Geography and Early Egypt
5th Grade History - Ms. Russac
Key Terms Fertile Crescent Tigris River Euphrates River Silt Irrigation Canals Plateau Surplus
Civilization Occupation Division of labor Specialization Artisans Social class Government
Gift of the Nile
Location and Physical Features
Longest river in the world Starts in Central Africa Flows north toward Mediterranean Sea Forms a delta near Memphis in Lower
Egypt Cataracts, or steep white water rapid
in the river, made it hard to sail along the southern part of the Nile
Source: http://www.ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Eras/Display.aspx?storyid=1184504&pagetypeid=-1&entryid=586080&issublink=true&fromsearch=false
Floods of the Nile Floods easy to predict
Flooded UE in mid-summer Flooded LE in fall
Coated land with silt Rich for farming Darkened land: “black land”
Desert: “red land”
Increased Food Production Irrigation system Abundance of food
Wheat Barley Fruits Vegetables
Raised animals Cattle Sheep
River provided Fish Geese Ducks
Natural Barriers Sahara Desert-to the west Mediterranean Sea-to the north Red Sea-to the east Cataracts in the Nile-to the south
Protected From Invaders Villages grew Wealthy farmers became leaders Villages banded together Development of two kingdoms
Lower Egypt Upper Egypt
Two Kingdoms Lower Egypt
Capital city-Pe King wore red
crown Upper Egypt
Capital city-Nekhen King wore a cone-
shaped white crown
Menes Ruler of UE Invaded LE United UE and LE Egypt’s 1st pharaoh Egypt’s 1st dynasty Wore double crown New capital-Memphis
Political center Cultural center Artistic activity
Source: www.ancienthistory.abc-clio.com
Detail of the Narmer Palette, which shows King Menes (also known as Narmer) receiving a captive from the god Horus. Considered the first pharaoh of a unified empire of Upper and Lower Egypt, Menes may have been in fact an amalgamation of several pharaonic kings.