Notes on Egypt

Egypt was unified very early on. The Nile flows northward for over 4,100 miles. Yearly flooding brought in water and fertile soil for the farmers to use when planting crops. The Egyptians worshipped the Nile as a god. The flooding of the Nile was unpredictable, unlike the flooding of the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. If the flood water was lower than usual, a famine would occur, and if it were higher, it would destroy homes, granaries, and seeds. The desert surrounding Egypt protected it for years against invaders. The Nile also provided reliable transport between lower and upper Egypt. There were 31 dynasties in total spanning over 2,600 years in Egypt. Unlike Mesopotamia the Egyptian kings (pharaohs) were seen as gods. The Old Kingdom was when most of the pyramids were built, and that era lasted from 2660 to 2180 B.C.