6-1 Notes: Geography of Ancient Egypt

The Nile River• The Nile River is the

world’s longest river (4,130 miles long!)

• The Nile flows south to north, so “Upper” Egypt is the northern downstream area while “Lower” Egypt is the upstream southern area

• In the south, the Nile breaks off into two rivers: the White Nile (which begins in Lake Victoria, Uganda) and the Blue Nile (which begins in Lake Tana, Ethiopia)

Why the Nile is important• Much of East Africa has a rainy

season that lasts from May to September, which causes the Nile to overflow

• This flooding brings water and silt, which turn desert into rich farmland

• The Nile breaks into several small branches as it flows into the Mediterranean Sea

• Here much of the silt has been deposited over time, forming a delta, a fertile flat land made of silt left behind from a river that flows into a large body of water

• Additionally, the Nile acts as a “highway” that allows people to travel and transport goods up and down the river

Egyptians and the Nile• Though Egyptians depended

on the water and silt from the Nile, flooding and droughts were still a problem

• Egyptian farmers created irrigation systems to control flooding

• At first, they only built walls to prevent flooding, but later developed basins, dikes, and canals to control water flow and directly bring it to their farms

• Farmers used a bucket-lifter called the shadouf to scoop water from the river for their fields

Seasons of the Nile affect Egypt’s agriculture• In October, flooded land

around the Nile begins to dry, so Egyptians planted wheat, barley, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, beans, and flax (used to make cloth)

• By March crops were ready for harvest and surpluses were stored in granaries for future use

• Harvest time ends in late June before the Nile begins to flood again

• During flooding season (late June through September) farmers could not work their fields, so they use this time to travel and visit neighboring villages