1.6 Egypt and the River Nile

• History
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

1. The Time of Hunters and Farmers

6. Egypt and the river Nile

ANCIENT EGYPT

What you will learn in 

this lesson

• Why the Nile was important to Egypt
• When the Egyptian Period started
• What event started the Egyptian Period
• When the Egyptian Period ended
• What event ended the Egyptian Period
• What the map of ancient Egypt looked like

click here for Wrts word list of this lesson

Egypt and the River Nile

Egypt is a very hot, dry country. It was hot and dry in ancient times, too. The only place crops grew was along the banks of the River Nile. This is because, in ancient times, the river flooded each year from July to October. 

The ancient Egyptians called this time the 'inundation'. When the water went down, it left behind a thick layer of 

fertile mud. The mud soon dried into a soil that crops grew well in. 

The Egyptians were happy with the annual (jaarlijkse) 'inundation'

1. true
2. false

The Nile made the farmland fertile

1. true
2. false

The Egyptian Period

The Nile was also the easiest way to travel around Egypt. It could take twelve days to sail from Elephantine to the sea . It only took seven days to go back because the wind was behind you pushing you along. 

The Ancient Egyptian period began in 3100 BC. All the people living along the River Nile were united under one ruler, a pharaoh. 

In 30 BC the Romans took over and ruled Egypt from Rome. There were no more pharaohs.

According to the text, the Egyptian Period lasted

1. 3130 years
2. 3070 years

The Egyptians called the south of Egypt: Upper Egypt.
The north they called: Lower Egypt.
Can you explain this?

Click this text to watch a 5 minute video about Egypt and the river Nile

Which was NOT a way the farmland was irrigated in Egypt?

1. rain
2. canals
3. sluices
4. shaduf

What was the correct order of farming?
a: watering
b: harvesting
c: flooding
d: planting

1. d, c, a, b
2. b, c, a, d
3. c, d, b, a
4. c, d, a, b

Can you answer in your own words the main question of the video?
Why was Egypt so successful?

SOURCE A 

(all difficult words are in the wrts list)

Lord of the fish, he sends the birds flying south as he rises, 

He is father to the barley and the wheat. 

If he is slow to rise, people hold their breath,  

They grow fierce as food runs out and many starve. 

When the flooding is low, greed stalks the land, 

Rich and poor both wander the roads, homeless. 

Yet when the river rises, sparkling, the land rejoices, 

Every stomach will be filled. 

From a hymn to Hapi, god of the River Nile, written about 2020 BC. 

Read Source A.

Why was Hapi called "father to the barley and the wheat"?

Glossary

Lesson 1.6

• inundation: the time when the river Nile flooded each year and the fields were underwater
  
• fertile: when soil is rich and full of goodness so crops can grow well
  
• crops: plants that are grown by farmers 
  
• pharaoh: the ruler of Ancient Egypt. He/she was seen as both king and god
  

all these words are in the glossary in your textbook

Copy this in your notebook and fill in the gaps.

Summary ch 1.6: Egypt and the River Nile

The only place where crops grew in ancient Egypt were the __________ of the river ____________.

Each year, during the time of ______________ the banks of the river ______________.

When the water went down, it left behind a thick layer of fertile ________.

In this mud the ________ grew well.

The Nile was also the easiest way to __________ around Egypt.

The ancient Egyptian Period began in ____________ when all the people were ________ under one ruler, a ______.

It ended in ___________ when the ________ took over Egypt.

What you learned in 

this lesson

• Why the Nile was important to Egypt
• When the Egyptian Period started
• What event started the Egyptian Period
• When the Egyptian Period ended
• What event ended the Egyptian Period
• What the map of ancient Egypt looked like

Do you think that this lesson was enough for you to understand the learning goals?

1. yes, I got it.
2. no, I still do not understand everything

Was your answer in the previous question "A"?
Then you can fill in "OK".

Was your answer in the previous question "B"?
Then write down what part of the lesson you do not understand and (if you can) what can help you.

congratulations