EGYPT Lesson 1 The River Nile

While the empires are rising and falling in Mesopotamia, two other civilizations developed along the Nile river in northeastern Africa. 1.Egypt 2.Kush

Where is Egypt?

LET’S GO!

“Welcome to Africa!!”

“On behalf of Williams Airlines, I hope you had a pleasant flight to Africa. I hope you reach your final destination without trouble. Oh, what is your final destination by the way??“

Egypt!!!!

One of the most distinguishing features of Egypt is its river. The River Nile All the major towns of Egypt are dotted along down the river as you can see below.

BUT WHY?

With an astounding length of 4,145 miles, the Nile River is the longest river in the world, and the only major river that flows south to north. The Nile River is often called the “lifeblood” or “The Gift” of Egypt.

Ancient Egypt includes two regions, upper (southern) and lower (Northern) Egypt Lower (northern) Egypt consisted of the Nile River's delta made by the river as it empties into the Mediterranean. Upper Egypt was the long, narrow strip of ancient Egypt located south of the Delta.

“All aboard!!”

“ On behalf of the TARDIS, I hope you had a pleasant trip to 4000 years in the past. I hope you reach your final destination without trouble. Oh, what is your final destination by the way??“

The River Nile!

History Mystery THURSDAY, October 8, 2015 You are a time traveler. Frustrated, you shove your hands in your pocket where you find a crumpled piece of paper. It looks like a map. The map is similar to the one on page 79. You realize you might be in the city of Thebes in Ancient Egypt. You inquire with a man that is walking in the city as to where you are. He replies, “in upper Egypt, duh!” As you walk down the street taking in the beauty that is surrounding you, you realize with sudden alarm that something isn’t right. The river seems to be flowing backwards. You check your compass rose and realize that the Nile River is indeed flowing backwards. Solve this mystery. How can the Nile River be flowing backwards? Explain with details.

The Nile was the lifeblood of ancient Egypt It made life possible in the otherwise barren desert of Egypt. It is the longest river in the world (over 4,000 miles). It served as a source of food for the people of ancient Egypt It was the major source of water for bathing and drinking The Nile was crucial for farming

Blue Nile

White Nile

White Nile and Blue Nile meet in Sudan

Cataracts Along the Nile there are locations called cataracts. Steep cliffs and large boulders form these dangerous, fast-moving waters. The cataracts prevented invasions from the South along the Nile River. The rushing and swirling water was too difficult to travel along.

Flood Plain

The low strip of fertile land located on either side of the Nile River The river flooded during the annual inundation When the inundation subsided, it left the earth soaked and overlaid with a fresh layer of black silt. Most of the farming occurred here

Each year heavy rains in central Africa caused the river to overflow its banks. When the floodwaters drained away, a rich silt remained. The silt was a natural fertilizer. The dark soil was called “Kemet” meaning “black land.”

Black Land- Controlling the Flooding The yearly flooding continued until the Aswan Dam was built in Now the people use pumps, canals, and chemical fertilizer to keep the land suitable for farming.

The Delta Located in northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and empties into the Mediterranean Sea 240 km of coastline, 106 km in length Rich agricultural region Most fertile soil in Africa

Bordered on the south, east and west by the Sahara Desert, and on the north by the sea, ancient Egypt was protected from outside influences.

The dry, barren lands of the Sahara were known as “Deshuret,” or the Red Land.

The Sahara Desert

Upper and Lower Egypt  Both had rich soil.  The land was perfect for growing crops.  People were able to settle around the river and farm instead of hunting and gathering. Sound Familiar ?

Wealthy landowners controlled almost all of the farmland. Farmers rented and the owners took part of the crop as payment. Typical crops included wheat, barley, onions, lettuce, and beans.

Farmers also raised cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs for food.  Meat  Milk products – including cheese  Beef – mainly for the wealthy  Most could only afford beef for special days, so they caught fish or used nets to catch geese or ducks.

 Plants and animals were important for more than just food.  Fibers of flax plant – used to spin linen thread  Sheep’s wool – woven into cloth  Leather – continers, sacks, shoes  Other plants – sandals, boxes, tabletops

Common problems helped unite the Ancient Egyptians.  They were able to predict when the yearly floods (inundation) would come.  To keep track of this event they created a 365 day calendar based on the sun. Source of INNOVATION

Inundation – The land was made new by the rich silt left by floodwaters. Emergence – Farmers planted using plows or hoes to create furrows. They dropped seeds and led cattle or other animals through the fields to push the seed into the ground.

Harvest – The final season. In most years farmers would have a large crop. Very little rain fell in Egypt. The hot, dry climate was very harsh. The Ancient Egyptians developed irrigation so they could water their crops.

During Emergence they trapped water in ponds to use in case of drought. They also built dams and dikes to hold back the river when there was too much flooding. Canals were built to carry excess water back to the river from the fields.

The Ancient Egyptians We call them ‘Ancient’ Egyptians because they lived so long ago. It has nothing to do with their age. Many of their buildings and temples still survive today, despite being built over 4000 years ago.

Why do you think the Ancient Egyptians lived by the Nile? What do you think the ground would be like away from the Nile? The Sahara Desert

The Egyptians had lived down the River Nile since the beginning of Man. Before the time of the Ancient Egyptians however, Egypt used to be two separate countries. However, there was…

CHAOS! DISASTER! DESTRUCTION!

So, in the year 2920 BC, a strong King came in and united the two countries. This strong King became the first ruler of Egypt. He became known as the…. PHAROAH! After him there were hundreds of pharaohs. They ruled Egypt for 3000 years.

Imagine an ITV talent contest called ‘The Pharaoh Factor’. The contestants would have to have the following qualities: Pharaoh’s were believed to be Gods. Bit tricky. Had to be strong and clever. Bit easier. Needed a good army of men. Easier still. Once crowned Pharaoh, they would be given a special crown with a cobra on it. The cobra was a goddess who protected the Pharaoh. The Egyptians believed that the snake could spit poisonous fire at the Pharaoh’s enemies.

MORE ON THE PHARAOHS NEXT WEEK

Tuesday 19 th May 2009 L.I. The beginnings of Ancient Egypt 1.Why do you think we know so little about early Egyptian history? 2.What different things helped make the Pharaoh powerful? 3.The Nile is the only river in Egypt. Why do you think all the towns are by the river? Why is the land greener near the river?