1. I.The Geography of the Nile
A.Introduction
1.The Greek historian Herodotus called Egypt “the Gift of the Nile”.
2.There would be no Egypt without the Nile.
B.The Course of the Nile River
1.The Nile is the world’s longest river and consists of the Blue Nile and the White Nile.
2.An ancient region of the Nile is called Nubia. (Present day Sudan)
3.The Nile contains six cataracts or rock-filled rapids. (Today there are only 4 cataracts.)
4.Upper Nubia and Lower Nubia were two ancient regions of the Nile.
5.A six mile wide area on each side of the Nile was available for farming in Egypt.
6.The Nile delta is at the mouth of the river near the Med. Sea. It is some of the most fertile land in Egypt.
7.The floodwaters deposited a thick layer of silt along the banks of the river.
8.Unlike the Mesopotamians, the Nile’s flooding was more predictable and calmer.
9.Beyond the narrow strip of “black land” was the vast “red land”.
10.The deserts provided protection from foreign invasions.

2. C.The Growth of Communities and Trade Along the Nile
1.Settled farming communities began to appear in Egypt around 5000 B.C.
2.Homes were built of straw and mud bricks. (Like Mesopotamia)
3.Nubians and Egyptians ate fish, ducks, and other birds that lived along the Nile.
4.The Nile was the main highway for the Egyptians. It was easy to travel North and South.
5.The Nubians became famous traders of the ancient world.
6.Caravans carried all kinds of objects from central Africa to Egypt.

3. Extra Notes: