Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt country boundaries changed during history. Ancient Egypt kingdom formed about 3100BC. The kingdom occupied only the fertile valley of the Nile River in north-eastern Africa. The kingdom extended south from the Mediterranean Sea to the First Cataract of the river from about 680 miles. The average of the kingdom extension was about 12 miles in width from the Nile Delta to the First Cataract. Egypt borders covered about 8000 square miles. Egypt also controlled the Nile valley in later years; this is including the Nile valley fertile green patches in the desert to the west. Egypt claimed an empire that is as far south as the Forth Cataract in Nubia, this is a part of ancient Ethiopia, and far northeast as the Euphrates River in western Asia. Today Egypt is located in the north-eastern corner of Africa. The Peninsula extends into Asia.

There was no development of major cities in Ancient Egypt; this is because of the Nile valley. The reason why the Nile valley stops major cities to be build was because it constitutes a continues inhabitable areas, this is where a few places had advantages over others, in terms of non-agriculture or communications products. Cities that did emerge where important, so they used the city for important thing such as religious centres. The main historical places of Egypt were Memphis and Thebes. Memphis was a meeting place between the Nile valley and the Nile Delta, with its small rivers. Hence was a good market place in Memphis, this was also a good place for controlling large areas in terms of taxation and internal security. Memphis was the first capital city of Egypt. Thebes was a slower developing state than Memphis and was in need to form administrative and religious centres. Thebes was a well populated and was rich in agriculture. All the cities in Ancient Egypt were Memphis, Thebes, Amarna, Giza, Helipolis, Bubastis, Tanis, Abydos, Dendera, Philae and Siwa. The only river in ancient Egypt is the Nile River.

Some key landmarks are pyramids; some pyramids are over 4500 years old. There is also the Sphinx which is a monument in Thebes. The Great pyramid of Giza. The Nile which is a very important landmark. There also is the Colossi of Ramses 2 at Abu Simbel, There is the temple of Amon-Re at Karnak, which honoured the chief go of the Egyptian Empire. There was also the Valley of the Kings, where most of the past Pharaohs were buried.

The Nile

The Nile River runs right down through Egypt. The Nile River provided wealth for Egyptians. The Nile was the only area of life; this is why most people live near the Nile. People also used the Nile River for transport. Every year the Akhet or Inundation came flooding the river, to leave behind good soil for crops.

The amazing achievements made by the ancient Egyptians never might have happened without the Nile River. Humans started living along the Nile banks started about 6000BC. When people started living along the Nile 6000BC it was not easy to catch food, this is because of crocodiles. Because of the Nile River, ancient Egypt greatly influenced its culture of its people. They way people began live along the Nile was by little settlements and then the settlements expanded, this wouldn't of have happened if the Nile River wasn't there. As ancient Egypt grows larger the people depended on the Nile more. The Nile became a part of Egypt's religion and started the believe of the afterlife.

People lived in the Nile valley were there's a small fertile area. Settlements were only found at the Nile and nowhere else in Northern Africa, This was because during the time there were a lot of deserts, but the Nile River provided water and fertile soil. This all the ancient Egyptians needed to live with. The Egyptians used the Nile for bath for animals, the animal would come to drink water and then the Egyptians caught it and use it for food. Water from the Nile also was needed for the growth of agriculture; this is the major economic activity for ancient Egypt. Water from the Nile was important to ancient Egypt.

Transportation by the Nile was another asset for living along the Nile. If the Nile didn't exist it would have been impossible for farmers to grow crops. The floods of the Nile River occurred about every June or July, theses floods helped farmers to grow crops. The Nile mud was used to make bricks for pyramids temples etc, and the fish in the Nile were very important for ancient Egypt, because it was a major food source. The Egyptians even made a separate god for the Nile called Osiris, this is because the religion was based on the land and the sun, and the Nile played a very important part in this.