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History of Egypt Essay

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History of Egypt

The rich history of Egypt is tied very closely with the Nile River’s fertile banks and existence as a source of water. Flowing south to north, this massive river has had a tremendous impact on agriculture, transportation, religion, migration of populations, and culture as a whole. The narrow Nile Valley as well as the surrounding deserts provided defense and isolation from the arising cultures of the time. Over many centuries, the rainfall has affected the levels of flooding on the Nile and therefore the way in which the Egyptians had to live. This region is rich with cultural and historical records of the ongoing relationship of culture and society with the environment and the Nile.

Cairo is the capital of Egypt …show more content…

Over the next 1,000 years the settlements along the Nile grew from small villages living primarily off of wheat and barley with the occasional sheep or pig to larger villages with constantly developing irrigation. The Nile was becoming an increasingly important element in the lives of those settled in Northern Africa.

Ancient Egypt
Egypt began its first dynastic period with the unification of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt by King Menes. Menes established the 1 st Dynasty of Ancient Egypt by declaring himself Pharaoh and assuring that his son, Har-Aha, would rule after him. What many consider “Ancient Egypt” began in the 3 rd Dynasty in which the Pharaoh Zoser built the first surviving pyramid. In 2600 BC, Khufu (Cheops) built the Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest pyramid still standing. The following Pharaohs, son and grandson of Khufu, Chephren and Mycerinus also built pyramids in Giza. The famous statue of the Sphinx was also built during this time period but without slave labor as many historians once believed (www.scinet.cc/articles/egypt/historyofegypt.html). The capital city, known as Memphis at the time, was located about 25 km south of today’s Cairo. The “Capital of the Pharoahs” grew over the next few centuries but the power of the Pharaohs declined due to the increasing power of the Nomes, which were similar to modern Mayors or Governors. 2200 BC marked the end of the Old

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