The civilization of Ancient Egypt lasted for over three thousand years. When did this civilization begin? Well, farmers first settled in Egypt along the River Nile around 5000 BC. Egypt is mainly made up of hot deserts, and receives little rain-fall. Without the River Nile, the whole area would be just a barren desert. All of Egypt depended on the Nile for water, food, and transportation. The Nile would flood each year, coating the land on either side of the river with, thick black mud. This mud was ideal for growing crops. In short, the Nile provided the ancient Egyptians with fertile land which helped them to grow their crops and raise their animals.
Gradually, two separate kingdoms, ruled by different kings, developed along the Nile River. The kingdom in Upper Egypt- the area on both sides of the Nile- was known as the White Crown, and the kingdom in Lower Egypt was called the Red Crown. Around 3200 BC, the two were united by a pharaoh called King Narmer or Menes. It is after this unification that Ancient Egypt’s characteristic culture, art and religion were shaped, and taken to great heights, to create one of the longest lived advanced civilizations in the history of the world.
