Social Studies Essential UNIT Question: How did the ancient world contribute to the development of civilization?

Social Studies Standards Case study of an early people of the Middle East (Sumer, Egypt, or Mesopotamia): 3.1 a, 3.1 c, 3.1 d

DO-NOW: Update Table of Contents; Place homework in portfolio.

Focus Question # 19: How did the Nile River affect the life of the people of Egypt? (Part 2)

Nile River Agriculture & Engineering The annual floods were critically important to Egyptian survival; Engineers built a staircase-like structure called a “nilometer” that helped measure the annual flood water by counting the number of steps covered by the flood; The nilometer helped Egyptians determine weather they needed to use public surplus food to make up for the predicted shortage of crops.

Continued: The Nile helped farmers plant wheat, barley, cucumbers, as well as flax (cloth) and cotton; Like their trading partners to the east, the Sumerians, they built canals and irrigated fields; They used a device called a “shadoof” to lift water into their fields; The Nile was the most important “highway” for trade and the exchange of ideas. Reed boats were used to traverse the Nile.

Silt deposits = Rich soil Silt scooped out of the Nile Silt helps nourish soil

Egyptian Irrigation The Shadoof Canals

The Nilometer

Flax was used for clothing Egyptian Cloth Egyptian weavers Flax was used for clothing

The Flooding of the Nile River

Egyptian Transportation

Egyptian Domestication

The Nile and Its Delta

The Delta

Activity:

Homework # 30: See HW tab (Website)

Today’s Middle East http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/me.htm

Today I Learned . . .