29. Egypt’s Beginnings
• First Three dynasties and Merging of Upper and Lower
• Egypt in 3100 BC; King Djoser builds step pyramid in 2630 BC
Old Kingdom
• 2575BC Old Kingdom Begins; pyramids built esp. Khufu’s Great Pyramid
• 2160 BC Central power of Pharaohs breaks down and Egypt suffered for 100 years
Middle Kingdom
• 2055 BC Mentuhotep II takes control and Middle Kingdom begins
• Amenemhet I founds the 12th dynasty and rules for 22 years; his dynasty rules for 200 years
• 1630 BC The Hyksos invade and rule Egypt for 100 years
New Kingdom
• Egypt overthrows the Hyksos and the New Kingdom begins; it is a period marked by many
strong pharaohs
• 1472 BC Hatshepsut-first female pharaoh, “steals” throne from stepson
• 1353 BC Akhenaton becomes pharaoh; promoted worship of Sun god Aton singularly
• 1333 BC Tutankhamen takes over and restores polytheism
• 1279 BC Ramses II takes throne and rules for 66 years extends Egypt’s land greatly
• After his death, Egypt weakened and was ruled by foreign powers for a 1000 years
• In 525 BC the Persians took over, followed by the Greeks in the 300’s
30. Kush Civilization
• Nubia was controlled by Egypt until
central power broke down
• When the less powerful rulers in Egypt
couldn’t control Nubia any more, the
Kush civilization grew up
• Around 750 BC Piye, the Kushite
king, began defeating enemies up and
down the Nile until he controlled all of
Egypt and was declared pharaoh.
• In 671 BC, the Assyrians invaded and
ended Kushite rule in Egypt.
