Final answer:
Egyptian history is primarily divided into the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom, with Intermediate Periods marking transitions between these eras of centralized power and cultural highs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Modern historians have divided Egyptian history into three major periods, which are known as the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom. These are high points in ancient Egyptian civilization, denoting times of powerful centralized state organization, and are punctuated by Intermediate Periods of relative political instability and decentralization. The concept of these periods was systematized by Manetho, an Egyptian priest of the third century BCE, helping scholars to date the vast timeline of Egypt's past. Examples of achievements during these times include the construction of the Great Pyramids during the Old Kingdom and the reign of notable figures like Hatshepsut and Tutankhamen in the New Kingdom. Additionally, periods of foreign rule and fragmented power occurred after the New Kingdom, including Persian control and the eventual Roman occupation following Cleopatra's reign.