Do Now November 16 is Button Day.  What do you think people used on their shirts and other pieces of clothing before they had buttons?

Introduction to…Ancient Egypt!! We have finished the first two units of our year, which were Early Humans and Ancient Mesopotamia. Now, we are going to begin out unit on Ancient Egypt!!

Preview of what we will learn this unit!! The importance of the Nile River The social order in Ancient Egypt The religious beliefs the Egyptians held Egyptian art and architecture Language and writing Important figures in Ancient Egyptian history Egyptian afterlife Trade in Ancient Egypt

Mysteries of Ancient Egypt

At around the same time of Mesopotamia a civilization was thriving in Egypt.

Egypt is located on the continent of Africa!!

Map of Ancient Egypt The Nile River

Map of Ancient Egypt The Nile River flowed from South to North from Africa into the Mediterranean Sea.

Modern Day Egypt The capital of Egypt is Cairo.

Let’s take about five minutes to locate Egypt on the maps that are taped in your notebooks. Let’s fill it in with an orange colored pencil.

Glossary Builder!! Source-place where something begins Cataract-a set of rocky rapids. (An example would be a waterfall). Interior-in reference to a continent, it is the area away from the coast Delta-an area of soil deposited at the mouth of a river Annual-taking place every year Double-crop-the ability to raise two crops on the same land within a year

What is the Nile River and why was it so important for Ancient Egyptians?? A historian called Egypt “the gift of the Nile.” All life in Egypt was dependent upon this river. Just like life in Mesopotamia depended on the two rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, life in Egypt would not have been successful if the Nile river did not exist.

THE WORLD’S LONGEST RIVER!!!! The Nile River is… THE WORLD’S LONGEST RIVER!!!!

The Nile River The Nile begins in Central Africa and is 3,500 miles long!! It flows north into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile has two sources!! The White Nile The Blue Nile

The Blue Nile

The White Nile

The White and Blue Nile Meet at Khartoum, present-day Sudan In ancient times, this land was known as Kush, or Nubia!!

North of Khartoum, or Kush, the Nile goes through the Sahara desert North of Khartoum, or Kush, the Nile goes through the Sahara desert. This desert covers much of North Africa!! The river flows through SIX cataracts, which are in Kush!! These separate Kush from Egypt!! What is a cataract again?? Do you think the cataracts were a good thing for the Egyptians?? NO!! It made it impossible for people to travel by ship from the sea to the interior of Africa!! The ancient Egyptians did not know the sources of the Nile because of the cataracts!!

The cataracts are right below Egypt. Above the cataracts, the Nile travels 700 miles through Egypt. The river flows through Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt!! What’s the difference??

Upper Egypt Upper Egypt is given its name because it is upstream from the Mediterranean Sea!! In Upper Egypt, the river flows through a narrow valley lined with cliffs. It is located south of the Delta. What is the Delta?? Let’s find out.

Lower Egypt Near the end of its journey, the Nile slows down and fans out into many streams and marshy areas. It leaves silt, or soil, in this area. Over thousands of years, this silt (carried from the African highlands) has build up to form a large river delta. The Nile delta forms Lower Egypt!! The delta has the most fertile soil in all of Africa!!

The Black Land and Red Land The Nile is lined with dark, fertile soil. This soil was so important for Ancient Egyptians, that they named their country Kemet, or “The Black Land.” How was the Black Land created?? Remember how Mesopotamia was often flooded by the two rivers?? Likewise, the annual floods from the Nile created the Black Land.

In Mesopotamia, when the floods went away, they left a fertile soil called silt. This is what gave Mesopotamia its name, “The Fertile Crescent.” Similarly, in Egypt, when the flood waters drained away, they left behind a layer of fresh soil that was ready to plant!! The Egyptians could double-crop the land.

The Red Land The Sahara desert surrounded both sides of the Black Land. Egyptians called this desert land the “Red Land.” Unlike the fertile land of the “Black Land,” the “Red Land” was a deadly place of hot, burning sands!!

The Sahara Desert The Sahara Desert protected Ancient Egyptians from outside influences!!

Let’s see what the Ancient Egyptians thought of the Nile!! Who can remind me…what is a primary source?? Right!! A primary source is an artifact, document, or picture that comes from the time and place we are studying. You will work in partners to read they “Hymn to the Nile,” which was a primary source that historians found.

The Hymn to the Nile Some 3,000 years ago, the Egyptians wrote poems and hymns like this to the river that made their lives possible. They knew that without the Nile, they would have nothing, but dry land!! You will have twenty minutes to read through the worksheet and answer all four questions with your partner!!

Let’s go over the worksheet together!! Be sure to jot down vocabulary words that are difficult, such as manifests, inundation, and valiant.

Homework!! Please study today’s notes for a quiz on Wednesday!!