A Very Short Introduction to Ancient Egyptian History

Among the first societies in the Near East and perhaps one of the most important for the future development of Western civilization was Egypt whose history spanned 31 dynasties, roughly from 3000-30 BCE. Organized society arose simultaneously and independently with developments in Mesopotamia. Here is some information from my old lecture notes on Ancient Egypt for the History of Western Civilization I course (HIS 101) at Northern Virginia Community College.

Why Egypt?

  1. Relatively more protected by desert, isolation
    • thus emerged with own characteristics
    • note how environment determined culture, religion, society, economy
  2. The "gift of the Nile"
    • long snake of cultivated ground
    • densely populated
    • regular flooding, rich agriculture
    • transport system
  3. Note that Upper and Lower Egypt were very different. One was narrow, 4-20 miles wide, isolated, surrounded by desert.  The other was flat and fertile with more cosmopolitan contacts.
  4. A strong, organized government because of the need to cooperate in harnessing the annual flooding and irrigation.
  5. relatively very stable

Chronology