The ancient Egypt was one of the most organized lands both politically and economically. Initially, the ancient Egypt was inhabited by hunter-gatherer communities who were sparsely-populated along the Nile River. As time went on, these communities gained economic and social stability, which prompted them to unite politically into a single kingdom under King Menes and comprised of both Lower and Upper Egypt. Historically, it can be divided into three distinct periods namely; the old kingdom, the middle kingdom, and the new kingdom, which enjoyed both success and challenges. However, instability and conflict characterized the transition between the three kingdoms. The Old Kingdom
The old kingdom spanned between 2700 …show more content…
Of major importance during the time was the increasing number of Asian foreigners who settled in the Delta with their leaders becoming local governors. A belief that was specific to this era was inscription of names, as failure would mean disappearance in afterlife.
There were hierarchical classes in the society. The upper class was made up of gods and pharaohs. The middle class was made up of artisans and merchants while at the bottom of the hierarchy were workers who were tasked with working the land. During this period, the kingdom tried to colonize Nubia. Moreover, trade in gold and rare commodities, for instance, ostrich plumes, leopard skins, ebony, and ivory flourished. Barter trade was also practiced and involved exchange of goods for slaves. Religiously, the sun was believed to give life, which prompted pharaoh to refer himself as the Son of Re.
The New …show more content…
The land was ruled by pharaohs who were very powerful and upon death were buried in the valley of kings. Some notable pharaohs of the time included Hatshepsut, who was female, Ramses the great, and Akhenaten. The kingdom expanded into Palestine and Syria and saw an increase in the power of the Amun high priests, which would later lead to divisions. During the time, other neighboring empires sprung up, such as the Sea peoples, Hittites, and the Assyrian Empire which played a role in ending the ancient Egypt’s new kingdom giving rise to foreign kings known as Hyksos.
Military weapons were introduced during this era and were made of bronze with horse chariots being used to carry the soldiers. The new kingdom became synonymous with female rulers and building of temples, a feat that was nonexistent during the previous kingdoms. One ruler, Akhenaton emphasized more on religion and even moved the kingdom’s capital to the north to create room for more sun thereby inaugurating Aton as the sun-god for people to worship. However, the ruler’s emphasis on religion gave leeway for neighboring dynasties to invade