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Chapter 11.1- Geography and Early Egypt Reading Guide
1. Why is Egypt called the gift of the Nile? Pg. 278
Herodotus called Egypt the gift of the Nile because the Nile River provides life to Egypt. It made the land
fertile. It enabled it to thrive.
2.
What is ironic about the location of Upper and Lower Egypt? Pg. 278
Upper Egypt is in the south; Lower Egypt is in the north. By looking at the map, you would expect the Nile to
flow south, while it flows north. Rivers flow towards oceans.
3.
Define cataracts and delta and tell why each is significant to Egypt. Pg. 279
Cataracts are rapids which protected Egypt from invaders from the south because sailing was made difficult.
The first cataract marked the border between Upper and Lower Egypt. Deltas are triangle-shaped areas of
land made from soil deposited by rivers. The Nile River delta represented 2/3 of the farmland in Egypt.
4.
Why would life have been impossible without Nile floods? Pg. 279
The land was a desert with very little rain. The Nile River flooding provided water. The land was coated by
rich silt when the river flooded. The silt made the land ideal for farming. The floods allowed them to grow
crops in the winter. Without the floods, farming was nearly impossible.
5.
How did the Egyptian system of irrigation work? Pg. 280
The irrigation system was series of canals that directed the Nile River and carried water to the fields.
6.
Why was Ancient Egypt relatively safe from invaders? Pg. 280
Egypt had natural barriers that made it difficult to invade.
7.
What type of land was the Nile River surrounded by on both sides? Pg. 280
To the west, was the Sahara desert. To the east was more desert and the Red Sea. To the south cataracts in
the Nile made it difficult for invaders to sail into Egypt. To the north, was the Mediterranean Sea.
8.
How were the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt formed? Pg. 281
There was a food surplus. People increased in number. Then villages grew. A few very wealthy farmers
became village leaders. Villages banded together over time and created the Upper and Lower Egyptian
kingdoms.
9.
What were the capitals of Upper and Lower Egypt? Pg. 281
Upper Egypt – Nekhen; Lower Egypt – Pe
10. Who was Menes and why was he significant? Pg. 281
He was considered to be Egypt’s first Pharaoh. He founded Egypt’s first dynasty. He built a new capital city at
the southern tip of the Nile delta, later named Memphis. He invaded Lower Egypt, unifying Upper and Lower
Egypt.
11. Tell how the words pharaoh and dynasty are related. Pg. 281
Pharaoh is the title used by the rulers of ancient Egypt. A dynasty is a series of pharaohs from the same
family. They are both related to Egyptian rulers, royalty, and their titles.
12. What is a theocracy? Pg. 281
A theocracy is a government ruled by the religious leaders, such as priests, or a monarch thought to be divine.
13. What do the pictures of Menes on page 282 symbolize? Pg. 282
They symbolize Menes rule of a united Egypt. Menes combined the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red
crown of Lower Egypt to show that he controlled both Upper and Lower Egypt together.