramid worshipped him. Upon his death,he shocked the people of Egypt when he ards it. at Sphinx that gu re G e th d an had his tomb constructed away from the temple. a Giz Khufu was the second pharaoh of the fourth built with pharaoh in the history of Egypt. Tut became pharaoh at the very young age of only nine years old. In fact, his young age is the only thing that makes him memorable since he accomplished very little during his lifetime. King Tut died at the age of 18 and his death is shrouded with mystery: some say he was murdered while others believe he had a crippling bone disease. His tomb was discovered in 1922 CE by English archeologist Howard Carter and the world became instantly amazed by the fabulous treasures held within. 2304 diamonds Known red as King Tut, he rule was the youngest (reigned 1334-1325 BCE) Tutankhamun The many Pharaohs of Egypt