8. Detail the importance of the Nile River to Egypt.

Back to History 8 Egypt Questions

"The civilization of Egypt...drew its life from a river" (Manual 115). Egypt as a civilization could not have survived without the Nile River. The Nile provided transportation throughout the Empire and the inundation each year provided fresh, fertile soil.

Transportation: The Nile river, unlike most rivers, flows south to north, while the wind blows north to south. This allowed for the Egyptians to use the current of the Nile while sailing from Upper Egypt to Lower Egypt, and to use the wind while sailing the other way. In addition, the Egyptians built canals East and West to further connect the Empire. The ability to travel quickly along the Nile in all directions allowed the Egyptians to skillfully and effectively connect and unite their Empire.

The Inundation: "Throughout antiquity, Egypt's standing relied on its agricultural wealth and, therefore, on the Nile" ([1]). Each year, the Nile River floods over the banks and into the fields of the farmers. This flood, called the inundation, provided fresh, fertile soil in the fields, and allowed for the farmers to grow a large amount of food each year. Without these inundations, the Egyptian Empire could not have survived. "When the Nile flooded each year, as the ancients said, 'the fields laugh, men's faces light up and God rejoices in his heart'" (Manual 115).

The Nile River's importance to Egypt cannot be stressed enough. Without the Nile, Egypt could not have survived. The Nile was the driving force for Egypt's successful empire, and is still the driving force of the Egyptian country today.

For more information, see this website: [2] John Baines, "The Story of the Nile"

Sean Jackson