As of Nov. 20: 
3.1 The Geography of the Nile
Herodotus - Greek historian - looked for source of Nile - never found it
Said..."There would be no Egypt without the Nile." (basic truth)
400s B.C.
Nile - world's longest river
Flows from south to north into Med Sea
4,000 miles (longer than distance across U.S.)
2 sources:
Blue Nile - from highlands in Ethiopia - thundering torrents to desert
White Nile - calmer from Central Africa
Meet at Khartoum (Sudan) thru desert to Med. Sea
From Khartoum North-- S-shape
Northern tip of S at Aswan, Egypt
**1,000 miles
**NUBIA
- contains 6 rock-filled rapids
***Cataracts
Nubians in Lower Nubia lived close to Nile because of little rain
Upper Nubia - b/w 2nd & 6th cataracts
*rain
*farm land limited - 2 miles on either side of Nile
Upper Egypt - fertile 6 mile strip
Lower Egypt - marshy - surrounded by desert
North river split - Delta - to Med. Sea
**very fertile
3.1
The Gifts of the Nile: 
Every Spring - waters from highlands come rushing down.
Brought rich fertile soil = SILT
Floods every spring brought rich silt - ideal for farming
Egyptians praised Hapi - god of the Nile
Black Land & Red Land
Egyptians called land Kemet = "the black land" due to dark soil
-floods varied each year
-Did not have to worry about flash floods
-dry years rare = but could cause famine
Beyond fertile river banks - "red land" = vast desert on either side of river
- to West -- most of Sahara Desert
- Eastern Desert not friendly to human life
**useless for farming
**very dangerous travel
Deserts blessing to Nubians and Egyptians
=protection from invaders
= over 2000 yrs - very few invaders
= Nile provided pathway of trade to Central Africa
= Med. Sea & Red Sea - pathways to SW Asia
3.1
Civilizations Along the Nile
-Communities in Nile Delta (Lower Egypt) around 4000 B.C.
-villages built around fertile river bed
-Homes of straw or brick (mix of mud & straw)
- Upper Egypt - scattered farming villages along banks of Nile
First Nubian communities ~ 3800 B.C.
=farming difficult
=fished, hunted ducks & birds
Growth of Trade:
Nile = highway for trade
**Ships floated downriver - flowing North
**Could sail upriver due to winds going South
** trade link went east across desert to Red Sea & Meso.
**Caravans carried gold, silver, copper, pottery
**Cedar from east coast of Med. Sea
**gold from Nubia
+++Sold at bazaars in Egyptian towns
Around rapids - Cataracts - travel by land
Example of caravan -
- 300 donkeys
-ebony wood
-ivory
-ostrich feathers & eggs
-panther skins
- "throw-stick" African version of boomerang
3.2
Egypt's Powerful Kings & Queens
Hatshepsut - female pharaoh of Egypt during New Kingdom
**Statues with beard - look more powerful
**Known for creating time of
-peace
-economic success
-encouraged trade
-warrior- protected Egypt's borders
Egypt's fortunes rested on strength of its Pharaohs
Egyptian Dynasties:
=31 dynasties
=series of rulers from same family
=Egyptian dynasties ended when Alexander the Great (Greek) conquered in 332 B.C.
= 3 kingdoms - time periods of Egyptian dynasties
++Old Kingdom
++Middle Kingdom
++New Kingdom
Time b/w kingdoms was times of war & unrest
++most of Egyptian history was stable rule
**1st Dynasty = Menes (Narmer)
-united Upper & Lower Egypt (Two Lands - name given by Egyptians)
-Built city - Memphis (Cairo)
-began one of most stable civilizations in history
-lasted 2500 yrs.