The Lifeline of the Nile When and how often the Nile River flooded. The route of the Nile. How the Egyptians adapted to the flooding. How the Nile was a “giver and taker of life”.

The Nile River Valley

The Nile River Valley The Nile River Valley civilization began in Egypt, on the continent of Africa. Egypt gets very little rain and is surrounded by hot, sandy deserts. The Nile River Valley was an ideal place for a civilization because the Nile River brought life to the people who lived near it. The Nile River Valley is Surrounded on Four Sides by Natural Barriers 1. Red Sea to the East 2. Desert to the West 3. Mediterranean to the North 4. Mountains to the South

The Nile River Valley The Nile River flows through a Delta, a triangular shaped area of fertile soil at the mouth of a river. The Nile river carried silt, a mixture of rich soil and small rock. The Nile River flowed from south to north which is why Lower Egypt is in the north and Upper Egypt is in the south. The Nile River is the longest river in the world extending more than 4,000 miles in length.

“Giver of Life” The Nile River Valley has "Gifts of the Nile" 1. Predictable flooding 2. Mild flooding therefore able to use river for irrigation 3. Prevailing winds made trade possible both north and south on the river 4. Rich deposits of clay, granite, sandstone and limestone used for building 5. Silt deposits rich for farming 6. Provided valuable crops such as wheat, barley and papyrus which was used to make paper.

Papyrus

“Taker of Life” Sometimes heavy rains caused too much water to overflow. This would destroy crops, homes and people’s lives would be lost. Sometimes the Nile did not flood enough and crops could not grow. Like the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians built irrigation canals to transport water to their crops.

Advancements in Technology The Egyptians were skilled boaters. The Egyptians observed that over time, sunrise and sunset changed. They also observed that the moon’s appearance changed a little each night. The Egyptians used these observations to predict when the Nile River would flood. A calendar system was created to help the Egyptians prepare for the flooding. They were able to determine that the Nile would flood once every year between May and September.

Time to Review How was the Nile River important to the development of this civilization? How was the Nile River a “giver and taker of life”? When and how often did the Nile River flood? What direction did the Nile River flow? What were some advancements in Egyptian technology?