How do rivers affect the development of a civilization/city? What do the three rivers mean to the city of Pittsburgh? How have the three rivers affected the development of Pittsburgh?

Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile The Land: Its Geography and Importance

Landscape  12,000 years ago: Swampland –Egypt Today: Mostly desert  Geographical Factor: Nile River. –Fostered one of the earliest and richest civilizations.

About the Nile River  The longest river in the world –4,160 miles  Flows from South to North.  Forms a large delta –Empties into the Mediterranean Sea.

The Nile Fosters Civilization  Flow: S to N allows people to move goods upland (North)  Winds: blew from N to S off of the Med. Sea –allows boats to sail Southward

The Nile Fosters Civilization  Nile River: Linked all parts of Nile Valley. –Pathway of travel/trading of goods and ideas. –Helped Ancient Egyptians unite into one kingdom.

 Flooding: caused by heavy summer rains. –Left rich and fertile soil deposits.  Farmers plan work around annual floods –Harvest crops before flood. –Large crop yields = population growth. *Climate: Sunny and frost free. ~ Easy to grow crops. The Nile and Early Civilization

The Nile Valley  Location: surrounded by desert and sea. –natural protection against invaders. –Built unique culture  Isthmus of Suez: broke the natural barriers. –Land bridge between Africa and Asia –Route for trade with Middle East

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Early Steps Toward Civilization  Hunter-gatherers: 12,000 B.C.  By 3,000 BC: important steps toward civilization. –Developed farming communities. –Created Tools: Copper/Bronze. –Developed a writing system.

Hieroglyphics ~ More than 600 signs and pictures- represent words and sounds. ~Carved into stone. ~Later written on papyrus.

Papyrus ~Plant found in the Nile marshes ~Cut into slices and pressed together. ~Written on with ink.

Rosetta Stone ~Translated Hieroglyphics –discovered by French soldiers in 1799 ~Passages carved in Greek, Hieroglyphics and Demotic. ~Eyewitness account of Egyptian history.