The Nile

The Nile River was a gift to all the people who lived in Egypt in the 5th century. One of the Niles many gifts was the flooding. Although it may seem like a curse, the flooding brought silt which made the land fertile. The ice would melt from the mountains and into the river causing it to overflow onto the banks. This happened usually in July. In October the water would recede and the land that was previously dry would become rich and covered with silt. This would make the land ready for the barley and wheat that they would plant. Every year this process would happen creating more food for the people living around the Nile during the 5th century.

Another way that the Nile was a gift was because it helped the trade. The river created a passage from Upper Egypt to Lower Egypt. Because the Nile flows north, boats that were traveling north could simply float along the river. For boats going south they would hoist a wide sail. The Nile helped to unite Egypt's villages and make trade easier. Along with the trade the Nile also helped communications. Because the people could travel easily, it caused cultural diffusion. The people in Egypt traded ideas with the Mesopotamians and that is how thoughts were spread. One thing they learned was government.

The Nile was a gift because the placement of the Nile also provided protection. The Nile was surrounded by deserts which forced the people closer to the river. The desert was a boundary that protected the people living in the Nile valley from much of the warfare that other civilizations were experiencing.

A final reason the Nile is a gift is because it provided food. The people living in the Nile Valley could get fish and other animals living in the water. This way they had a food source in case the Nile failed to provide enough land for planting. The river also provided food because animals were drawn to the river. This made hunting much easier.