Ancient Egypt was located along the fertile Nile River valley. The predictable flooding of the Nile provided rich farmland and three distinct seasons. Egypt had a polytheistic religion that was intertwined with government, with the Pharaoh viewed as a living god. Society was organized around agriculture along the Nile, with surplus crops supporting trade and those unable to work. Egypt developed into three main periods or kingdoms - the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms - during which time it built pyramids, established hieroglyphics, and became a powerful empire and trade hub before eventually declining due to internal and external forces.