Chapter 2, Section 1 The Nile Valley

1. Chapter 2, Section 1The Nile Valley Vocabulary cataract delta papyrus hieroglyphics dynasty

2. Settling the Nile • Earliest __________ moved into Nile River valley from less fertile areas. • Farmed & built villages along riverbanks • _____________ is longest in the world = 4,000 miles long!!! • Egyptians used Nile water for many things: • Drink, clean, farm, & cook. Provided fish, plants, & animals for food. • Nile begins as 2 separate rivers: • _____________ has source from mountains of eastern Africa. • _____________ starts in marshes in central Africa. • Just south of Egypt, two rivers join & form wild rapids called _______________. • Nile Valley is narrow, green valley in ___________.

4. Settling the Nile • Northern end of valley is fertile area of land called a ____________. • ___________ is the largest desert in the world & lies west of the Nile Valley. (The Eastern Desert lies to the east of the valley.) • Geographic features of Nile River protect Egyptians from invading Egypt: • _____________________ • ________________________________ • ________________________________ • _______________ Sea to the north & ______ Sea to the east allowed trade w/other peoples. • Within Egypt, people used Nile for transportation and to trade w/each other.

6. The River People • Egyptians had to cope with ________ along the Nile • Floods were predictable & not devastating. • Each spring, Nile would flood & leave dark, fertile mud along banks. • Farmers learned about waters of Nile and began to farm and live securely. • Used fertile soil to grow wheat, barley, and flax seeds. • Farmers’ wise use of _______________ made farming successful. • Would dig basins in the earth to trap flood waters. • _____________ was a reed plant that grew along Nile. • Used it to make baskets, sandals, & river rafts. Later, it was used to make paper. • Used papyrus rolls as writing paper. • Developed writing system called _________________. • Consisted of thousands of picture symbols.

8. A United Egypt • B/c people of Egypt has surplus food, some became artisans rather than farmers. • Egyptians traded w/each other and others in Mesopotamia. • Chiefs ruled villages: • Over time, few strong chiefs united groups of villages into small __________________. • Eventually, strongest kingdoms overpowered weaker ones. • 2 large kingdoms emerged this way: • ___________________ Egypt. • ___________________ Egypt. • 3100 B.C. Two kingdoms became one. • Credit goes to ______________ (Upper Egypt king). • Ruled city of ____________--kingdom lasted beyond his death.

9. Early Egyptian Life • Narmer’s descendants passed ruling power on from father to son to grandson—forming a ____________. • Ancient Egypt ruled by 31 dynasties grouped into 3 time periods: • _______ Kingdom, __________ Kingdom, & _______ Kingdom. • Ancient Egypt had social classes: • ___________ was highest power • Upper class consisted of nobles, priests, & govt. officials. • Middle class was merchants, artisans, scribes, & shopkeepers. • Farmers were largest group & were in lower class than middle class. • Lower class filled w/unskilled workers. • Men were head of households.

10. Early Egyptian Life • Women had more rights in Egypt than other ancient civilizations. • Could own & pass on property, buy & sell goods, make wills, and obtain divorces. • Few children went to school in ancient Egypt. • Boys learned farming or skilled trades from their fathers. • Girls learned to sew, cook, & run a household • Children also played with board games, dolls, spinning tops, and stuffed leather balls.

11. Vocabulary • Cataract—_________________________. • Delta—____________________________. • Papyrus—__________________________. • Hieroglyphics—______________________ _________________________________. • Dynasty—__________________________ ______________________.