By: Kyla Rahner, Tori McKinley, Shelton Swint The Nile Valley

Physical Geography The Nile Valley runs North from the headwaters in Burundi to the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River measures 6,650 kilometers. It is the longest river in the world.

Physical Geography The Nile River is surrounded by deserts. The mountainous Arabian Desert (Eastern), the sandy Libyan Desert (Western), and the Sahara Desert The rich, fertile land was known as the “Black Land” The desert land was known as the “Red Land” and protected the Nile from invasions.

The Flooding of the Nile An annual flooding cycle in Egypt. There are 3 Stages of the Flooding Cycle: Akhet- the actual time of the Nile’s flooding Peret- the sowing time (time to plant the seeds) Shemu- the time of harvest

Soil and Farming The floods left behind very rich, thick mud that was excellent for farming. The Egyptians could only grow their crops in this soil They all had fields along the Nile Egyptians grew crops such as wheat, barley, vegetables, figs, melons, pomegranates, and vines. Other crops such as flax and grain were also grown.

Technology Tools and weapons were made out of stone. Stone weapons were used to kill animals, butcher meat, and cutting plants. Stone was also used to help build basic structures and shelters.

Water The first civilizations were located by the water of the Nile River. Civilizations were based near water because it made it easier to find nutrient-rich soil. Being near water also made trading with other places easier.

The Unifications of Egypt- Old Kingdom The Lower and Upper parts of Egypt were unified in 3100 BC Pharaohs were the leaders of the Egyptian Government. They claimed that their power came from God (divine rule). They had absolute power and took pride in preserving justice and social order. Pharaohs depended on viziers to supervise business government order. Under the vizier, different departments handled all other matter such as tax collection and farming.

Pyramids The pyramids were built when Egypt was one of the most advanced civilization in the world. The Great Pyramids of Giza are some of the most amazing man made structures.

Little Known Facts Egyptians believed that the Nile flooded every year because of Isis’s tears of sorrow for her dead husband, Osiris. The Nile was a “gift”, without it Egypt would be “swallowed” by barren deserts that surround it. The capital of the Old Kingdom was Memphis The shape of the pyramids is thought to have been inspired by the spreading rays of the sun.