Western Civ Blog 5

Today in class we took a quiz and then read about Pyramids on the Nile. The main idea of the text is science and technology. Using mathematical knowledge and engineering skills, Egyptians built magnificent monuments to honor dead rulers. It matters now because many of the monuments built by the Egyptians stand as a testament to their ancient civilization. Some important terms and names we learned were delta, farmer, pharaoh, theocracy, pyramid, mummification, hieroglyphics, and papyrus. We then went over the geography of Egypt. From the highlands of East Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, the Nile River flows north across Africa for over 4,100 miles. It is the longest river in the world. Some environmental changes were that Egyptian farmers were much more fortunate than the villagers of Mesopotamia. The amount of fresh silt and water for crops was greatly reduced when the Nile's floodwater were just a few feet lower than normal. When the water was a few feet higher than usual, the unwatered water destroyed homes, granaries, and the seeds that farmers needed for farming. The Egyptian culture had nature in their favor, which tended to approach life more confidently and optimistically than their neighbors in the Fertile Crescent. Religion also played a very important role in the lives of the Egyptian Culture. The ancient Egyptians also built pyramids for the dead Kings that lived in the old age. These kings were mummified and there bodies were preserved. The mummification process is only done for the royal and elite Egyptians and it is said they being mummified offers a definite pass into the afterlife.