Ancient Egypt / Geography

Ancient Egypt / Geography

Ancient Egypt / Geography

The ancient Egyptians were not isolated from other cultures, but they were protected. On either side of the Nile, beyond the rich soil, was desert. Mountains rose in the south. To the north was the vast Mediterranean Sea. The geography of Egypt greatly affected the unique culture these ancient people created thousands of years ago. The ancient Egyptian civilization developed along the lower Nile River to the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile opened access in and out of ancient Egypt. The Nile River and their natural barriers all helped to develop a culture uniquely Egyptian.

Multiple Choice

What great river flows through Ancient Egypt

• Yellow

• Tigris

• Euphrates

• Nile

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was not a natural barrier protecting the people of Egypt

• Mountains to the south

• Mediterranean sea to the North

• Wide expanses of desert on either side of the Nile River

• Lions and tigers roaming the land looking for bad guys

The Nile River

The Nile is the longest river in the world. It is shaped like a lotus flower, the design seen in ancient Egyptian art, math, and hieroglyphics. It runs south to north, beginning in the mountains in the south and ending 4,000 miles later at the Mediterranean Sea. Each spring, when snow on the mountains would melt, the Nile River would flood. This was a very good thing. When the flood waters receded, they left behind fertile soil. Crops could easily be grown in this black, rich soil. The ancient Egyptians called this soil the "The Gift of the Nile".

Multiple Choice

The Nile is the longest river in the world.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

The Nile River is shaped like a _______ flower, the design seen in ancient Egyptian art, math, and hieroglyphics.

• Petunia

• Columbine

• Daisy

• Lotus

Multiple Choice

Every year the Nile, when snow on the mountains would melt, the Nile River flooded. Was this a good thing, or not?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

________ best describes the kind of soil left behind after the annual flood waters receded.

• Fertile

• Muddy

• Barren

• Rocky

Nile River

The Nile provided other gifts to the ancient Egyptians. Papyrus, used for everything, grew wildly along its banks. It provided water for cooking and bathing. Fish and waterfowl were plentiful. Wild vegetables could be found, along with bird eggs. Egypt is located in the middle of a desert. But life along the Nile was splendid.

Multiple Choice

Which of these resources was not mentioned as a gift from the Nile to the ancient Egyptians?

• Recreational boating and resorts

• Papyrus, used for everything

• Water for cooking and bathing

• Wild vegetables and bird eggs.

^{Black Land / Red Land}

The ancient Egyptians thought of Egypt as being divided into two types of land, the 'black land' and the 'red land'.

The 'black land' was the fertile land on the banks of the Nile. The ancient Egyptians used this land for growing their crops. This was the only land in ancient Egypt that could be farmed because a layer of rich, black silt was deposited there every year after the Nile flooded.

^{Black Land / Red Land}_

The 'red land' was the barren desert that protected Egypt on two sides. These deserts separated ancient Egypt from neighboring countries and invading armies. They also provided the ancient Egyptians with a source for precious metals and semi-precious stones.

Multiple Choice

Which type of land in Ancient Egypt had the most fertile (rich in nutrients) soil?

• Red land

• Black land

Multiple Choice

Which type of land was found further away from the Nile River

• Red land

• Black land

Multiple Choice

Which type of land was used by the ancient Egyptians for growing their crops?

• Red land

• Black land

Multiple Choice

Which type of land provided a natural barrier protecting the ancient Egyptians from neighboring countries and invading armies?

• Red land

• Black land