Egypt Notes #3 Jan.25/11
Importance of Nile R.
Story of ancient Egypt is story of Nile
Nile flows from south (Upper Egypt) to north(Lower Egypt)
for about 1000 km connecting entire country
most of river valley is less than 20 km wide
valley much wider at river's mouth - Nile Delta- shaped like a triangle of extremely fertile land
Nile flooded banks every year in late spring and deposited fine black silt on land around it
Levels flooding varied greatly year to year
Too high water- villages and fields destroyed
Too low water - crops failed and infestation of pests and scorpions and rats
When flood waters receded farmers planted crops
farmland was resurveyed each year
Egyptians were good at math -especially geometry and surveying techniques.

Government
3100 BCE -Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt united under one pharaoh Menes of Memphis founded 1st Dynasty
Egypt society began to develop and advance
Old Kingdom 2700 BCE -2200 BCE
Middle Kingdom (2050 BCE -1800 BCE)
New Kingdom (1550 BCE -100 BCE)