Day 1- Swimming in the Nile
Today was the first day here. We were really excited. However, Brock said that maybe the geography has changed since ancient Egypt to modern Egypt. So we decided to comapre maps- a map we got from a scribe when we got here, and the map we brought from home (modern). Suprisingly, the maps were pretty much the same. After we thanked the scribe, we started researching. We answer some FAQ's here-
How did geography impact the ancient Egyptians?
Geography affected the ancient Egyptians by providing them with natural resources from their environment. For example, on pg.147 of our textbook, it says the Nile, a 4,160 mile long river, runs across Egypt, and provides Egypt with many resources they can use. The Nile provides them fertile soil, which was good for growing crops, and many others, like water, for drinking and to make clay pots, decorations, and mud houses. Another things is on pg. 148, where it says "the harsh desert acted as a barrier to keep out enemies". The desert protected the Egyptians, allowing the empire to keep peace and live longer without any outside attacks from enemies. Finally, on pg. 158, it says that Egyptians used papyrus to write on for paper. Since papyrus only grows near the Nile, only the Egyptians had it, so they could sell it and get more money, hence becoming one of the richest empires ever. Geography affected the ancient Egyptians by providing them with resources from their environment that they live in.
How did the geography of ancient Egypt help agriculture develop?
Geography helped the ancient Egyptians with agriculture by having the right temperature, area to grow, and the time when the plants can get watered. For example, on pg.148-149, it says that farmers looked for birds to fly to the north, and it tells them that the nile will begin to flood and water their crops. The nile allowed them to water their crops without a lot of manual work, and so they can grow more crops. Another example is on pg. 149, and it says farmers used irragation to water their crops. The dry land was probably easy to dig up, providing them with water for their crops. Finally, on pg. 149, famers used a shaduf (shah-DOOF), a tool used to spread water across the fields. The famers probably wouldn't of used these methods if Egypt rained a lot more, so the climate of the geography affected agriculture too. Geography helped the ancient Egyptians with agriculture by having the right temperature, area to grow, and the time when the plants can get watered.