1. Ancient Egypt & The Nile River

2. Today’s goal: You will be able to explain why the Nile River was an important natural resource for the people of ancient Egypt. Explain how the Nile River allowed for the development of a complex civilization.

3. Add to your glossary: Civilization - An advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached. The world’s first civilizations developed roughly 5,000 years ago… The first civilizations developed along rivers (for all the reasons we have and will discuss.) Mesopotamia – along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Egypt – along the Nile India – the Indus River China – Yellow and Blue Rivers What are some of the things ancient Egypt is known for???

4. Besides building pyramids, having Pharoahs and mummifying cats, the ancient Egyptians also… -Developed one of the first writing systems, hieroglyphics, around 6,000 BCE -Invented a kind of paper called papyrus thousands of years before the Chinese developed modern paper around 140 BCE -Designed the first calendar of 365 days -Started using plows before many other groups around 4,000 BCE -Invented eye make-up for wealthy people and the door lock around 4,000 BC I will prove today that without the Nile River NONE of this would have been possible!!

6. ‘Black land’ versus ‘Red land’ The earliest Egyptians moved into the Nile River valley from less fertile areas. They farmed and built villages along the riverbanks. The Sahara, the largest desert in the world, lies west of the Nile Valley. The Eastern Desert lies to the east of the valley. The ancient Egyptians called the deserts “the Red Land.”

7. Reasons the Nile River was important to ancient Egyptians: Agriculture/Farming Food Transportation/Trade

8. AGRICULTURE Floods along the Nile were predictable (Egyptians knew when they were coming and could plan for them.) Each spring the Nile would flood and leave a dark, fertile mud along its banks where plants and crops would grow well in the floodplains. Fact: Egyptians developed the calendar in part to keep track of the floods

9. AGRICULTURE Farmers learned about the waters of the Nile. They used the soil left behind by the floods to grow wheat, barley, and flax seeds. Wheat and barley are grains that can be eaten. Flax can be woven and used to make baskets and other things. WheatBarley Flax

10. IRRIGATION – AGRICULTURE/WATER Farmers learned about irrigation. They dug basins to trap floodwaters, dug canals to channel water to the fields, and built dikes to strengthen the basin walls.

11. DRINKING WATER/FOOD People could drink the water from the Nile and also use it to raise animals such as sheep and cattle.

12. FOOD The river also provided many types of fish to eat, and hunters trapped ducks and geese.

13. TRANSPORTATION/TRADE Ancient Egyptians treated the Nile River as a highway – it was much faster and safer to move people and objects down the river than it was to go through the desert. People things – and ideas – traveled up and down the Nile River.

14. Farming in ancient Egypt How did the Nile River lead to successful farming in ancient Egypt?

15. Because of the Nile River each person was able to grow or catch more food than the person needed. What will people do when they have more food than they need?

16. Egypt became a wealthy place… 1.Farmers/fishers could grow/catch more food than they needed so they could sell or trade the extra food they produced. 2.The Nile River made trade easy so people could travel to sell what they had. 3.Not everyone needed to produce food so some people could do other things. 4.Social classes developed.

18. As society became more complex, government and writing developed to help organize and control agriculture, the military and large projects. Because of the extra food produced, Egypt could feed soldiers to be sent outside Egypt to capture slaves to work, resources and wealth. Workers could be fed and instead of farming work on large projects. River Nile = Pharaohs, pyramids….

20. Your task: Draw pictures to show how the Nile River led to the development of civilization HAND IN YOUR WORK! Finished?