1. Aim: How did the ancient Egyptians use the Nile River to develop a successful river civilization?

2. The Nile River Valley Label & color the map using textbook pg. 39

3. The Nile River
Around 5,000 B.C. People began building farming villages in Egypt’s Nile River valley.
Every year the Nile flooded its banks (July through October).
This flood made the Nile Valley lush and green.

4. The Nile River Description: Length: Importance: Location: Floods:
Farming:

5. “The Gift of the Nile”
Why was the Nile River considered a “gift” or a “blessing” from the gods?
2. Why is silt important to Egyptian farmers?
3. Explain why Lower Egypt is north of Upper Egypt.

6. Answers
The Nile is considered a blessing and a gift because it provided water, food, and a means of transportation in the desert.
2. Silt is important to farmers because it is carried by the river and is deposited where the Nile empties into the Mediterranean Sea (delta). Silt is extremely fertile and is a mixture of tiny bits of soil and rock.
3. The Nile River flows northward and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The lower part of the river, or downstream part of the Nile, is called Lower Egypt.

7. Keep in mind…

8. Union of Two Crowns
As time went on, Egyptian farmers learned how to produce more surplus crops.
Craftworkers in villages used new technology to make tools, pottery, and jewelry.
Trade increased between towns.
Villages joined together under the leadership of kings.

9. Pharaoh Menes
As communities grew larger, their governments changed to meet their many new needs.
Towns in Upper Egypt supported a king (Menes) who wore a white crown.
Towns in Lower Egypt supported a king who wore a red crown.

10. Double Crown
White = Upper
Red = Lower

11. A System of Writing
How was it possible for the pharaoh’s government to keep track of all of its business details?
Describe hieroglyphics. What did the ancient Egyptians use to write on?
How were scribes an example of specialization?
4. How did the Rosetta Stone help unlock the meaning of hieroglyphics?

12. Hieroglyphics

13. Scribes Wrote On Papyrus

14. In Conclusion… Why is it important for a civilization to have a
written language? How did the ancient
Egyptians use language to meet their
practical needs?

15. Create Your Own Hieroglyphics
Task: Create your own language by
drawing ten different symbols to represent words,
ideas or letters. Be sure to write their
meanings below each picture.
Example: light a fire or
stand for the letter F
Try It!
Write a sentence using as many symbols
as possible and have your partner decode it.

16. The Rosetta Stone

17. Jean Francois Champollion

18. Hieroglyphic Alphabet
Write a message using the hieroglyphic alphabet.
Exchange with a partner and try to decode their message.