The document summarizes key aspects of Egypt's geography and how it shaped ancient Egyptian civilization. The Nile River was the dominant geographic feature, providing water for agriculture and a means of transportation, which encouraged unity and trade. The river also acted as a natural barrier protecting settlements from invasion. Egyptians divided life between the east and west banks, associating the east with life and the west with death. The hot, arid climate surrounding the Nile valley led Egyptians to build structures like pyramids and hidden tombs to protect bodies and goods buried in the desert for the afterlife.

2. EGYPT
 visited for the relics and rich artifacts
of its ancient civilization, such as the
Sphinx and the Great Pyramids.
 the land and culture have always been
shaped by its unusual geography.

3. Nile River
 River dominates Egyptian world
 Surrounded by desert with occasional oasis
 Permits some trade
 Defense from invasion
 Contributes to feeling of safety
 preserves artifacts

4. “Egypt is the
gift of the Nile”
-Herodotus

5. -rises from the lakes of
central Africa as the
White Nile and from
the mountains of
Ethiopia as the Blue
Nile.
-Encourages:
Trade
Communication
Political unity

6. Impact on religion
divided life - living and dying.
East (sunrise) is land of the living - cities, temples
West (sunset) is land of the dead - tombs

7. Pyramids
 Belief in the afterlife demanded:
1. Bodies be buried whole
2. Material goods for use in afterlife be
present
 The need to protect the bodies demands good
burial tombs
1. First were mastabas
2. Then pyramids
3. Then later hidden
tombs

9.  Tomb for Khufu
 Orientation is exactly North, South,
East West
 2,300,000 blocks, 500ft high
 Took 20 years to build
 Average block weighs 2.5 tons

11. Sahara Desert
 one of the hottest places on earth. During the day, the
temperature can be 130 degrees.
 enjoys three inches of rain a year, and even that is
speckled. It might rain in one place and not rain again
in the same place for years.
 called the Sea of Sand.