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The Gift of the Nile (pp. 186-190): Egypt Chapter 7, Lesson 1
The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Culture The Nile River valley enabled Egyptians to develop a long-lasting
civilization.
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Review the geography of river valleys and the impact of annual flooding. You might want
to refer to ancient Mesopotamia or China. Ask students to consider what the Egyptians got
from the Nile and how their civilization might have been different if not for the Nile.
Check for Understanding
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Divide students into working groups. Assign each group an accomplishment of early
Egyptian civilization, such as farming, irrigation, paper, government by kings, etc. Ask
each group to write a paragraph on how the accomplishment was connected, directly or
indirectly, to the Nile River. Have each group present to the class, and discuss.
Have each student choose to be a typical ancient Egyptian craftsman, farmer, fisherman,
or priest. Then have students study the chart on page 188 showing the Nile Valley flood
cycle, and create a comic strip with three panels showing his or her respective life during
each of the seasons.
Lesson Outline
I. The Geography of the Nile
A. Egypt is almost all desert, except for the river valley of the Nile. The world's longest
river, it runs from from the center of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea.
B. Egyptian farmers depended on the predictable, annual flooding of the Nile in order to
grow crops.
C. The Nile also provided fish and water birds to eat, and papyrus with which to make
objects like boats or writing material.
II. The Union of Two Lands
A. Legend says that around 3100 B.C., Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt became one
kingdom under King Menes, who founded the first Egyptian dynasty.
B. Ancient Egyptian history began around 3000 B.C. and is divided into three major
periods.
C. In the 1,000 years before Egypt's written history began, Egyptians learned to farm,
formed governments, and invented hieroglyphic writing.
Lesson 2: Life in Ancient Egypt (pp. 191-198)
The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Culture Elements of Egyptian culture included rule by a powerful king,
social classes, a writing system, and belief in an afterlife.
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Review the elements of Egyptian religion, especially the requirements for a successful
afterlife. Identify the role of the gods and the king in the religious system.
Present the Egyptian social order and discuss the role each class played in Egyptian
society. Be sure students understand that most Egyptians were farmers. Explore the
training and importance of scribes and use of hieroglyphics.
Lesson Outline: Life in Ancient Egypt (pp. 191-198)
I. The Egyptian Religion
A. Egyptians believed in an afterlife, and that after death, each person needed an
undecayed physical body to keep his or her spirit alive.
B. Egyptians placed possessions in tombs for use by the dead person in the afterlife.
C. Egyptians believed in many gods. Some gods had created the world and ran the
afterlife, and others oversaw everyday life.
II. A Writing System
A. The earliest Egyptian writing was called hieroglyphics and used pictures to represent
objects, ideas, and sounds.
B. Decoding the Rosetta Stone, in A.D. 1822, allowed modern people to translate Egyptian
texts and to learn about Egyptian life and beliefs.
C. Only a few people knew how to read and write. They were called scribes.
III. A Social Pyramid
A. Egyptian society was like a pyramid, with only one person at the top, the king. The king
was believed to be a god.
B. Below the king, royal family, and nobility were the priests, government officials, and
scribes. Below scribes were the craftsmen and skilled workers.
C. Farmers formed the large base of the Egyptian social pyramid.
Check for Understanding
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Have each student make a list of the different kinds of work in the Egyptian social order
listed in the lesson. Ask students to briefly write in what ways each played a role, directly
or indirectly, in Egyptian preparations for the afterlife.
Ask each student to express a one-sentence idea using drawings, like the Egyptians did
with hieroglyphics. Encourage students to choose simple ideas. Have students trade
sentences and read. Discuss what it is like to "write" with pictures instead of words.
Lesson 3: The New Kingdom (pp. 199-203)
The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Culture The New Kingdom period was one of growth, wealth, and artistic
accomplishment for the Egyptian civilization.
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Review the dates of the New Kingdom time period, and place it in context with the other
Egyptian kingdoms, the Babylonians, Jews, and Assyrians. Present and compare the
reigns of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, especially in terms of domestic and foreign policy.
Discuss their goals and achievements and the impact of each on Egypt.
Review the important achievements made during the New Kingdom in the areas of
calendar-keeping, medicine, and the arts. Be sure students understand that Egyptian
tomb art served a function beyond decoration.
Lesson Outline: The New Kingdom (pp. 199-203)
I. New Kingdom Rulers
A. During the New Kingdom period, 1570-1070 B.C., Egyptians began calling their kings
pharaohs.
B. The female pharaoh Hatshepsut concentrated on peace and prosperity, sending trade
groups to other kingdoms, restoring damaged temples, and resuming the practice of
mining.
C. Her successor, Thutmose III, conquered Syria, Palestine, and other regions, bringing
great wealth to Egypt, and making it one of the Mediterranean's most powerful kingdoms.
II. Achievements of the Egyptians
A. The Egyptians developed a more accurate calendar than the Babylonians.
B. In the 1500s B.C., an unknown Egyptian doctor wrote a medical document filled with
accurate and detailed observations of the human body.
C. Tomb painters created paintings that are one of Egypt's finest achievements.
Check for Understanding
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Have students write newspaper articles praising either Hatshepsut for her contributions to
increased Egyptian prosperity or Thutmose III for making Egypt a wealthy, feared power.
Have each student make three drawings showing his or her understanding of Egypt's size
and shape during the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. When finished have each student
check their maps with the map on page 200, and make any necessary corrections.
Lesson 4: Egypt and the Nubian Kingdom of Kush (pp. 210-214)
The Big Idea: Culture Egypt and Kush were both powerful kingdoms and influenced each other.
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Review the location of the Kush kingdom, and talk about its value to Egypt. Go over the
sequence of conquests between the two kingdoms. Be sure students understand that the
two kingdoms conquered each other at different times. Talk about how culture is spread
between countries.
Present the Kushite civilization and discuss Egypt's influence on building styles, religion
and writing. Examine the importance of the Kushite capital of Meroë as a center of trade.
Point out the changes the Kushites made as Egyptian influence waned.
Lesson Outline: Egypt and the Nubian Kingdom of Kush (pp. 210-214)
I. Egypt Dominates Kush
A. During the Middle Kingdom period, Egypt built forts and trading posts in the Kush
kingdom and came to see Kush as part of its empire.
B. Kushite soldiers helped the Egyptians drive out a conquering invader from the north.
C. Egyptian culture had a strong influence on the religion and crafts in Kush.
II. Kush Conquers Egypt
A. When Egypt fell into decline at the end of the New Kingdom period, the Kushite ruler
Kashta rebelled and conquered Upper Egypt.
B. His son, Piankhy, conquered the Nile delta and the city of Memphis, and his successor
became the first Kushite pharaoh.
III. Kush's Last Thousand Years
A. The Kushites soon lost control of Egypt, but held on to their old kingdom.
B. The Kushite capital was moved south to Meroë, where it became an important center
for iron, wood, and trade with the Middle East, the Far East and many parts of Africa.
C. Over time, Egyptian influence lessened. The Kushites developed their own
hieroglyphics and religion.
D. Meroë was conquered and destroyed by a neighboring kingdom in A.D. 350 after being
an important cultural and trade center for more than 600 years.
Check for Understanding
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Ask each student to make a chart with two columns. In the first, they should list all of
the ways in which Egypt influenced Kush. In the second, they should list the ways Kush
developed its own culture.
Ask students to make a timeline of Kushite history covering the period from 1100 BC to
500 BC. Using the dates found on pp. 212-213, have students plot the dates on their
timeline along with a short description of the events that took place on those dates.
Students may wish to illustrare their timeline.