Ancient Egypt: The Nile River Reading Notes pgs. 100-103
The Nile River Valley
Egypt developed in the northern part of the Nile River Valley in northeastern
Africa.
Kush developed in the southern part of the Nile River Valley.
Valley Civilization
Why was the Nile River valley ideal for human settlement?
It was ideal because of the fertile land along the Nile River.
The early Egyptians called their land Kemet which means “black land” after the
dark, rich soil.
The Gift of the Nile
Why have many of ancient Egypt’s structures survived?
Many structures have survived because of Egypt’s hot, dry climate.
What important resources did the Nile River provide to early Egyptian settlers?
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Fertile soil for farming
Water for crops, bathing, cooking, and drinking
The Nile River is the world’s longest river. It flows north about 4,000 miles
from central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Blue Nile and the White Nile join south of Egypt to form the Nile River.
Steep cliffs and boulders form dangerous, fast-moving waters called
cataracts. This makes traveling by ship along the Nile very dangerous.
A Protected Land
The Nile’s flow through the centuries has created a valley.
(an area of lush, green, low flat land, often found between hills or mountains)
Before the Nile reaches the Mediterranean Sea, it splits into many branches that
resemble a plant’s bloom.
These waterways form a fan-shaped area of fertile marshland called a
delta. This is where a river flows into a sea.
The Nile River borders the largest deserts in the world. They helped isolate
Egypt from outside invaders.
To the west is: the Libyan Desert, which forms part of the Sahara Desert.
To the east is the Eastern Desert, which extends to the Red Sea.
What other physical features helped to protect Egypt?
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The Nile’s cataracts prevented enemy ships from attacking in the south
Delta marshes in the north stopped invaders from the Mediterranean Sea
Describe how Egypt’s wind patterns affected travel and trade.
The natural flow of the Nile carried boats north, the winds from the south
pushed sailboats south
People of the River/Predictable Floods
As in Mesopotamia, flooding along the rivers was common. How was flooding
different in Egypt than it was in Mesopotamia? State at least 3 differences.
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In Mesopotamia, flooding was unpredictable, but in Egypt the Nile
flooded seasonally and consistently from year to year
Flooding along the Nile was less destructive
Egyptians were not afraid that flood water would destroy their homes and
crops
Farmers learned the flooding cycle of the Nile and took advantage of this
water and the thick deposits of fertile soil that remained after flooding