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Egypt’s Old Kingdom pharaohs ruled from Memphis, in Lower Egypt. 1. Why might Lower Egypt, near the Nile Delta, be a good place for a rich capital city? 2. Suppose you lived in Upper Egypt and were invited to Memphis. If you traveled along the Nile River, would you be going with the flow or against the flow of the river? Why? Ancient Egypt Many thousands of years ago, Egypt was inhabited by nomadic tribes who looked for food in the rich vegetation of the banks of the Nile, and who hunted the many wild animals that once thrived in the region. Climatic changes led to a process of desertification, and, in time, groups began to settle permanently along the waters of the river. By around 4000 B.C., the Nile Valley and Delta was surrounded by agricultural communities that had come to live in harmony with the river, waiting for the annual floods before planting their crops in the rich soil that lined its banks. In time, these flourishing settlements, which originally had little contact, began to establish strong links with each other. The newly formed bonds gave rise to the creation of two new kingdoms, that of Lower Egypt, in the Nile Delta, and that of Upper Egypt in the south. 1. What does the word nomadic mean? 2. Why would communities wait for the annual floods? 3. Why is Lower Egypt in the North and Upper Egypt in the South? The Unification of the Two Kingdoms In approximately 3100 B.C., an event occurred that would greatly affect the future of the region. It was then that a powerful king by the name of Menes, the ruler of Upper Egypt, launched a military campaign and united the two kingdoms. King Menes established his capital at Memphis, which sat at the point where the Nile Valley meets the Delta, some 15 miles south of present-day Cairo. The unification of Egypt laid the foundations of a single state, and gave birth to a new era - that of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. 4. Who was the first king to unite Upper and Lower Egypt? 5. Why would the capital be located near the Delta? Lords of the Two Lands The pharaohs of ancient Egypt ruled over one of the oldest and most spectacular civilizations in the world, spanning an astonishing period of more than 3,000 years. During this time a succession of 31 dynasties ruled the land, beginning with Menes himself in 3100 B.C. and ending with the last ancient Egyptian pharaoh in 343 B.C. The king, who from around 2500 B.C. onwards was believed to be the son of the sun god Ra, was the all-powerful ruler over the land and considered to be a direct link between his subjects and the gods. He had the title of "King of Upper and Lower Egypt" and "Lord of the Two Lands," and wore two crowns that symbolized the union of the two realms. Heading the military, legal, and religious institutions of the state, the pharaoh of ancient Egypt was charged with the critical task of maintaining order and avoiding chaos in the world, thereby ensuring the continued support of the ancient Egyptian gods. 6. What were pharaohs thought to be by Egyptians? 7. What kind of power did the pharaoh have?