Empire of Ancient Egypt (Great Empires of the Past)

The Nile River offers an oasis against the harsh climate of the desert, and without it, the world's first superpower would never have developed. The ancient Egyptians learned how to grow crops based on the river's annual inundation and how to build ships for transport and trade along the Nile. They also built ingenious structures and pyramids, organized a relatively stable government, and devoted themselves to a complex religion that affected all areas of life. Most important, they meticulously recorded events with an early form of writing, of which many documents still survive today. Empire of Ancient Egypt, Revised Edition explores the world of these ancient people, from their elaborate religious celebrations to the daily lives of citizens, bridging the 2,000-year gap between their world and ours. Great Empires of the Past narrates the stories of the most influential empires in world history. Each volume in the series provides an overview of one empire or civilization, exploring its rise and fall, the extent of its influence, society and daily life, and impact in the modern world. Numerous sidebars highlight connections to today, key primary documents, and interesting facts. Full-color photographs and maps, a time line, glossary, bibliography, list of further resources, and an index provide readers with additional access to the information. Wendy Christensen is an award-winning writer and illustrator and a member of the Egyptologists' Electronic Forum (EEF). A great civilization that grew up around the Nile River, ancient Egypt had sophisticated irrigation systems that held back the desert, writing and recordkeeping that tracked every event in the region, and some of the greatest architects and engineers the world has ever seen. This revised edition of "Empire of Ancient Egypt" sorts through the myths of popular culture and contradictory historical evidence to give a clear, detailed picture of the life and history of the ancient Egyptians. It explains why religion played such an important part in Egyptian politics, who stood atop the Egyptian social pyramid, what games Egyptian children played, and why Egypt eventually succumbed to the Roman Empire. Connections to our modern world include everything from licorice, cosmetics, and the domesticated cat to architecture, farming practices, and baseball. The great civilization that grew up around the Nile River had sophisticated irrigation systems that held back the desert, developed writing and record keeping that kept track of every event in the region, and produced some of the greatest achievements in architecture and engineering the world has ever seen. Connections to our modern world include everything from licorice, cosmetics, and the domestic cat to architecture, farming practices, and baseball This book opens with an introduction to the world and the geographic area in the years leading up to the empire, followed by a brief summary of the history of the empire. Sorting through the myths of popular culture and contradictory historical evidence, this volume provides a picture of the life and history of the ancient Egyptians. Presents a history of the ancient empire, providing details on daily life, religion, science, social structure, and politics, and examines the causes of its eventual decline. Before the empire Imperial Egypt Egypt's long decline Egyptian society Everyday life in Egypt Egyptian religion, science, and culture.