Download Chapter 4 Sect. 1 Notes

Chapter 4: Ancient Egypt Notes 1. Section 1: Geography and Early Egypt A. The Gift of the Nile a. Location and Physical Features 1. The Nile is the longest river in the world-­‐runs from central Africa through Egypt north to the Mediterranean Sea 2. Southern Region-­‐Upper Egypt 3. Northern Region-­‐Lower Egypt 4. Cataracts: rapids 5. 6 cataracts are within the Nile River-­‐make sailing very difficult 6. Delta: a triangle-­‐shaped area of land made from soil deposited by a river 7. Two-­‐thirds of Egypt’s fertile farmland was located in the Nile Delta b. The Floods of the Nile 1. Rainfall would fall in East Africa causing the Nile to flood 2. The flooding coated the land with rich silt 3. Egyptians called their land the black land because of the silt making the land a dark color 4. They called the dry, lifeless desert beyond the river valley the red land B. Civilization Develops in Egypt a. Increased Food Production 1. 12,000 years ago hunter-­‐gatherers moved into the Nile and founded plants, wild animals and fish 2. 4500 b.c. farmers lived in small villages and grew wheat and barley 3. Egyptians created an irrigation system but did not build basins to store water-­‐they built a series of canals to direct the river’s flow to carry water to their fields 4. Farmers in Egypt grew wheat, barley, fruits and vegetables, raised cattle and sheep b. Two Kingdoms 1. Nile has natural barriers to make it hard to invade Egypt 2. 3200 b.c. two kingdoms were developed: Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt 3. Lower Egypt Capital: Pe in northwest Delta. Wore red crown 4. Upper Egypt Capital: Nekhen in the west bank of the Delta. Wore white crown. C. Kings Unify Egypt 1. Menes rose to power in Upper Egypt around 3100 b.c. 2. Menes wanted to unify Upper and Lower Egypt. Invades lower Egypt and unifies the two and creates one crown, known as the double crown. 3. Menes is known as Egypt’s first pharaoh and founded Egypt’s first dynasty 4. Pharaoh: the title used by rulers of Egypt 5. Dynasty: series of rulers from the same family 6. Menes build a new capital city at the Southern tip of the Nile Delta named Memphis 7. Memphis was the political and cultural center of Egypt 8. Menes and the leaders who come for 200 years after Menes are known as leaders of the first dynasty