Transcript ancient egypt i - 6th-d

EGYPT Lesson 1
The River Nile
• While the empires are rising and falling in
Mesopotamia, two other civilizations
developed along the Nile river in northeastern
Africa.
1.Egypt
2.Kush
Where is Egypt?
LET’S GO!
“Welcome to Africa!!”
“On behalf of
Williams Airlines, I
hope you had a
pleasant flight to
Africa. I hope you
reach your final
destination without
trouble.
Oh, what is your final
destination by the
way??“
Egypt!!!!
• One of the most distinguishing features of Egypt is its river.
• The River Nile
• All the major towns of Egypt are dotted along down the river
as you can see below.
BUT
WHY?
• With an astounding length of 4,145 miles,
the Nile River is the longest river in the
world, and the only major river that flows
south to north.
• The Nile River is often called the
“lifeblood” or “The Gift” of Egypt.
• Ancient Egypt includes
two regions, upper
(southern) and lower
(Northern) Egypt
• Lower (northern) Egypt
consisted of the Nile
River's delta made by the
river as it empties into the
Mediterranean.
• Upper Egypt was the
long, narrow strip of
ancient Egypt located
south of the Delta.
“All aboard!!”
“On behalf of the TARDIS,
I hope you had a pleasant
trip to 4000 years in the
past. I hope you reach
your final destination
without trouble.
Oh, what is your final
destination by the way??“
The River Nile!
History Mystery
• THURSDAY, October 8, 2015
• You are a time traveler. Frustrated, you shove your hands in your
pocket where you find a crumpled piece of paper. It looks like a
map. The map is similar to the one on page 79. You realize you
might be in the city of Thebes in Ancient Egypt. You inquire with a
man that is walking in the city as to where you are. He replies, “in
upper Egypt, duh!”
• As you walk down the street taking in the beauty that is surrounding
you, you realize with sudden alarm that something isn’t right. The
river seems to be flowing backwards. You check your compass rose
and realize that the Nile River is indeed flowing backwards. Solve
this mystery. How can the Nile River be flowing backwards?
Explain with details.
• The Nile was the lifeblood
of ancient Egypt
• It made life possible in
the otherwise barren
desert of Egypt.
• It is the longest river in
the world (over 4,000
miles).
• It served as a source of
food for the people of
ancient Egypt
• It was the major source of
water for bathing and
drinking
• The Nile was crucial for
farming
Blue Nile
White Nile
White Nile and Blue Nile meet in Sudan
Cataracts
• Along the Nile there are
locations called cataracts.
Steep cliffs and large
boulders form these
dangerous, fast-moving
waters.
The cataracts prevented invasions from the
South along the Nile River. The rushing and
swirling water was too difficult to travel
along.
Flood Plain
Flood Plain
• The low strip of fertile
land located on either
side of the Nile River
• The river flooded during
the annual inundation
• When the inundation
subsided, it left the earth
soaked and overlaid with
a fresh layer of black silt.
• Most of the farming
occurred here
Each year heavy rains in central
Africa caused the river to overflow
its banks. When the floodwaters
drained away, a rich silt remained.
The silt was a natural fertilizer.
The dark soil was called “Kemet”
meaning “black land.”
Black Land- Controlling the
Flooding
• The yearly flooding
continued until the
• Aswan Dam was
built in 1972.
• Now the people
use pumps,
• canals, and
chemical fertilizer
• to keep the land
suitable for
farming.
The Delta
• Located in northern
Egypt where the Nile
River spreads out and
empties into the
Mediterranean Sea
• 240 km of coastline,
106 km in length
• Rich agricultural
region
• Most fertile soil in
Africa
• Bordered on the south, east and west by
the Sahara Desert, and on the north by the
sea, ancient Egypt was protected from
outside influences.
• The dry, barren lands of the Sahara
were known as “Deshuret,” or the
Red Land.
The Sahara Desert
Upper and Lower Egypt
Both had rich soil.
The land was perfect for growing crops.
People were able to settle around the
river and farm instead of hunting and
gathering.
Sound Familiar ?
Wealthy landowners controlled almost
all of the farmland.
Farmers rented and the owners
took part of the crop as payment.
Typical crops included wheat, barley,
onions, lettuce, and beans.
Farmers also raised cattle, goats,
sheep, and pigs for food.
Meat
Milk products – including cheese
Beef – mainly for the wealthy
Most could only afford beef for
special days, so they caught fish
or used nets to catch geese or
ducks.
 Plants and animals were important for
more than just food.
Fibers of flax plant – used to spin
linen thread
Sheep’s wool – woven into cloth
Leather – continers, sacks, shoes
Other plants – sandals, boxes,
tabletops
Source of
Common
problems helped unite the
INNOVATION
Ancient Egyptians.


They were able to predict when
the yearly floods (inundation) would
come.
To keep track of this event they
created a 365 day calendar based
on the sun.
Inundation – The land was made new
by the rich silt left by
floodwaters.
Emergence – Farmers planted using
plows or hoes to create
furrows. They dropped
seeds and led cattle or
other animals through the
fields to push the seed
into the ground.
Harvest – The final season. In most
years farmers would have
a large crop.
Very little rain fell in Egypt.
The hot, dry climate was very harsh.
The Ancient Egyptians developed
irrigation so they could water their crops.
During Emergence they trapped water in
ponds to use in case of drought.
They also built dams and dikes to hold back
the river when there was too much flooding.
Canals were built to carry excess water back
to the river from the fields.
The Ancient Egyptians
• We call them ‘Ancient’ Egyptians because they lived so long ago. It has
nothing to do with their age.
• Many of their buildings and temples still survive today, despite being
built over 4000 years ago.
• Why do you think the Ancient Egyptians lived by the Nile?
• What do you think the ground would be like away from the
Nile?
The Sahara Desert
• The Egyptians had lived down the River Nile since the
beginning of Man.
• Before the time of the Ancient Egyptians however, Egypt used
to be two separate countries.
• However, there was…
CHAOS!
DISASTER!
DESTRUCTION!
• So, in the year 2920 BC, a strong King came in and united the two
countries.
• This strong King became the first ruler of Egypt. He became known as
the….
• PHAROAH!
• After him there were hundreds of pharaohs. They ruled Egypt for 3000
years.
Imagine an ITV talent contest called ‘The Pharaoh Factor’. The contestants
would have to have the following qualities:
• Pharaoh’s were believed to be Gods. Bit tricky.
• Had to be strong and clever. Bit easier.
• Needed a good army of men. Easier still.
Once crowned Pharaoh, they would be given a special crown with a cobra
on it. The cobra was a goddess who protected the Pharaoh. The Egyptians
believed that the snake could spit poisonous fire at the Pharaoh’s enemies.
MORE ON THE PHARAOHS
NEXT WEEK
Tuesday 19th May 2009
L.I. The beginnings of Ancient Egypt
1.
2.
3.
Why do you think we know so little about early Egyptian history?
What different things helped make the Pharaoh powerful?
The Nile is the only river in Egypt. Why do you think all the towns
are by the river? Why is the land greener near the river?