Why Did Egypt Build Pyramids

In 1799, when Napoleon’s army was dismantling a wall in Rashid, Egypt, they discovered the Rosetta Stone. Little did they know that this 11-inch thick piece of rock would be one of the greatest discoveries in history! It contained Egyptian scripture, with Greek also on the stone. This was used to decode the once lost Egyptian writing system. Before the 1800’s, attempts at trying to uncover the secrets held by the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics found on walls inside numerous tombs were useless. The pictures were falsely believed to be symbolic, representing some sort of object or idea. Something soon changed all of this misconception. 1799 was the year of a great breakthrough in Egyptology. French troops, under

I believe ancient Egypt was “the gift of the Nile River” because of its location in the Sahara desert, and because of its dry location. The river provided water and soil which irrigated the Nile Delta. All farmers knew when it would flood, and prepare their fields. Ancient Egypt had very little contact with surrounding civilization for many centuries because of isolation. This kept foreign ideas and influences from disrupting their cultural balance and they were free of foreign invasion through most of their history.

The Nile flood cycle was broken up into three different seasons. The first was Akhet (flood season), which happened mid-June to mid-October. During this time, the Nile flooded and land was fertilized. Farmers had to find other means of work during this time, such as repairing canals, or working in the quarries. The second season was Peret (planting & growing season), which happened mid-October to mid-February. During this time the flooding stopped, and crops were planted and tended to. The final season was Shemu (harvest season), which happened mid-February to mid-June. During this time, crops in the Lower Nile were harvested and sent to the market. The lives of Ancient Egyptians depended on the success of the flood cycle. If one year, there was a “bad Nile,” the lives of Ancient Egyptians were put at risk. Too little water could cause the soil to be dry, which would cause a bad harvest. On the other hand, too much water can cause the soil to have excess water, which could affect the growth of the crops. The Nile River decided the fate of the Ancient Egyptians. Understanding the flood cycle was imperative to the success of Ancient

The Nile shaped Egypt by, the Nile gave them fertile soil for farming. For example the Nile would flood once every fall once a year. In Document B it states that waters receded but the

“Egypt…is, so to speak, the gift of the Nile.” (Doc. E). The Nile River was a river that flowed for approximately 680 miles through ancient Egypt, and through other African countries. It was a crucial water source for ancient Egypt, and it was essential for the survival of the Egyptian people. Ancient Egypt was one of the dominating river valley civilizations in the ancient world, and it was located in northern Africa. It had deserts, bodies of water, mountains, and flat plains. In this context, shaping means developing and impacting. The Nile River shaped ancient Egypt in many ways. The geographical aspect and the resources the Nile provided; the transportation, and therefore trade; and the spiritual impact on the Egyptians that the Nile had all played roles in the shaping of ancient Egypt.

The nile helped Egypt with farming because when it flooded it gave fertilized silt to start growing crops. In document B “Fields in the nile floodplain covered in water and fertilized by a new batch of of silt .Time when many farmers worked off their public labor tax doing jobs like canal repairing.” This explains that after it flooded a very fertilized silt was left and it helped the farmers plant and make food for Egypt. The Egyptians also wrote hymns to the Nile. In document E it says, “Come to keep the land alive who floods the fields

The Egyptian people could move crops from places of plenty to places of famine, which kept the whole society going. The river transport also gave craftsmen a chance to sell beyond their local market. In short, the Nile made the beginnings of a national economy possible ( document C ). The Egyptian people praise the river to the “ Hymn to the Nile” because it keeps the land alive ( able to produce food ), it floods the fields so that the animals will have the food they need to live, it causes barley and wheat to grow, it allows for religious festivals ( in times of plenty ), and it makes the people joyful.

In documents B, C and D it provided evidence for this claim. Labor in ancient Egypt meant rowing tug boats for granite blocks, farming, quarrying, being a merchant, transporting goods, and harvesting cotton, linen or flax for clothing. Labor in ancient Egypt was hard work, some labor could lead to death or injuries. The Nile provided water for transportation and also provided water for farmers to grow crops. During the Shemu season in ancient Egypt crops in the Lower Nile were harvested and sent onward to markets.

Egypt was seen as one of the most important river valley civilizations. Many historians argue that the Nile was the main source that helped Egypt be as successful as it was, because of it’s source of life. The Nile was shaped the entire Ancient Egyptian society from the beginning because of it’s usefulness to the Egyptians. The Nile River helped shape Ancient Egypt because it provided protection from invaders, jobs, trade, food supply, and had god like features.

The other bodies of water did not flood regularly or predictably, and it would not matter if they did, since they were salt. The Nile River was dependable and the Egyptians depended on it. The Nile helped Egypt develop its culture. In Document E, there is a hymn to the Nile that says “Hail to you, oh Nile, spring from the ground, come to keep the land alive…”.

The Nile River was crucial to the development of job specialization in this civilization. It not only supported farmers who used the river to fill irrigation canals, but supported everyone from craftsmen to sailors. In order to use the river for transportation, society needed workers

Thesis: The Nile River undoubtedly shaped the Egyptian’s lives -- for the better. It affected every aspect of their lives, which included economics, government, culture, and agriculture.

The first way the Nile helped shape Ancient Egypt was that it provided them with a food supply. Evidence of this is Doc. B which states that the Nile River flood cycles were “Akhet [flood season]”,” Peret [planting season]”, and “Shemu [harvest season]”and that these seasons provided a new batch of silt each year which created

of a man. Women were able to hold political positions, possess land, and overall enjoy a

The pyramids were built as a tomb for the pharaoh. Their belief was that the top point of the pyramid was the gate for the soul to travel to the afterlife and return to earth if chosen. These tombs were built which line up with certain stars and planets.