Chapter 7: Geography and the Settlement of Egypt,
Kush, and Canaan
Vocabulary:
1. Egyptian civilization
2. Kush civilization
3. Hebrew civilization
4. environmental factors
5. geography
6. topography
7. vegetation
8. delta
9. fertilization
10. papyrus
11. nomad
Notes:
 The three civilizations that arose in Africa and
southwestern Asia are:
1. Egyptians (3100 B.C.E.- 350 C.E.) settled along the
Nile River in the northeast corner of Africa.
2. Kushites (2000 B.C.E.-350 C.E.) settled to the south of
Egypt, along the southern part of the Nile.
3. Hebrews (1800 B.C.E-70 C.E.) settled northeast of
Egypt, in Canaan.
 Three important environmental factors that contributed to
the settlement of ancient Egypt, Kush, and Canaan are:
1. water
2. topography (the shape of the land)
3. vegetation (plant life)
II.
Three environmental factors:
 Water
1. Most important environmental factor
2. Physical features include: rivers, lakes, and inland
seas
3. Important reasons:
a. Fresh drinking water
b. Bathe and washing helps prevent
disease
c. Source of food (fish, animals and
birds gathered, help grow their
crops)
d. Transportation (visit and trade)
 Topography
1. Features include: mountains, hills,
plains, and deserts
2. Farmers settled in plains and valleys
(grow crops)
3. Mountains and deserts made
settlement difficult (hard to farm and
trade)
 Vegetation
1. Kinds of vegetation: trees, bushes,
flowers, grass, and reeds
2. Physical features affect vegetation:
mild weather, regular rain, and fresh
water
3. Plants were a source of food
4. People made many useful products: medicine,
baskets, rope, tools, and paper
5. Trees provided shade
6. Plants and flowers make a place beautiful
7.3 Environmental Factors and the Early Settlement of
Egypt and Kush
I. Physical Features of Egypt and Kush
A. Nile River
1) Most important physical feature
2) The longest river in the world
3) Ends in a marshy delta in the Mediterranean Sea
a. Delta- an area of sediment deposited in the mouth
of a river
4) Begins in Lake Victoria
B. Deserts
1) Libyan Desert, Arabian Desert, and Nubian Desert
surround the Nile Valley.
2) Formed a natural barrier that helped protect the people
from invaders
C. Mediterranean Sea
1) Source of food (ex: fish)
2) Waterway that linked Egypt to other civilizations
II.
Environmental Factors and Human Settlement in Egypt and
Kush
A. Nile River
1) Provided natural irrigation and fertilization
a. Fertilization- the process of adding fertilizer, or
plant food, to soil
2) Silt is deposited on the soil when the Nile River flooded
the land
3) Fertilized soil enabled the Egyptians to grow crops
(wheat and barley)
B. Nile River Valley
1) Abundant wildlife (fish, ducks, geese, hippos, crocodiles
giraffes, and ostriches)
2) Abundant plants included reed and papyrus.
a. Papyrus- a tough water plant used to make paper
and rope in ancient Egypt
b. Reed was used to make baskets
7.4 Environmental Factors and the Early Settlement of
Canaan
I. Physical Features of Canaan
* Canaan is where the ancient Hebrews settled
A. Canaan
5) Jordan River flows from the Lebanon mountains through the
middle of Canaan
6) Jordan River empties into the Dead sea
7) Syrian Desert and Negev Desert surround Canaan
8) Sea of Galilee is a freshwater lake.
III.
Environmental Factors and Human Settlement in Canaan
A. Mediterranean Sea
1) Allowed traders to visit Canaan
B. Lakes
1) Sea of Galilee had plentiful fish and fertile land.
2) Dead Sea was very salty and nothing could live or grow
in it.
3) The land around the Dead Sea was not good for farming.
C. Jordan River
1) Most important source of fresh water
2) It did not flood regularly so the valley was not as fertile
as the Nile’s
D. Topography of Canaan
1) Land hard to grow crops because of the hilly land and
dry soil.
2) Many people became herders and lived a nomadic life.
a. nomad- a person who moves from place to place
with no permanent home
3) Climate in Canaan discourages abundant plant life.
4) Grasslands were common for herders to use to feed
their animals