Ancient Egypt: Crash Course World History #4

Summary

In this episode of Crash Course: World History, John Green explores the enduring legacy of Ancient Egypt, highlighting its influence on our perception of civilization. He discusses the Nile's role in shaping Egyptian society, the development of pyramids and the concept of divine kingship, and the rich cultural practices that have captured our imagination, such as the worship of the sun god Ra and the reverence for cats. The video also touches on the historical periods of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms, the military expansion, and the fascinating story of King Tutankhamun, emphasizing the continuity and complexity of Egyptian civilization over millennia.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Ancient Egypt is considered highly influential among river valley civilizations, known for figures like King Tut and symbols such as the Eye of Horus.
• 🏛 The pyramids of Egypt are the last remaining of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, symbolizing the civilization's enduring legacy.
• 🕰 Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted from 3000 BCE to 332 BCE, a span of time that historians refer to as 'a long-ass time'.
• 🌾 The Nile River was crucial to the development of Egyptian civilization, providing a fertile agricultural area and enabling a simple form of water management called basin irrigation.
• 👑 The Pharaohs of the Old Kingdom were seen as divine or very close to gods, with their rule characterized by monumental constructions like the pyramids.
• 📚 The Egyptians possessed a high level of literacy with two forms of writing: hieroglyphics for sacred texts and demotic script for everyday record-keeping.
• 🌌 The Egyptians had a positive view of the afterlife, often burying their dead with items that were useful and pleasurable in life, reflecting a belief in a continuation of earthly existence.
• 📉 The Old Kingdom experienced a decline around 2250 BCE due to droughts and internal power struggles, leading to an intermediate period.
• 🛡 The Middle Kingdom saw a resurgence of Pharaonic rule with new rulers from Nubia and the rise of the god Ammun-Ra, reflecting changes in religious practices.
• 🗺 The New Kingdom was marked by military expansion and the formation of an empire, with Pharaohs like Hatshepsut expanding Egypt through trade rather than conquest.
• 👦 King Tutankhamun, despite his short reign and death at a young age, has become the most famous Pharaoh due to the intact discovery of his tomb and the subsequent fascination with his life and death.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Nile River in Ancient Egyptian civilization?

The Nile River was crucial to Ancient Egypt as it provided a regular and navigable water source, making the surrounding area one of the world's richest agricultural regions. Its annual flooding left behind nutrient-rich silt, which greatly facilitated farming and contributed to the abundance of food surpluses, allowing the Egyptians to undertake impressive projects like the construction of the pyramids.

How did the Nile's characteristics influence the Egyptian worldview and their concept of the afterlife?

The Nile's predictability and generosity led to a general optimism in Ancient Egyptian culture. Unlike the gloomy afterlife envisioned by some other ancient civilizations, the Egyptians believed in a positive afterlife that was a continuation of their earthly life, which was shaped by the bountiful and nurturing nature of the Nile.

What are the three broad categories into which historians have divided Egyptian history?

Egyptian history is divided into the Old Kingdom (2649 to 2152 BCE), the Middle Kingdom (2040 to 1640 BCE), and the New Kingdom (1550 to 1070 BCE), with a couple of Intermediate periods in between.

What was the role of the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt?

The Pharaoh was considered either a god or very close to a god, embodying the divine aspect of the Nile. This divine status meant the Pharaoh was expected to act with the calm, cool, and benevolent demeanor of the Nile, and was responsible for maintaining cosmic order.

Why were the pyramids built, and what do they represent?

The pyramids were built as tombs for Pharaohs and represent a remarkable degree of political and social control. They were constructed to please the gods and maintain cosmic order, reflecting the belief that the Pharaohs became gods upon their death.

Who were the Hyksos, and how did they impact Egyptian history?

The Hyksos were a Semitic people from the Levant who conquered Egypt. Rather than destroying Egyptian culture, they assimilated into it, bringing with them superior military technology such as bronze weapons, compound bows, and chariots, which the Egyptians later adopted.

What was unique about Pharaoh Akhenaten's religious beliefs?

Pharaoh Akhenaten attempted to establish a new monotheistic religion centered around the god Aten. He was known for his cult of personality and the creation of a feared police force, but his religious reforms were not sustained after his death.

Why is King Tutankhamun famous, and what misconceptions does his fame entail?

King Tutankhamun is famous primarily because his tomb was discovered largely intact in 1922, sparking widespread interest. A common misconception is that he lived around the same time as the pyramids, but in fact, he lived over a thousand years later, during the New Kingdom.

What was the significance of the Eye of Horus in Ancient Egyptian culture?

The Eye of Horus is a significant symbol in Ancient Egyptian culture, often associated with protection, royal power, and good health. It is frequently depicted in Egyptian art and was used as an amulet.

What forms of writing did the Ancient Egyptians use, and for what purposes?

Ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphics for sacred writing and important inscriptions, while demotic script was used for more mundane purposes such as recording contracts and agreements.

How did the Ancient Egyptian view of history differ from other ancient civilizations?

Ancient Egyptians viewed history through a lens of continuity and stability, with a strong emphasis on the role of the Nile and the divine nature of their Pharaohs. This contrasts with other ancient civilizations that might have viewed history through the lens of great men or philosophical debates.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Introduction to Ancient Egypt

The script begins with John Green introducing the topic of Ancient Egypt, distinguishing it from modern Egypt and emphasizing its historical significance. He mentions the influence of Ancient Egypt on modern culture, citing examples like King Tut and the Eye of Horus. Green also discusses the duration of the Egyptian civilization, which lasted from 3000 BCE to 332 BCE, and introduces the concept of viewing history through different lenses, including those of traditionally neglected populations. The script then shifts to discuss the impact of the Nile on Egyptian civilization, highlighting the river's role in shaping their worldview and agricultural practices, and the resulting surpluses that allowed for impressive projects like the pyramids.

05:01

🏛 The Dynasties and Cultural Aspects of Ancient Egypt

This paragraph delves into the historical periods of Ancient Egypt, known as the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom, each characterized by different dynasties. The Old Kingdom is highlighted for its monumental achievements, such as the construction of the pyramids at Giza, which demonstrated the political and social control of the pharaohs. The script also touches on the religious beliefs of the Egyptians, particularly the importance of the sun god Ra and the belief in the afterlife. The paragraph further discusses the literacy of the Egyptians, their forms of writing, and the wealth of the Old Kingdom. It also briefly mentions the challenges faced during the intermediate periods and the eventual restoration of Pharaonic rule in the Middle Kingdom, along with the introduction of new deities like Ammun-Ra.

10:03

🌏 The Expansion and Conflicts of the New Kingdom

The final paragraph of the script focuses on the New Kingdom, detailing its military expansion and the formation of an empire. It describes the reign of Hatshepsut, who expanded Egypt through trade rather than military conquest. However, most New Kingdom pharaohs pursued military expansion, leading to conflicts with the Assyrians, Persians, Alexander the Great, and eventually the Romans. The script also mentions the unique Pharaoh Akenhaten, who attempted to introduce a new monotheistic religion centered around the god Aten, and his successors who reverted to traditional religious practices. The paragraph concludes with a humorous open letter to King Tutankhamun, reflecting on his life, death, and posthumous fame, and a brief mention of the upcoming topics to be covered in the Crash Course series.

Keywords

💡Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt refers to the civilization that lasted from 3000 BCE to 332 BCE along the Nile River. It is known for its monumental architecture, such as the pyramids, and its significant contributions to art, religion, and writing. In the video, the theme revolves around the historical significance and cultural achievements of Ancient Egypt, highlighting its long-lasting impact on the world.

💡River Valley Civilizations

River Valley Civilizations are early cultures that developed around major rivers due to the fertile land and water supply, which supported agriculture. The script mentions Ancient Egypt as the most influential of these civilizations, emphasizing its development along the Nile and how the river's characteristics shaped the civilization's worldview and lifestyle.

💡Nile

The Nile is a river in northeastern Africa and was the lifeblood of Ancient Egypt, providing water and fertile soil for agriculture. The video describes the Nile as 'regular, navigable, and benign,' which allowed for an abundant food supply and contributed to the civilization's stability and prosperity.

💡Pyramids

Pyramids are massive structures built as tombs for pharaohs and are iconic symbols of Ancient Egypt. The script discusses the construction of the pyramids during the Old Kingdom, showcasing the political and social control that enabled such grand projects, and mentions the Great Pyramid of Giza as a lasting wonder of the ancient world.

💡Pharaoh

A Pharaoh was the ruler of Ancient Egypt, often considered a god or divine being. The video explains the concept of divine kingship, where the Pharaoh was expected to embody the calm and benevolence of the Nile, highlighting the role of the Pharaoh in maintaining cosmic order and the significance of their tombs, like the pyramids.

💡Basin Irrigation

Basin irrigation is a simple form of water management where floodwaters are used to fill basins and canals for agricultural purposes. The script explains how the Nile's natural characteristics allowed for this method, which was less labor-intensive compared to other river valley civilizations, thus enabling Egyptians to create food surpluses with relatively little work.

💡Old Kingdom

The Old Kingdom is a period in Egyptian history from 2649 to 2152 BCE, known for the construction of the pyramids and the establishment of the Pharaoh's divine status. The video describes this era as the 'glory age' of Ancient Egypt, where significant cultural and architectural achievements took place.

💡Middle Kingdom

The Middle Kingdom period in Egyptian history, from 2040 to 1640 BCE, is characterized by the restoration of Pharaonic rule and the introduction of new gods to the pantheon. The script mentions the Middle Kingdom as a time of change, with outside rulers from Nubia and the rise of the god Ammun-Ra, reflecting the dynamic nature of Egyptian religion and politics.

💡New Kingdom

The New Kingdom, lasting from 1550 to 1070 BCE, is depicted in the script as a period of military expansion and empire-building. It highlights the reign of Pharaohs like Hatshepsut, who expanded Egypt through trade, and the eventual conflicts with other powers such as the Assyrians, Persians, and Romans.

💡King Tut

King Tut, or Tutankhamen, was a Pharaoh of the New Kingdom who is famous for the intact state of his tomb and the wealth of artifacts found within. The video humorously addresses the misconception about his era in relation to the pyramids and emphasizes his fame due to the preservation of his tomb, contrasting with the typical fate of robbed pharaonic graves.

💡Historical Lenses

Historical lenses refer to different perspectives or approaches to studying history, such as focusing on great men, philosophical conversations, or traditionally neglected populations. The script uses this concept to illustrate the multifaceted nature of historical study, encouraging a comprehensive view that includes various narratives and experiences.

Highlights

Ancient Egypt's influence on modern culture, including recognition of figures like King Tut and symbols like the Eye of Horus.

The longevity of Ancient Egyptian civilization, lasting from 3000 BCE to 332 BCE, emphasizing its historical significance.

The Nile's role in shaping Egyptian civilization, providing a stable and fertile environment for agriculture.

The simplicity of Egyptian agriculture due to the Nile's natural flooding and silt deposition, enabling easy planting.

The Nile's influence on Egyptian worldview and optimism, contrasting with other river valley civilizations.

The division of Egyptian history into Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms with distinct characteristics and periods of change.

The Old Kingdom's achievements, including the construction of the pyramids and the concept of divine kingship.

The political and social implications of pyramid construction, reflecting the Pharaoh's control over the population.

The religious significance of Ra and the belief in cosmic order maintained through human actions and Pharaoh worship.

The literacy of Old Kingdom Egypt with the use of hieroglyphics and demotic script for different purposes.

The wealth of Old Kingdom Egypt and the subsequent challenges faced during periods of drought and power struggles.

The Middle Kingdom's restoration of Pharaonic rule with new rulers from Nubia and the rise of the god Ammun-Ra.

The Hyksos' conquest and eventual assimilation into Egyptian culture, leading to the adoption of new military technology.

The New Kingdom's expansionist policies, forming an empire and engaging in trade and military conflicts.

Hatshepsut's unique approach to expanding Egypt through trade rather than military might.

The cultural misunderstanding regarding the timeline of Egyptian history, with King Tut's era being much later than the pyramids.

The enduring legacy of Ancient Egypt, lasting longer than Western Civilization and its influence on global culture.

Transcripts

Hi there, my name’s John Green and this is Crash Course: World History, and today we’re going to talk about Egypt.

No, not that Egypt. Older.

Older. Older.

Less fictional. Yes, that one.

Ancient Egypt is probably the most influential of the river valley civilizations.

Like you might not recognize any Assyrian Kings or Assyrian language, but you probably do know King Tut.

And you may recognize that the Eye of Horus is right now staring at me and judging me.

I can feel, I can feel your judgement.

[Theme Music]

When we think of Ancient Civilizations, we think of Egypt.

There are a few reasons for this, like the fact that the pyramids are the last man standing among the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.

But more importantly, Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted from 3000 BCE to 332 BCE.

That’s a period that historians call a long-ass time.

And I will remind you it is not cursing if I'm talking about donkeys.

So there are many approaches to the study of history. You could view history as a millennial

long conversation about philosophy or as clashes between great men or you can see history through

the lens of traditionally neglected populations, like women or indigenous peoples or slaves.

And we’re going to try to take many approaches to our study of history during Crash Course.

Mr. Green, Mr. Green, which approach is right? I mean, for the test.

Oh me-from-the-past. Remember how you spent all of third year French writing notes back

and forth to that girl and she eventually agreed to go out with you and you did make

it to second base but now you can hardly parle un mot de francais?

Historical lenses are like that, my friend: With every choice, something is gained and something is lost.

Right, so in discussing agriculture and early civilizations, we’ve been approaching history

through the lens of resource distribution and geography.

And just as the violent and capricious Tigris and Euphrates rivers shaped the worldview

of early Mesopotamians, the Nile shaped the world view of the Egyptians. Let’s go to the Thought Bubble.

The Nile was regular, navigable, and benign, making for one of the safest and richest agricultural

areas in the world. Each summer the river flooded the fields at precisely the right

time, leaving behind nutrient-rich silt for planting season.

Planting was so easy that Egyptians just tossed seeds around the silty earth and then let

their cattle or pigs walk on it to press the seeds into the ground, and then boom, grain

and figs and wheat and pomegranates and melons and joy.

Unlike most river valley civilizations, Egyptian communities existed ONLY along the Nile, which

was navigable enough to get valuable resources downstream from timber to gold, which the Egyptians

considered the divine metal, thereby introducing an idea that would eventually culminate in Mr. T.

The Nile is also easily tamed. While other river valley civilizations needed complicated

and labor-intensive hydraulic engineering projects to irrigate crops, the Nile was so

chill that Egyptians could use a simple form of water management called basin irrigation,

in which farmers used floodwaters to fill earthen basins and canals for irrigation.

In short, the awesomeness of the Nile meant Egyptians could create big food surpluses

with relatively little work, allowing time and energy for some pretty impressive projects.

Also, the Nile may help explain the ancient Egypt’s general optimism:

While ancient Sumerian religion, for instance, saw the afterlife as this gloomy, dark place,

Egyptians were often buried with things that were useful and pleasurable to them in life,

because the Afterlife was seen as a continuation of this life, which, at least if you lived

along the Nile, wasn’t half-bad.

Thanks, Thought Bubble.

And now, my dear pupils, I shall terrorize you with the oppression of dates. No. Dates.

Yes. Thank you.

Historians have divided Egyptian history into three broad categories. Each with their own

numbered dynasties. But only hardcore Egyptologists know the dynasties, and we’re not trying

to become hardcore Egyptologists.

The Old Kingdom lasted from 2649 to 2152;

The middle kingdom from 2040 to 1640;

And the New Kingdom, so called because it is only 3,000 years old, lasted from 1550-1070 BCE.

In between you have a couple so-called Intermediate periods. Okay, OLD KINGDOM.

This was really the glory age of ancient Egypt, when we get all the stuff that will later

make Indiana Jones possible, like the pyramids at Giza, and the sun king Ra, and the idea of divine kingship.

The king, or Pharoh, was either a god or very close to a god.

which seems like a good gig, except that it meant that he wasn’t expected to act like

a person, he was expected to act like a god, which in ancient Egypt means acting like the

Nile: calm, cool, benevolent... There’s no fun it that.

And then of course there are the pyramids, which aside from remaining impressive to behold

represent a remarkable degree of political and social control over the population, because

it is not easy to convince people to devote their lives to building a sarcophagus for someone else.

The most famous pyramids were built between 2575 and 2465 BCE.

The one with the Sphinx was for Khephren;

the largest, the Great Pyramid, was built for the Pharaoh Khufu.

These pyramids were built partly by peasants who were required by Egyptian law to work

for the government a certain number of months per year,

and partly by slaves, but not by Moses and the Jews, who showed up on the scene long

before pyramids were ever even a twinkle in Khufu’s eye.

This leads to an overwhelming question: Why? Why in the sweet name of Ra would anyone ever

build such a thing?

Well, let’s start with Ra. So, Ra started out as a regional god, reigning over Heliopolis,

but he eventually became really central to the entire pantheon of gods of ancient Egypt.

He was the god of the sun, but also the god of creation.

And the thinking was that if humans did their jobs then the pantheon of gods would maintain

cosmic order, and since the pharaohs became gods upon their death, it made sense to please

them even unto pyramids.

Egyptian popular religion also embraced the belief in amulets and magic and divination

and the belief that certain animals--

especially cats—had divine power.

And yes, I did bring that up just so I could lolcat.

Old Kingdom Egypt was also remarkably literate:

They had two forms of writing, hieroglyphics for sacred writing and then demotic script

for recording contracts and agreements and other boring stuff.

The last thing I want to say about Old Kingdom Egypt; it was ridiculously rich.

But then around 2250 BCE there were a series of droughts and Pharaohs started fighting

over who should have power and we had an intermediate period.

[classic intermission music]

Which was followed by the Middle Earth...

No, what? The middle kingdom? Ohh. Really? That’s a bummer, Stan. I want it to be the

Middle Earth. How awesome would that be? Like right in the middle of Egyptian history, there

were Hobbits....

So the Middle Kingdom, which apparently had no Hobbits, restored Pharaonic rule in 2040

BCE but with some distinct changes:

First, the rulers were outsiders, from downriver in Nubia. Second, they fostered a new pantheon

of gods, the star of which was Ammun, which means hidden.

So here’s a little lesson from history: Hidden gods tend to do well because they’re omnipresent.

So Ammun eventually merged with Ra to form the god Ammun-Ra, who was like the best god ever

and all the Middle Kingdom pharaohs made temples for him and devoted all of their surplus to his glory.

The Middle Kingdom also developed an interest in conquering, specifically the new homeland

of Nubia, and they developed a side interest in getting conquered, specifically by Semitic

peoples from the Levant.

They were able to conquer much of Egypt using superior military technology like bronze weapons

and compound bows, and chariots of fire. What? They were just regular chariots? STAN WHY

ARE YOU ALWATS KILLING MY DREAMS?

One group, the Hyksos, were able to conquer all of Egypt, but rather than like destroying

the Egyptian culture, they just relaxed like the Nile and assimilated into the Egyptians.

And the Egyptians adopted their military technology. And then the Egyptians destroyed the Hyksos

and expelled them from Egypt.

And then by 1550 BCE there was again an Egyptian pharaoh, Ahmosis...

...whose name only sounds like an STD.

Anyway, after all this conquering and being conquered, Egypt eventually emerged from its

geographically imposed isolationism and, can you cue the New Kingdom Graphic please?

There it is!

New Kingdom Egypt continued this military expansion but it looked more like an Empire,

particularly when they headed south and took over land in an attempt to find gold and slaves.

Probably the most expansive of the New Kingdom pharaohs was Hatshepsut, a woman who ruled

Egypt for about 22 years.

And who expanded Egypt not through military might, but through trade.

But most new kingdom pharaohs being dudes, focused on military expansion, which brought

Egypt into conflicts with the Assyrians who you’ll remember from last week,

And then the Persians, and then Alexander the Great and finally, the Romans.

On the whole, Egypt probably would’ve been better off enjoying its geographical isolation

and not trying to conquer new territory, but all of Egypt’s friends had jumped off a bridge, so…

One last thing about the New Kingdom. There was this crazy New Kingdom Pharaoh named Akehenaten,

who tried to invent a new god for Egypt, Aten.

Akehenaten was kind of the Kim Jong Il of Ancient Egypt, like he had this feared police

force and this big cult of personality. And also he was a nut job.

Anyway, after his death he was replaced by his wife, and then a daughter and than a son,

Tutankaten, who turned his back on the weird god Aten and changed his name to Tutankhamen.

And that is about all King Tut did before he died...

...probably around the age of 17. Honestly, the only reason King Tut is famous is that

most Pharaohs had their graves robbed by ancient people; and King Tut had his grave robbed

by 20th century British people.

Which brings us to the Open Letter.

An Open Letter to King Tut:

Oh, but first we gotta find out what Stan left for me in the Secret Compartment. It’s a pen.

AAHHHH!! It’s a shock pen! Stan?%@#

That’s a terrible, terrible gift for the secret compartment.

Dear King Tut, I know that as Pharaohs lives go, yours was pretty poor. First, you had to marry your

sister, which hopefully you weren’t that psyched about, plus you had a cleft palette

and probably scoliosis.

Plus you died before really reaching adulthood. But dude, you have had the best afterlife ever.

Since your body was discovered in 1922, you’ve become probably the most famous ancient person.

There have been lots of books about you, scholars have devoted their lives to you.

Dude, we’re so obsessed with you that we used this fancy new technology to scan your

body and establish that you probably died of an infected broken leg and/or malaria,

So you’ve inspired such seminal works of art as the Discovery Kids series Tutenstein,

which my son forces me to watch.

Your relics have been to six continents! So it all works out in the end, man.

Well, I mean, you’re still dead. So that’s kinda sucks.

Best wishes, John Green

King Tut leads us nicely to the really crucial thing about Egyptian culture.

Because King Tut lived right around the same time as the pyramids right? Wrong.

Remember the pyramids were built around 2500 BCE during the Old Kingdom. King Tut died

in 1322 BCE, 1200 years later!

That’s five and a half Americas. But because Egypt was so similar for so long, it all tends

to blend together when we imagine it.

Ancient Egypt lasted 1000 years longer than Christianity has been around, and about 800

years longer than that other super-long lived civilization, China.

So there was an entire culture that lasted longer than Western Civilization has existed

and it had run its course before “the West” was even born.

Next week, we’ll look at the Persians and the Greeks. I’ll see you then.

Crash Course is produced and directed by Stan Muller; The show is written by Raoul Meyer

my high school history teacher and myself; our script supervisor is Danica Johnson and

our graphics team is Thought Bubble.

Last week’s phrase of the week was “Male Models.” You can take your guess at this

week’s phrase of the week in Comments and also suggest future phrases of the week.

And if you have any questions about today’s video, leave them in Comments and our team

of semi-professional quasi-historians will endeavor to answer them as best we can.

Thanks for watching and as we say in my hometown: Don’t forget to be awesome.