Aim: How did the ancient Egyptians use the Nile River to develop

a successful river civilization?

The Nile The Nile River River ValleyValley

Label & Label & color the color the

map using map using textbook textbook

pg. 39pg. 39

The Nile RiverThe 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.

The Nile RiverDescription: Length: Importance:

Location: Floods: Farming:

““The Gift of the Nile”The Gift of the Nile”

1. 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.

AnswersAnswers1. 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.

Keep in mind…

Trade Specialization

surplus

Agriculture

Union of Two CrownsUnion 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.

Pharaoh MenesPharaoh 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.

Double CrownDouble Crown

White = UpperWhite = Upper

Red = LowerRed = Lower

A System of WritingA System of Writing

1. How was it possible for the pharaoh’s government to keep track of all of its business details?

2. Describe hieroglyphics. What did the ancient Egyptians use to write on?

3. How were scribes an example of specialization?

4. How did the Rosetta Stone help unlock the meaning of hieroglyphics?

HieroglyphicsHieroglyphics

Scribes Wrote On PapyrusScribes Wrote On Papyrus

In Conclusion…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?

Create Your Own HieroglyphicsTask: 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 FTry It!Try It!

Write a sentence using as many symbols

as possible and have your partner decode it.

The Rosetta StoneThe Rosetta Stone

Jean Francois ChampollionJean Francois Champollion

Hieroglyphic AlphabetHieroglyphic Alphabet

1. Write a message using the hieroglyphic alphabet.

2. Exchange with a partner and try to decode their message.