DUE 12/6/18 Name: Lesson One: Egypt Geography 6.15 On a historical map locate the Mediterranean and Red Seas, the Nile River and Delta, and the areas of ancient Nubia and Egypt. Identify the locations of ancient Upper and Lower Egypt and explain what the terms mean. On a modern map, identify the modern countries of Egypt and the Sudan. Engage You will listen to two different raps about ancient Egypt that contain key insights to this civilization. As you listen, fill in the following chart in order to build background knowledge on our upcoming unit on Egypt. Key Vocabulary Key People and their contributions Key Geographic Features Key innovations or inventions Key places, citystates, or empires Why is it important to study ancient Egypt? Why is geography an important aspect of a civilization? Explore and Explain Directions: Read the following article and answer the questions as they guide you in understanding the geography and development of ancient Egypt!
2 Egypt: Built Along a River Where is Egypt located, and what are its major cities and rivers? Egypt is located in the northeastern portion of Africa. It borders the countries of Libya to the west, Sudan to the south, and Israel to the northeast. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the north, and the Gulf of Aqaba is to the east. The southern portion of Egypt lies almost on the Tropic of Cancer or about 23 latitude north. Most of major cities in Egypt are located around 30 longitude east. Latitude measurements refer to north/south distances from the Equator, and longitude measurements refer to east/west distances from the Prime Meridian. Because Egypt is so close to the Equator, its climate is generally warm all year. Ancient Egypt was home to some of the earliest civilizations. These civilizations developed along the Nile River, the longest river in the world. The Nile is the most important feature of Egypt s geography, and it played a major role in the creation and development of Egyptian civilization. The river s journey more than 4,000 miles to the Mediterranean Sea begins in present-day Uganda on the northern shore of Lake Victoria. This southernmost portion of the river is known as the White Nile. As the river makes its way north, it is joined in present-day Sudan by two more major tributaries: the Blue Nile and the Atbarah River. The Nile and its delta make up one of four geographic regions in Egypt. The others are the Western Desert, the Eastern Desert, and the Sinai Peninsula. In ancient times, most of the population of Egypt lived either in Lower Egypt, in the Nile River delta, or in Upper Egypt, along the Nile river. Farming was made possible in these areas because of the rich silt deposited by the river. Major cities, as well as farming villages, also developed along the Nile. The largest cities in ancient Egypt were Thebes, Memphis, and Giza. Today, Egypt is a busy modern country. However, the majority of its population is still located along the Nile River. In fact, the valley of the Nile is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Because Egypt is mostly desert, its climate is very dry with little rain. In the desert, tropical wind from the south causes great sandstorms. There are two seasons: a sunny summer with high temperatures and a moderate winter with temperatures around 50 F. Answer the following questions using the article. 1. What continent is Egypt located on? 2. Where is Sudan located in relation to Egypt? 3. Where is the Mediterranean Sea located in relation to Egypt? 4. Where did civilization develop in Egypt? Why do you think it developed there? 5. What are the four geographic regions in Egypt? 6. What were some of the largest cities in ancient Egypt? 7. What is Egypt like today?
3 Directions: Use the links on Mr. Walls Weebly to correctly label the following items on the map of ancient Egypt. 1. Mediterranean Sea 2. Red Sea 3. The Nile River 4. The Nile Delta 5. Ancient Nubia (Kush) 6. Ancient Egypt 7. Upper Egypt 8. Lower Egypt 9. Giza 10. Memphis 11. Thebes
4 Directions: On the modern maps, identify the modern countries of Egypt and the Sudan.
5 Evaluate Answer the following questions using what you learned from your lesson. 1. What do the terms Upper and Lower Egypt mean? 2. If you had to pick a place to live in ancient Egypt, where would you choose and why? 3. Egypt is referred to as The gift of the Nile. Why do you think it has this nickname? Extension In this activity, you will use a Venn diagram to make notes on the similarities and differences in geography between the two civilizations.