Early Egypt
One of the earliest civilizations developed in the Nile river valley in north Africa.
Civilization began to develop along the Nile as early as 5000 B.C. Mountains and desert
surround the Nile river valley. The area generally receives less than two inches of rain a
year. People could not live there without the river.
Flooding along the Nile river made civilization possible. People planted crops
along it’s banks. The land near the river was very fruitful. Each time the river flooded, it
left behind rich silt deposits in the soil. The silt was like fertilizer. This meant the land
could be farmed over and over. The flooding took place on a regular basis. Every year
beginning in early June, the river would commence to rise. It would reach it’s peak in
September and then begin to recede. The ancient Egyptians did not knew the reason for
the flooding. The cause of the flooding was the heavy spring rains in the mountains of
Ethiopia.
Ancient Egyptians also used the Nile to irrigate there crops. because the area is a
desert, crops could not grow without irrigation. The ancient Egyptians built canals and
dikes to hold and channel the floodwaters. The canals and dikes allowed the Egyptians to
grow several crops a year.