EGYPTIAN GEOGRAPHY AND

AGRICULTUREUnit Three Lesson One

THE MIGHTY RIVER1) Why was the Nile important to Egyptians?

Provided protection (cataracts) Drinking waterBathingCookingSupport animal and plant lifeCleaning Fish

Vocabulary:

Delta:

the build up of sand and soil at the mouth of a river

Cataracts:

waterfalls or rapids along a river

PHYSICAL FEATURES2) How was the geography of Egypt beneficial to its

survival? Along the Nile land is very fertileDesert on either side was protection from invadersCataracts were dangerous & blocked enemy boats from reaching Egypt

Delta in north was so marshy there were no harbors for invaders to come up onto land

3) Why were Egyptians luckier than Mesopotamians? Mesopotamia had few natural barriers to protect it from invadersMesopotamia had to fight off constant attackersEgypt rarely had to face threats

THE MIGHTY RIVER1)Why was the Nile important to Egyptians?

Provided protection (cataracts) Drinking waterBathingCookingSupport animal and plant lifeCleaning FishTradeTransportation

The Gift of the Nile

FLOODS OF THE NILE4)How were the floods of Nile key Egyptian

survival? Easy to predict - easy to control

Floods left behind rich silt

Silt made soil ideal for farming.

CIVILIZATION ALONG THE NILE

5) What technology did Egyptians develop to help become better farmers?

Irrigation system, basins, canals = collection, distribution of water were needed.

Dikes = strengthen basin wallsShadoof = lift water from Nile to basins

Vocabulary:

Dikes:

earthen banks

Papyrus:

a reed plant used to make paper

UNITING EGYPT6) How did a surplus of food increase trading?

Surplus of Food

Need people to work as artisans, instead of farmers

People made cloth, pottery, tools, weapons, etc.

More goods were available

Traded with one another

Began to trade with MesopotamiaPicked up new ideas about writing and

government

UNITING EGYPTVocabulary:

Surplus:

extra amounts

FLOODS OF THE NILE7) Explain how government developed in Egypt? Causes: Advances in farming and tradeIrrigation systems needed built and maintainedSurplus grain needed stored & passed out Disputes over land needed settled

Effect: Government emerged to plan and direct these activities

FLOODS OF THE NILE7) Explain how government developed in

Egypt? Development: Rulers began as village chiefs

Chiefs united into small kingdoms

Strongest kingdoms overpowered weaker ones

Until one kingdom emerged with one leader

CIVILIZATION ALONG THE NILE

8) List some facts about how Menes united and ruled Egypt. Armies invaded & took control of Lower Egypt (LE)Married a princess from Lower Egypt (LE) to strengthen the empireCombined crowns of Upper Egypt (UE) and Lower Egypt (LE) as a symbol of unityBecame 1st PharaohBuilt capital city – MemphisMenes dynasty lasted about 200 years

Vocabulary:

Pharaoh:

ruler of Egypt, leader

Dynasty:

a line of rulers from one family

Egypt Unification