Download The Nile River “The Gift of the Nile”

The Nile River
“The Gift of the Nile”
- Herodotus
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Herodotus
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Ancient Greek who coined the phrase, “The gift of the Nile”. When he said this, he was
referring to Egypt.
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The Nile River
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Source of water
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Inundation
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Food Supply
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Transportation
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Upper and Lower Egypt
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Why is there an Upper and Lower Egypt?
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The cultures of the Upper and Lower Egyptian people developed at a different rate
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Upper Egypt – people mastered agriculture, irrigation, and developed towns. It was more
populated than Lower Egypt
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Housing then changed from thatched roofs to mud-brick
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Social structure developed
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Archeological records were found along with the study of pottery, stoneware, animal
remains and habitation sites
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Food supply
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Ducks
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Geese
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Fish
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Animals that Survived on the Nile River
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Animals
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Animals
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What Grew on the Nile River?
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What did the Egyptians make from the reeds?
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Papyrus
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More Papyrus
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Towns Developed
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Transportation
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Downstream: current of Nile River moved steadily north and south. The water emptied
into the Mediterranean Sea.
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Upstream: breeze gave reed boats steady push. Oars and paddles were used when
climate provided no movement.
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Boats Found on the Nile River
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Materials for boats
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Papyrus was bound together to make rafts. Short lengths of wood were cut from acacia
and sycamore and tied together with the papyrus to make rope.
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Egypt did not have a lot of timber
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Straight pieces of timber were imported from the cedar forests of Lebanon
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Why were boats necessary?
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Communication
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Coordinating projects (building obelisks)
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Cargo of livestock
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Trade and tax collection
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Funeral barges carried coffins from the east to the west banks
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Obelisk
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How were boats powered?
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Traveling north, boats drifted downstream with the strong current, helped by oarsmen.
Traveling south was against the current, but large square sails helped the boats against the
prevailing winds from the north.
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Problems on the Nile
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Flooding – destroyed homes
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Peasants – had to rebuild homes
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Inundation – did not provide enough water – months of hunger and starvation
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Inundation
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There was little rainfall in the northern part of Africa.
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Inundation left thick deposits of fresh mud (silt). Helped crops – wheat and barley.
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As waters receded, farmers planted new seeds.
1. Farmers relaxed if crops were good
2. Built royal building projects
3. Participated in mining expeditions
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Fields
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Measured and marked with nilometer
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Irrigation Canals
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Store water
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Open and close to supply fields
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Government
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Collection of crops (taxed)
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Fed to army
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Fed starving people
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Pharaoh’s Government
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Stored grain and taxed it
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Fed army and (government officials) and some poor people
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Fields measured with nilometer – heavy stones marked territory. If disturbed or stolen –
serious crime.
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Nilometer – guage to measure water level and plan for year ahead.