1. Geography and early civilization:
Ancient Egypt was located in northeast Africa on the banks of the Lower Nile River, the longest river in the world. There were deserts that bordered Egypt on the east, south, and west with the Mediterranean Sea to the north. The river divided into channels to the north and formed the Nile Delta. Desert hill land was on the west of the Nile Valley and mountains were on the east.
The ancient Egyptians thought of their country as being divided into two types of land, the 'black land' and the 'red land'. The 'black land' was the fertile land on the banks of the Nile that was used for growing their crops. This was the only land in ancient Egypt that could be farmed because a layer of rich, black silt was left there every year after the Nile flooded. The 'red land' was the desert that protected Egypt on two sides. These deserts separated ancient Egypt from neighboring countries and invading armies and gave the ancient Egyptians a source for precious metals and semi-precious stones.
Egypt was split into 2 kingdoms called Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. The capital city of Lower Egypt was called Pe where the ruling king wore a red crown that symbolized his authority. The capital city of Upper Egypt was called Nekhen where the king wore a cone- shaped white crown. Upper Egypt was located in the south and Lower Egypt was located in north because of the flow of the river.
Around 3100 BC Menes became king in Upper Egypt and wanted to bring Upper and Lower Egypt together. Menes had his army invade and control Lower Egypt. He wore both crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt to show the people that he was the leader of both kingdoms. Menes was Egypt’s first pharaoh and he founded Egypt’s first dynasty. Menes built the city of Memphis at the southern tip of the Nile Delta. Memphis was a busy city that had government offices and lots of artists.
The First Dynasty lasted for about 200 years until rivals wanted