Egyptand
TheRiseof AncientEgyPt
MiddleEast
TheRiseof AncientEgYPt
and
a.c.,the peoplewho livedalongthe Nile Riverlhadcreateda sophisticated
ZTOO
ilization that lastedfor thousandsof years.These ancient Egyptiansbuilt huge stone
andtemples.Theyalsocreateda systemof writinS;'
eras:theOld Kingdom(2686historyintothreedistinct
anshavedividedEgyptian
H
a.c.)'
2 1 6 0a . ), the MiddteKingdom(2040-1633e.c.),and the New Kingdom(1558-1085
Thee are dividedby yearsduringwhichthe centralgovernlnentbrokedown.Thesespaces
lTlolluttlr
Periods.
areknownas Intermediate
betweenhekingdoms
The NileRiver
as "thegiftof the Nile."Egyptiancivilization
Egypthasbeendescribed
to a river.Egyptwasdry andreliedon irwasshapedby its closeproximity
water.The NileRiverservedas an avenue
rigationto collectanddistribute
materials
to Egyptian
cities.Herefood,fuel,andthe building
foi transport
Water
transported.
that were usedto constructthe pyramids could be
to arid landsawayfromthe river
fromthe Nilecouldalsobe channeled
livedinrthe narrowbeltandfan-shaped
all yearlong.Almostall Egyptians
deltaof fertilelandshapedby the Nile.
calledtheland
TheNileRiverrunsfromsouthto north.The Egyptians
in the southUpperEgypt,whilethe deltaregionin the norththeycalled
butwerelooked
LowerEgypt.lts annualfloodswerenotonlypredictable,
Thefloodsbroughtwaterandfresh,blacksoil
Thissma statuerepre- forwardto by the Egyptians.
was
spirit of the fromupriverto reiuvenatethe land.As il result,Egyptian
agriculture
sented
NileRiver flood,which the mostsuccessful
of the ancientworld.
Egyptians
brought
ontheeast
TheNileRiveris protected
fertile
and westby desertstoo vastfor mostinvaders cross.Thus,Egyptdevelopeda homogeneousciviliwithoutmuchoutsideinterference'
zation its own,developing
therewas plentyof waterand richfarmland.Because
ln
werean optimisticpeople.
the Egyptians
advantages,
of
theybelievedin an afterlifeas goodas,if notbetter
For i
than, present.Eachyearthe Nilebroughtnewlifeto Egyptian
so they believeddeathmustonlybe a briefseason
before afterlifein the nextworld.
nature
alsobelievethatfaithin the unchanging
king'
of life pedto promotethe ideaof a single,all-powerful
He wasknownas the pharaoh.This rulersuppliedEgyptians
to
an elaboratebureaucracy
centralgovernment,
with a
of
symbol
the complexirrigationsystem,and a living
ma
The stabilityof lifealso givesEgyptianhistory
order worship.
art,andsocial
language,
fashion,
Religion,
continuity.
traditi remainedbasicallyunchanged.A day in the life of an
An Egyptian
littleduringthe 3,000yearswe callancient
Egyptia changed
Woman and Man
Egypt.
@MarkTwainMedia,Inc.,Publishers
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