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 Unit 2

Ancient Egypt
and the
Middle East
7 Geography and the Early
Settlement of Egypt, Kush,
and Canaan
8 The Ancient Egyptian
Pharaohs
9 Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
10 The Kingdom of Kush
11 The Origins of Judaism
12 Learning About World
Religions: Judaism

Ancient Egyptians built massive pyramids as

tombs for their rulers. This tomb near Giza is
guarded by the Great Sphinx.

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 Unit 2 Setting the Stage

Africa and the Middle East

50°N E U R O P E

ATLANTIC Ca
Black Sea s
OCEAN

pia
nS
40°N
A S I A

ea
Tig

ris
Strait of Gibraltar

Riv
Eup
S hra
AIN

er
Mediterranean Sea tes
UNT Riv
er
MO
L AS NEGEV
30°N
AT DESERT
Pe
rsi
Ni an

LIBYA
Gu
lf

le
ARABIAN

Riv
ND
Tropic of Cancer

er
S A H A R A DESERT

ESE
ARABIAN

Red
NUBIAN
TIBESTI MTS.

RT
20°N DESERT

Se
PENINSULA

a
River
ger
Ni

Blue
den
S A H Lake E L ETHIOPIAN of A
Chad Gulf

Nil
HIGHLANDS

e
10°N iver iv e

R
eR r
W hit e

EY
Be nu

LL
VA
Nil

IFT
e River

Uele R Lake
TR

iv e r
Turkana
go River
EA

Con
GR

0°
Equator C O N G O
Lake
B A S I N Victoria

INDIAN
Lake
Tanganyika OCEAN

10°S

ATLANTIC Lake
Malawi
OCEAN
nel
han

ezi River
r

mb
ca
C

Za
ue

as
NA

biq

ag
MI

am

20°S
BD

oz

ad
M

M
ESERT

Tropic of Capricorn KALAHARI

DESERT
20°W 10°W

Elevation Or
Feet Meters 30°S an
ge R
Over 10,000 Over 3,050 iver
5,001–10,000 1,526–3,050 N
2,001–5,000 611–1,525
1,001–2,000 306–610 Cape of
W E Good Hope
0–1,000 0–305 0 500 1,000 miles
Below sea level Below sea level S 0 500 1,000 kilometers
Sinusoidal (Sanson-Flamsteed) Projection
Present-day 40°S
boundary
0° 10°E 20°E 30°E 40°E 50°E 60°E 70°E

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 Ancient Egypt and the thousands of years, the Nile flooded the land
along its banks, leaving deposits of rich soil
Middle East in the Nile River valley. The ancient Egyptians
grew plentiful harvests of wheat and barley
Can you use one word to describe the geo- there. These harvests made it possible for the
graphic setting of an entire region? If that region Egyptians to develop one of the world’s greatest
is North Africa and the Middle East, you can. ancient civilizations.
That one word would be desert. Locate both the Two other ancient civilizations developed in
northern part of Africa and the Arabian Pen- this region. Located south of Egypt was the an-
insula on the map on the opposite page. Then cient civilization of Kush. Kush developed close
look at the smaller vegetation map below on ties with Egypt. Northeast of Egypt is an area
this page. The vegetation for most of the region that borders the Mediterranean Sea. This is the
is desert or desert scrub. Few plants grow in the land of ancient Canaan, where the Israelites set-
desert. Small trees, bushes, and other plants tled. These people, sometimes called Hebrews,
that have adapted to a dry climate make up were the ancestors of the Jews. They gave the
desert scrub. world one of its major religions–Judaism, and
Look again at the vegetation map. Notice founded the Kingdom of Israel in Canaan.
the narrow band of broadleaf evergreen forest The mostly dry and hot geographic setting
that extends through Egypt. How can trees that of North Africa and the Middle East was home
remain green all year grow in such a dry area? to three civilizations you will learn about in this
The answer is the Nile River. This vegetation unit. First, you will learn more about geography
zone follows the path of the Nile River in Egypt. and its effect on where and how these civiliza-
The Nile River has long been an essential tions grew. Then, you will explore each civiliza-
source of life-giving water in a dry land. For tion, beginning with the ancient Egyptians.

Vegetation Zones of Africa

Ancient Egypt, Kush, and Israel
and the Middle East

Me d
iter
ran
ATLANTIC ean Sea
Tig

OCEAN Medit Eu sR
r

erra ne ph
i

an SeaSea of ra ive ASIA

Galilee Jordan t r
es

River Ri
ver
Re

Dead Sea
NEGEV
dS

DESERT
ea

Pe
LIB

r si

n
a

Gu
YAN

ARABIAN lf
R i er

DESERT
v
DES

le

Red

NUBIAN
Ni
ERT

Vegetation Zones DESERT

eaS

Highlands INDIAN
Desert OCEAN
Desert scrub AFRICA
Temperate grassland
Tropical grassland Ancient Egypt,
Chaparral about 1500 B.C.E.
Coniferous forest N Kingdom of Kush,
about 1500 B.C.E.
Mixed forest W E
Broadleaf Kingdom of Israel,
evergreen forest S about 1000 B.C.E.

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 70 Chapter 7

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 Chapter 7

Geography and the Early

Settlement of Egypt, Kush,
and Canaan
How did geography affect early settlement
in Egypt, Kush, and Canaan?

7.1 Introduction
In this chapter, you will explore how geography affected three
civilizations that arose in northern Africa and southwestern
Asia. These were the civilizations of the ancient Egyptian, Kush-
ite (KUH-shite), and Israelite peoples.
The Egyptians settled along the Nile River, in the northeast
corner of Africa. Their civilization lasted from around 3100 B.C.E.
to 350 C.E. The Kushites settled to the south of Egypt, along the
southern part of the Nile River. Their civilization began around
2000 B.C.E. and lasted until 350 C.E. The Israelites, later called
Jews, settled northeast of Egypt, along the coast of the Mediter-
ranean Sea, in about 1800 B.C.E. Although the Jews were forced
from their homeland in 70 C.E., their civilization continues to
flourish today.
Environmental factors greatly affected where people settled. This satellite photograph shows
Three important factors were water, topography (the shape and the Nile River and its delta at the
elevation of the surface features of the land), and vegetation Mediterranean Sea. The Red Sea
(plant life). These three factors were determined by each area’s is seen at right.
physical geography. Physical geography includes mountains,
rivers, valleys, deserts, climate, and the fertility of the soil.
In this chapter, you will learn why water, topography, and
vegetation were important to early human settlement. You will
explore the physical geography of the lands of the ancient Egyp-
tians, Kushites, and Israelites. You’ll find out how environmental
factors in these places affected people’s choices of where to live.
▲

The Nile River provided people with fresh water and fertile land.

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 7.2 Environmental Factors and Early
topography the shape and
Human Settlement
elevation of surface features,
such as mountains or deserts, In ancient times, environmental factors influenced people’s choices
of a place or region of where to settle. Three important environmental factors were
water, topography, and vegetation.
vegetation the plants of a
place or region
Water The most important environmental factor in early
human settlement was water. Physical features like rivers, lakes,
and inland seas were good sources of fresh water.
Water was important for many reasons. People needed fresh
drinking water to live. They also bathed and washed things in
fresh water. Bathing and washing helped prevent disease.
Water was a source of food. People caught fish from rivers,
lakes, and seas. They hunted water birds and other animals that
gathered near water.
In addition, farmers needed water to grow their crops. For
this reason, farmers often settled near rivers. A river’s natural
flooding could help irrigate their farms. Farmers could also
dig canals or trenches to direct river water to their crops. For
example, farmers in Mesopotamia dug canals for this purpose.
Water was also used for transportation. Cities and towns
often used rivers as “highways.” People traveled in boats to visit
relatives and trade goods. Towns near the sea could trade goods
with countries far away.

Topography A second environmental factor was topography.

Topography refers to the shape and elevation of the land. It in-
cludes features like mountains, hills, plains, valleys, and deserts.
The topography of an area was important for early human
settlement. Farmers preferred to settle in flat, open areas such as
plains and valleys. Large, flat spaces gave farmers room to plant
crops. Also, the rich soil in coastal plains and river valleys was
excellent for growing these crops.
Mountains were less friendly to human settlement. Steep
mountains were hard to cross. Their jagged peaks, cold tempera-
tures, and rocky land made farming difficult.
Deserts also discouraged settlement. They were hot and dry.
They contained very little water for farming. Sandstorms
occurred when strong winds carried dense clouds of sand that
could block out the sun. The intense heat, lack of water, and
sandstorms made travel and living in the desert difficult.

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 Vegetation A third environmental factor was vegetation,
or plant life. There are many kinds of vegetation, such as trees,
bushes, flowers, grass, and reeds. The crops people grow are also
a type of vegetation.
Many aspects of physical geography affect vegetation. A
climate with mild weather and regular rain is good for plant life.
Fresh water supports the growth of vegetation. The areas around
rivers and lakes are usually green and lush. Mountains are often
covered with thick groves of trees. Dry and hot deserts have very
little vegetation.
The vegetation in an area influenced early human settlement
in several ways. Most important, plants were a source of food.
People could eat the wild plants available and also the crops
they planted. Vegetation had other uses as well. People learned
to make many useful products out of plants, including baskets,
tools, medicine, rope, and even paper. Trees provided shade
from the hot sun. And plants and flowers added natural beauty
to a place.
Wherever people settled in the ancient world, water, topog- Identify three environmental
raphy, and vegetation were important factors. Let’s look at how factors in this photograph. Why
these environmental factors influenced the early settlements of might they be important to the
the Egyptians, Kushites, and Israelites. people living here?

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 7.3 Environmental Factors and the Early
Nile River the longest river
in the world, flowing through
Settlement of Egypt and Kush
eastern Africa to a delta in The Egyptians and Kushites both settled near the Nile River.
northeastern Egypt The Egyptians lived along the northern part of the river. The
Kushites lived to the south.
Egypt a nation in northeast
Why did settlements in these areas cluster around the Nile
Africa, first settled around
River? Let’s look at the physical features of Egypt and Kush to
3100 B.C.E.
see how environmental factors favored settlement near the Nile.
Kush a society along the Nile
River, south of Egypt, from Physical Features of Egypt and Kush The most impor-
about 2000 B.C.E. to 350 C.E. tant physical feature in ancient Egypt and Kush was the Nile
Mediterranean Sea a body River. Flowing north from east Africa, the Nile created a long,
of water north of Africa fertile valley that ended in a marshy delta where the river
emptied into the Mediterranean Sea.
The Nile River valley was bordered by the Libyan Desert to
the west and the Nubian Desert to the east. These sandy deserts
were extremely hot and dry. Most people
Physical Features of Ancient Egypt and Kush avoided these areas, although the deserts
Mediterranean Sea
Nile River Valley
did play one important role in the settle-
ment of Egypt and Kush. They formed a
N
natural barrier that helped protect people
E
W
living in the Nile River valley. The deserts
S
did not support large settlements, and
A RABIAN few invaders wanted to risk crossing these
DESERT
Ni
le

harsh places.
Ri
ve
r

On the north, Egypt was bordered by

EGYPT
the Mediterranean Sea. Settlers could not
drink its sparkling salt water, but the sea
R

LIBYAN
e

DESERT was rich in fish and other kinds of sea-

d
S

food. It was also a waterway that linked

e a

ancient Egypt to other civilizations.

To the east of Egypt and Kush was a
NUBIAN long channel of very salty water called the
DESERT
20°N Red Sea. The climate in this area was hot
and dry. Much of the land near the Red
Sea was desert.
KUSH

This map shows bodies of water that

40°E
0 100 200 miles encouraged settlement and travel in parts
Bl
ue 0 100 200 kilometers
of ancient Egypt and Kush. It also shows
Ni l t e
Nil

Sinusoidal (Sanson-Flamsteed) Projection

i
e
Wh

deserts, which made life and travel hard.

74 Chapter 7

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 Environmental Factors and Human Settlement in Africa’s Nile River is the longest
Egypt and Kush Environmental factors in ancient Egypt river in the world. It is more than
and Kush greatly favored settlement near the Nile River. Most 4,100 miles long and flows from
important, the Nile was a source of fresh water in an area that south to north, emptying into the
was mostly desert. Mediterranean Sea.
The lack of water in the deserts made them unfit for farming.
But in the Nile River valley, the river provided natural irrigation
and fertilization. Every summer, the river overflowed its banks.
The floodwaters soaked the dry ground for several weeks. As the
water level decreased, a thin layer of silt (very fine particles of
rock) was left behind. This soil was perfect for farming.
Also, where there was fresh water, people were more likely to Deserts are natural barriers against
find fish to catch and animals to hunt. The abundant wildlife in invaders. Would you spend days
the Nile region included fish, ducks, geese, hippos, crocodiles, crossing this hot, dry desert to fight
giraffes, and ostriches. those who live on the other side?
The topography of the river valley also encouraged human
settlement. In the south, parts of the Nile ran through narrow
valleys between steep hills. But there were also wide, flat areas of
land around deep bends in the river. These flat areas were good
for farming. In the north, wide plains were watered by the Nile’s
annual flooding.
Vegetation was rare in the dry deserts, but it was plentiful in
the Nile River valley. Useful plants included reeds and a tough
water plant called papyrus. People wove reeds into baskets, and
roofs for their huts. Papyrus was used to make rope and paper.
And the rich farmland was good for growing crops like wheat
and barley.

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 7.4 Environmental Factors and the Early
Canaan a land northeast of
Egypt, settled by the ancient
Settlement of Canaan
Israelites, from about 1800 The ancient Israelites settled in Canaan (KAY-nen), a diverse
B.C.E. to 70 C.E. land along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Canaan’s physi-
cal features and environmental factors made settlement easier in
Jordan River a river in
some parts of the region than in others.
southwestern Asia that flows
from the Lebanon Mountains,
Physical Features of Canaan Canaan’s physical features
south through the Sea of
Galilee, into the Dead Sea included plains and valleys, hills and mountains, deserts, and
bodies of water.
In the west, coastal plains bordered the Mediterranean Sea. To
the north, the Lebanon Mountains rose steeply from the coast. The
southern part of this range gave way to the lower hills of Galilee.
The Jordan River flowed down from a mountain range
The physical features of Canaan through the middle of Canaan, heading south through the Sea of
affected where Israelites settled. Galilee to the Dead Sea. The land around the narrow river valley
included hills, grassy slopes, and mountains.
Physical Features of Ancient Canaan To the east lay the hot, dry Syrian Desert. In
35°E southwestern Canaan was the Negev (NEH-
gehv) Desert. Rain soaked this area during
LEBANON the winter months, supplying the Negev with
33°N MOUNTAINS
Sea of more water than most deserts receive.
Sea

Galilee

Environmental Factors and Human

an

Settlement in Canaan In Canaan, as

ane

in Egypt and Kush, water was a key environ-

err

mental factor. In very ancient times, the wet,

fertile plains near the Mediterranean Sea
dit

were farmed. The Mediterranean also enabled

Me

Jordan River

CANAAN
traders from many lands to visit Canaan.
32°N
Other bodies of water also played a role in
the settlement of Canaan. The Sea of Galilee
SYRIAN
DESERT was actually a freshwater lake. It had plenti-
N ful fish, and fertile land was nearby. Another
large lake, the Dead Sea, was so salty that
a

W E
Dead Se

S nothing grew in it, not even plants. The area

near the Dead Sea was hot and dry, making
NEGEV
DESERT it unsuitable for farming.
The main source of fresh water was the
0 20 40 miles Jordan River. People living near the river
0 20 40 kilometers
Lambert Conformal Conic Projection hunted, fished, and farmed along its banks.

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 But unlike the Nile River, the Jordan River did not flood
regularly, so its valley was not as fertile as the Nile’s.
Canaan’s varied topography greatly influenced pat-
terns of settlement. Farmers found it easiest to live on the
Mediterranean’s coastal plains and near the Jordan River.
In other areas, the hilly land and dry soil made growing
crops difficult. As a result, many people, including the
ancient Israelites, became herders rather than farmers.
Herders tended flocks of sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, and
camels. Unlike farmers, herders were nomads, wandering
from place to place in search of good land for their animals
to graze.
People found it hardest to settle in the mountains and
deserts. Mountainous land and dry desert land were both
difficult to farm. Still, some people did live in these areas.
Nomads sometimes herded cattle and camels in the Negev
and Syrian deserts.
In general, Canaan’s hot, dry climate discouraged
abundant plant life. Vegetation was most plentiful near the
Jordan River. Some areas had small forests. Others had While parts of the Jordan River
only short, scrubby plants. Grasslands were common, though, valley were lush, the area was not
and herders made good use of them to feed their animals. as fertile as the Nile River valley.

Chapter Summary

In this chapter, you learned how three environmental factors influenced the early
settlement of ancient Egypt, Kush, and Canaan.

Environmental Factors Three important environmental factors are water, topogra-

phy, and vegetation. These factors greatly affected where ancient people settled.
Early Settlement of Egypt and Kush In Egypt and Kush, most people farmed in
the fertile Nile River valley. The Nile River provided fresh water in an area that was
mostly desert. The topography of the Nile River valley made the land good for farm-
ing. The valley also supported useful vegetation like reeds and papyrus.
Early Settlement of Canaan In Canaan, the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee
were important sources of fresh water. Much of the land, however, was too hot, dry,
or hilly for farming. As a result, many people, including the ancient Israelites, were
herders rather than farmers. Herders were nomads who moved from place to place to
find grasslands where their animals could graze.

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U n i t 2 G e o g r a p h y C h a l l e n g e

Ancient Egypt and the Middle East

Overview
This activity introduces the geographic information essential to Unit 2. Students
read and interpret maps to learn about the ways in which geography affected the
early settlement of ancient Egypt and the Middle East. They annotate an outline
map, answer questions in their Interactive Student Notebooks, and then discuss
critical thinking questions. Students’ comprehension of content and proficiency
in map-reading and higher-order thinking skills will help you gauge their readi-
ness for the unit. The pages that follow include a completed map, answers to
questions, a scoring guide to inform your teaching, and suggestions for modifi-
cations to meet specific student needs.

Essential Geographic Understandings

1. Location of ancient Egypt and the Middle East
2. Key physical features: Arabian Peninsula, Nile River, Mediterranean Sea, Red
Sea, Gulf of Aden, Persian Gulf, Nubian Desert, Libyan Desert
3. Location of the Nile River valley and the Nile River delta
4. Impact of physical geography on the early settlement of the ancient kingdoms
of Egypt and the Middle East
5. Relationships between the ancient kingdoms of Egypt, Kush, and Israel

Procedures
1 Introduce the unit. Tell students they will learn about three civilizations
in ancient Egypt and the Middle East—the Egyptian, Kushite, and Israelite
civilizations. They will also learn about the development of one of the world’s
major religions, Judaism.
2 Create a KWL chart. Ask students to identify what they already know about
these civilizations and what they want to learn. Use their responses to gauge
how much additional background information they will need as you progress
through the unit. Students will return to the KWL chart at the end of the
unit and add the key information they have learned.
3 Have students read Unit 2 “Setting the Stage” in the Student Edition.
4 Have students complete the Geography Challenge. Monitor students as
they work. You may wish to project the map from the Interactive Student
Notebook and have students annotate it as the class works through the map-
reading questions. Make sure students have grasped Essential Geographic
Understandings 1 to 3.
5 Discuss the “Critical Thinking” questions. Help students understand the
geographic relationships described in Essential Geographic Understandings 4
and 5.

78 Unit 2 Geography Challenge

 G u i d e t o U n i t 2 G e o g r a p h y C h a l l e n g e

Ancient Egypt, Kush, and Israel

ASIIA
AS A

E UROPE
ATLANTIC
OCEAN

Medite
rranean Sea
ISRAEL Persian
Gulf
LIBY Nile Delta
AN

Red Sea
DES

NUBIAN ARABIAN
ER

DESERT PENINSULA
T

Nile
River
KUSH

n
f Ade
AFRICA
AFR ICA Gulf o

INDIAN
ATLANTIC OCEAN
OCEAN

W E

Ancient Egypt,
about 1500 B.C.E.

Kingdom of Kush,
about 1500 B.C.E.
0 500 1,000 miles
Kingdom of Israel,
about 1000 B.C.E. 0 500 1,000 kilometers
Sinusoidal (Sanson-Flamsteed) Projection

Unit 2 Geography Challenge 79

G u i d e t o U n i t 2 G e o g r a p h y C h a l l e n g e

Geography Skills 12. Students should realize that flat land provides a
natural area for farming and herding.
Score 1 point for each correct answer. Use the map on
the previous page to check shading and labeling. 13. The deserts provided protection from attack by
invading armies that did not want to risk crossing
1. Students should label the Arabian Peninsula on the
these harsh areas. To do so would have meant
map. The Arabian Peninsula is part of Asia.
carrying enough water and food to last for the
2. Students should shade ancient Egypt on the map long trip across the desert.
and key. Egypt is part of Africa.
14. The Nile River had a great impact on the lives
3. Use the annotated map to check student labels for of the ancient Egyptians. Its life-giving water
the Nile River and the Nile River delta. and yearly floods allowed people to survive and
4. Use the annotated map to check student labels for prosper. It might have been natural for them to
the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Gulf of consider the river as a sort of god bestowing
Aden, and the Persian Gulf. blessings on its people.
5. Students should label Israel and Kush on their
maps. Using Scores to Inform Instruction
6. Students should label the Nubian Desert and the Geography Skills A score of 6 out of 8 or better indi-
Libyan Desert. cates that students have acquired sufficient geographic
information to proceed with the unit.
7. The two major vegetation zones in both ancient
Egypt and the Middle East are desert and desert Critical Thinking A score of 12 out of 18 or better
scrub. indicates that students are beginning to understand
the relationships between physical geography and the
8. Egypt was by far the largest of the ancient king- different ways in which people live.
doms. Israel and Kush were similar to one another
in size.
Modifying Instruction
Critical Thinking ELL or Learners with Special Education
Needs Consider focusing on map-reading questions
Questions may have more than one correct answer. or limiting the number of “Critical Thinking”
Score 1 to 3 points for each reasonable answer, questions.
depending on the strength of students’ geographic
reasoning. Students with Weak Map or Critical Thinking
Skills Assign appropriate pages from the Social
9. Students should note that the land to the west of Studies Skills Toolkit in the back of the Lesson
Egypt, in central North Africa, is entirely desert. Masters.
There is no body of water that would support life
in this region.
10. Early people were not likely to settle in a desert
region. Rather, they would likely choose land
near rivers or seas, which would provide drinking
water, a means of transportation, and a source of
food such as fish.
11. Kush was located on the Nile River between Egypt
and both central and southern Africa. This loca-
tion enabled people from all three regions to bring
goods to Kush to trade.

80 Unit 2 Geography Challenge

E x p e r i e n t i a l E x e r c i s e C H A P T E R

Geography and the Early

Settlement of Egypt, Kush,
and Canaan
7
How did geography affect early settlement in
Egypt, Kush, and Canaan?

Overview Materials
In an Experiential Exercise, students use their bodies to model the physical History Alive! The Ancient
geography of ancient Egypt, Kush, and Canaan to learn about how environmen- World
tal factors influenced early settlement in these areas. Interactive Student
Notebooks
Visuals 7A–7C
Objectives Lesson Masters
In the course of reading this chapter and participating in the classroom activity, • Vocabulary Development
students will handout (1 per student, on
colored paper)
Social Studies • colored pencils (blue,
• model the physical geography, including major river systems, of ancient brown, green)
Egypt, Kush, and Canaan.
• recognize locations of early human settlement in these areas.
• describe how environmental factors supported permanent settlement and the
development of civilization in these areas.

Language Arts
• write a short expository composition that states a thesis and offers persuasive
evidence to validate arguments and conclusions.

Social Studies Vocabulary

Key Content Terms topography, vegetation, Nile River, Egypt, Kush,
Mediterranean Sea, Canaan, Jordan River
Academic Vocabulary factor, physical, geography, aspect, diverse

Geography and the Early Settlement of Egypt, Kush, and Canaan 81

P l a n n i n g G u i d e

Activity Suggested Time Materials

Preview 15 minutes • Interactive Student Notebooks

• Visual 7A

Vocabulary Development 30–40 minutes • History Alive! The Ancient World

• Interactive Student Notebooks
• Vocabulary Development handout

Experiential Exercise 60–90 minutes • History Alive! The Ancient World

(2 regular periods) • Interactive Student Notebooks

(1 block period) • Visuals 7B and 7C

• colored pencils (blue, brown, green)

Processing 30 minutes • Interactive Student Notebooks

Assessment 40 minutes • Chapter 7 Assessment

82 Chapter 7
 P r o c e d u r e s

Preview A Landscape
V i s u a l 7 A

1 Introduce students to environmental factors in a landscape. Explain

that these factors might include bodies of water, landforms, plant life, and
weather. Project Visual 7A: A Landscape and tell students that they will use
this drawing of a landscape to identify environmental factors that would
affect their choices of where to settle.
2 Have students identify environmental factors to complete the Preview
activity in their Interactive Student Notebooks. Students will identify and
explain the importance of three factors in the image. © Teachers’ Curriculum Institute History Alive! The Ancient World 12

3 Have students share their responses in pairs or as a class. Visual 7A

4 Connect the Preview activity to Chapter 7. Tell students that there are
many environmental factors that affect people’s choices of where to settle.
In ancient Mesopotamia, for example, people settled near the rivers. There,
farmers could build irrigation systems to store floodwater for later use. In
this chapter, students will learn about three important environmental factors
and their effect on early settlement in ancient Egypt, Kush, and Canaan.

Vocabulary Development
Vocabulary
1 Introduce the Key Content Terms. Have students locate the Key Content Development:
Terms for the chapter in their Interactive Student Notebooks. These are Unknown Words
important terms that will help them understand the main ideas of the
Have students iden-
chapter. Ask volunteers to identify any familiar terms and how they might
tify any embedded
be used in a sentence.
definitions, restatements,
2 Have students complete a Vocabulary Development handout. Give each examples, contrasts,
student a copy of the Vocabulary Development handout of your choice or other context clues
from the Reading Toolkit at the back of the Lesson Masters. These handouts in the text that help
provide extra Key Content Term practice and support, depending on your reveal the meanings of
students’ needs. Review the completed handout by asking volunteers to share the key terms as well as
one answer for each term. other unknown words
or words with novel
meanings. Point out that
Reading context clues can take
1 Introduce the Essential Question and have students read Section 7.1. Have the form of single words,
students identify the Essential Question on the first page of the chapter: complete sentences, and
How did geography affect early settlement in Egypt, Kush, and Canaan? Then sometimes even entire
have students read section 7.1. Afterward, have students use information paragraphs.
from Section 7.1 and from the chapter opener image to propose some possible
answers to the Essential Question.
2 Have students complete the Reading Notes for Chapter 7. Assign
Sections 7.2 to 7.4 during the activity, as indicated in the procedures for the
Experiential Exercise. Remind students to use the Key Content Terms where
appropriate as they complete their Reading Notes.

Geography and the Early Settlement of Egypt, Kush, and Canaan 83

P r o c e d u r e s

Experiential Exercise
1 Introduce the activity about environmental factors that affected three
ancient civilizations. Tell students that they are going to learn about three
important environmental factors that affected settlement in ancient Egypt,
Kush, and Canaan. Students will use their bodies to create a “map” of the
physical geography of these areas. Then they will use this “map” to determine
the best place for humans to settle, considering the environmental factors of
these areas. (Note: The day before the activity, tell students that they will be
participating in an exercise that will require them to sit or lie on the floor.
Encourage them to wear clothes that are appropriate for this activity.)
2 Have students annotate a landscape drawing to complete the Reading
Notes for Section 7.2. Have students read Section 7.2 and complete the
Reading Notes in their Interactive Student Notebooks. Students will write
sentences about water, topography, and vegetation, on or near the landscape
drawing provided. (Note: To assist students, you may project Visual 7A: A
Landscape.) Use Guide to Reading Notes 7 to review students’ responses.
3 Arrange the classroom. Have students move chairs and desks to the edges of
the room to create a large open space in the center.
4 Have students model the physical geography of ancient Egypt and Kush. V i s u a l 7 B

Physical Features of Egypt and Kush

Project Visual 7B: Physical Features of Egypt and Kush. Select half the class 30°E

Mediterranean Sea
Nile River Valley

(about 15 students) to model the physical geography of ancient Egypt and W

N

S
E

A R A B IA N

Kush. Use these guidelines and the figures on the visual to help students DE S E RT

Nile
Ri
ve
r
position themselves: L I BYA N
DESERT
EGYPT

Red
Sea
Group 1: Mediterranean Sea Have four or five students sit in a circle on the NUBIAN
DESERT
20°N

floor, with their knees touching. Have students extend and move their arms
KUSH

to represent waves. 40°E

N ile

B lu

0 100 200 miles e

Whit

eN
il e

0 100 200 kilometers

Sinusoidal (Sanson-Flamsteed) Projection

Group 2: Nile River Have four or five students lie on their backs, end to © Teachers’ Curriculum Institute History Alive! The Ancient World 13

end. Make sure the student closest to Group 1 has his or her feet touching Visual 7B
the “Mediterranean Sea.” Have students in Group 2 slowly move their arms
toward Group 1 to show that the Nile River flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
Group 3: Red Sea Have two or three students sit cross-legged on the floor.
Have them extend and move their arms to represent waves.
Group 4: Libyan, Nubian, and Arabian Deserts Have three or more students
lie on the floor, with their legs and arms outstretched. These students can
stage-whisper the words “hot and dry.”
5 Have “settlers” move into the map of ancient Egypt and Kush. Divide the
remaining students into groups of four or five. Give groups a minute to dis-
cuss which area they think is the best place to settle. Remind them to think
about the environmental factors of water, topography, and vegetation. Select
one group at a time to settle in ancient Egypt and Kush. Tell group members
to be very careful not to touch any of the physical features or other settlers as
groups move to stand in the area they have selected. (Note: If space is limited,
have each group select a representative to settle in ancient Egypt and Kush.)

84 Chapter 7
 P r o c e d u r e s

6 Debrief the ancient Egypt and Kush experience. Ask “settlers” these
questions:
• Why did you choose to settle in the place you selected?
• What are the positive aspects of this site? The negative aspects?
• If you had to move from your site, where would you go and why?
• Why do you think this area is sometimes called the “gift of the Nile”?
• Do you think ancient Egyptians and Kushites had to worry much about
foreign invaders? Why or why not?
After debriefing, have students sit on the floor for the next part of the activ-
ity, or have them return the desks and chairs to their original positions.
7 Have students complete the Reading Notes for Section 7.3. Have students
read Section 7.3 and complete the corresponding Reading Notes in their
Interactive Student Notebooks. Afterward, use Guide to Reading Notes 7 to
review students’ responses.
8 Have students model the physical geography of Canaan. Project Visual 7C: V i s u a l 7 C

Physical Features of Canaan

Physical Features of Canaan. Select the other half of the class (about 15 stu- W
N

E
35°E

OU
N TA
IN
S

M
ON

dents) to model the physical geography of Canaan. Use these guidelines and
S
N
BA
LE

33°N

the figures on the visual to help students position themselves: Mediterranean

Sea
Sea of
Galilee

Group 1: Mediterranean Sea Have four or five students sit in a circle on the

Jordan River
CANAAN

floor, with their knees touching. Have students extend and move their arms 32°N

to represent waves. SY R I A N
DESERT

Dead Sea
Group 2: Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee For the Dead Sea, have two students 0

0 20
20
40 kilometers
NEGEV
DESERT
40 miles

sit on the floor, with their knees touching. For the Sea of Galilee, have one
Lambert Conformal Conic Projection

© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute History Alive! The Ancient World 14

student sit cross-legged on the floor. Have students extend and move their Visual 7C
arms to represent waves.
Group 3: Jordan River Have two students lie sideways on the floor to represent
the relatively narrow nature of this river. Have both students slowly move their
arms toward the Dead Sea to show in which direction the Jordan River flows.
Group 4: Syrian and Negev Deserts Have two to four students lie on the floor,
with their legs and arms outstretched. These students can stage-whisper the
words “hot and dry.”
Group 5: Lebanon Mountains Have two or three students stand with their
feet apart and arms hooked together. These students can stage-whisper the
words “rocky and grassy.”
9 Have “settlers” move into the map of ancient Canaan. Divide the remain-
ing students into groups of four or five. Give groups a minute to discuss
which area they think is the best place to settle. Remind them to think about
the environmental factors of water, topography, and vegetation. Select one
group at a time to settle in ancient Canaan. Tell group members to be very
careful not to touch any of the physical features or other settlers as groups
move to stand in the area they have selected. (Note: If space is limited, have
each group select a representative to settle in ancient Canaan.)

Geography and the Early Settlement of Egypt, Kush, and Canaan 85

P r o c e d u r e s

10 Debrief the ancient Canaan experience. Ask “settlers” these questions:

• Why did you choose to settle in the place you selected?
• What are the positive aspects of this site? The negative aspects?
• If you had to move from your site, where would you go and why?
• Do you think this area was able to support large-scale farming? Why or
why not?
• How else might people have supported themselves in this region?
After debriefing, have students sit on the floor for the next part of the activ-
ity, or have them move the desks and chairs back to their original positions.
11 Have students complete the Reading Notes for Section 7.4. Have students
read Section 7.4 and complete the corresponding Reading Notes in their
Interactive Student Notebooks. Afterward, use Guide to Reading Notes 7 to
review students’ responses.
12 Wrap up the activity. Hold a class discussion. Ask,
• Which environmental factor (water, topography, or vegetation) had the
greatest effect on people’s choices of where to settle in ancient Egypt and
Kush? Why?
• Which environmental factor (water, topography, or vegetation) had the
greatest effect on people’s choices of where to settle in ancient Canaan? Why?
• How might environmental factors have contributed to the rise of civiliza-
tions in these areas?

Processing
Have students complete the Processing activity on a separate sheet of paper.
Students draw and label a map of their state and write a paragraph explaining
how water, topography, and vegetation likely affected settlement in their state.

Quicker Coverage
Conduct a Mini-Activity Rather than have individual students complete the
Reading Notes for Section 7.2, conduct a short activity as a class. Before class,
use Guide to Reading Notes 7 and the reading to create a list of statements
explaining how each environmental factor affects settlement. For example, for
water, you might include, Farmers could divert river water for irrigation. Write
each statement on an index card. In class, write the terms water, topography, and
vegetation on the board. Pair students and give each pair an index card. Have
pairs match up their index cards with the appropriate environmental factor.
Skip Map Creation As an alternative to the Experiential Exercise, in which stu-
dents model the physical geography of ancient Egypt, Kush, and Canaan, project
the visual of each region and have small groups of students discuss where to
settle. Give each group a sticky note with a different color or number. Have each
group place its sticky note on the projected map. Use the debrief questions to
discuss each group’s placement.

86 Chapter 7
 P r o c e d u r e s

Deeper Coverage
Research Settlement As an extension to the Processing activity, have students
research the actual locations of the first settlements in their state. Have students
label these early settlements on a state map for display in the classroom. Other
students can use this map for reference, to see how close they came to pinpoint-
ing the areas of early human settlement.

Assessment
Mastering the Content
1. C 5. A 9. C 13. C
2. A 6. B 10. A 14. C
3. B 7. C 11. A 15. B
4. D 8. D 12. D

Applying Social Studies Skills

Possible answers:
16. by providing fresh water from the Nile River to drink; by allowing people to
fish; by providing water for farming; by leaving silt on the fields after a flood,
improving the soil; by providing an easy way to travel by boat (any one)
17. by protecting people in the Nile Valley from invasion; by keeping settlement
within the Nile Valley because the desert was too dry to farm (any one)
18. by providing fresh water from the Sea of Galilee for farming; by providing
fresh water to drink; by enabling people to fish for food (any one)
19. by providing fresh water from the Jordan River for farming; by providing
fresh water to drink; by enabling people to fish for food (any one)

Exploring the Essential Question

20. Answers should include all of the elements requested in the prompt.

Scoring Rubric

Score Description
3 Student completes an advertisement that includes all five bulleted points. The advertisement is
clearly stated, persuasive, supported by accurate details, and demonstrates command of standard
English conventions.
2 Student responds to most or all parts of the task, but the advertisement may lack details, lack a
persuasive approach, or not be clearly stated.
1 Student responds to at least one part of the task. The advertisement may contain factual and/or
grammatical errors and may lack details.
0 Response does not match the task or is incorrect.

Geography and the Early Settlement of Egypt, Kush, and Canaan 87

D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g I n s t r u c t i o n

English Language Learners Advanced Learners

Substitute Sentences for Paragraphs Rather than Use Thematic Maps After students have modeled
have students write paragraphs for the Reading Notes and settled the map of each area in the Experiential
and Processing activity, have them write their three Exercise, give small groups of students copies of
most important ideas in complete sentences. thematic maps to examine. Consider using a physical
Provide Resources For the Processing activity, pro- features map, including elevation; a vegetation map;
vide simple physical feature and vegetation maps of and/or a climate map. Ask students, Where would
your state. Allow students to reference these maps as you settle? Did your location change from before?
they drawn their own. Why or why not? How did environmental factors affect
your decision?

Learners Reading and Writing Below

Grade Level
Support Comprehension Provide photocopies of
the book pages for Section 7.2. As students read these
pages, have them highlight or underline, in color, the
significance of each environmental factor discussed.
Suggest that they use blue for water, brown for topog-
raphy, and green for vegetation. Later, as students
complete their Reading Notes, encourage them to use
the highlighted information and to record their notes
for each factor in the same three colors.
Conduct a Prewriting Activity For the Processing
activity, have students first complete their maps. Then,
pair students to discuss their ideas for the paragraph
response. Encourage students to use these ideas as
they write their paragraphs.

Learners with Special Education Needs

Use Representatives During the Experiential
Exercise, use name tags to represent the presence of
group members during the settlement part of the
activity. Have students write their names on pieces of
construction paper. They can ask a peer to place their
names in the specific areas where they would choose
to settle.
Provide an Outline Map For the Processing activity,
provide a simple outline map of your state. Also con-
sider labeling one or more important physical features
to serve as a clue to identifying other features.

88 Chapter 7
 E n h a n c i n g L e a r n i n g

Enrichment Resources Literature Recommendations

Find out more about the geography of ancient The following books offer opportunities to extend the
Egypt, Kush, and Canaan by exploring the following content in this chapter.
Enrichment Resources for History Alive! The Ancient
World at www.teachtci.com. Ancient Egypt by John Malam (New York: Enchanted
Lion Books, 2004)
Enrichment Readings These in-depth readings Egypt, Kush, Aksum: Northeast Africa by Kenny Mann
encourage students to explore selected topics related to (Parsippany, NJ: Dillon Press, 1997)
the chapter. You may also find readings that relate the
chapter’s content directly to your state’s curriculum. Farming & Food (The Ancient Egyptians) by Jane
Shuter (Des Plaines, IL: Heinemann Library, 1999)
Internet Connections These recommended Web sites
provide useful and engaging content that reinforces
skills development and mastery of subjects within the
chapter.

Geography and the Early Settlement of Egypt, Kush, and Canaan 89

G u i d e t o R e a d i n g N o t e s 7

Section 7.2 Section 7.3

The following statements are possible answers to each 1. The Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Nile
question. The locations of statements on the drawing River, and the Arabian, Libyan, and Nubian des-
will vary. erts should be labeled as shown on the map below.
1. People needed fresh drinking water to live. 2. Student symbols (H or other) that indicate human
• People bathed and washed things in fresh water. settlements should be located as shown on the map
below.
• People could fish and also hunt birds and
animals that gathered near water. Ancient Egypt and Kush
• Farmers needed water to grow their crops. 30°E

Mediterranean Sea N
• Farmers could divert river water for irrigation.
W E
• Rivers were used as highways for trade.
S
2. Farmers grew crops in large, flat areas. 0 100 200 miles
0 100 200 kilometers
• Coastal plains and river valleys had rich soil. Sinusoidal (Sanson-
Flamsteed) Projection
• Steep mountains were hard to cross. ARABIAN

Ni
DESERT

le
• The rocky land made farming difficult in the

Ri
ve
r
mountains.
• Hot and dry deserts contained very little water
LIBYAN
for farming.

Re
DESERT

dS
ea
• Intense heat in deserts made travel difficult.
3. Vegetation near rivers and lakes was usually green
and lush.
NUBIAN
DESERT
• Mountains were often covered with trees. 20°N

• Deserts had little vegetation.

• Plants were a source of food.
• People made useful products out of plants.
40°E
• Trees provided shade from the hot sun.
3. Paragraphs will vary but should include at least
five words or phrases from the Word Bank. A sam-
ple paragraph is provided below.
Geography affected the choices made by the
Egyptians and the Kushites to settle near the Nile
River. The Nile River was a source of fresh water in
an area that was mostly desert. The Libyan Desert,
the Arabian Desert, and the Nubian Desert were
too hot and dry. But in the Nile River valley, the
river provided natural irrigation and fertilization.
The topography included wide, flat areas of land
that were good for farming. Vegetation was rare in
the dry deserts, but it was plentiful near the Nile
River.

90 Chapter 7
 G u i d e t o R e a d i n g N o t e s 7

Section 7.4
1. The Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Galilee,
the Dead Sea, the Jordan River, the Lebanon
Mountains, and the Negev and Syrian deserts
should be labeled as shown on the map below.
2. Student symbols (H or other) that indicate human
settlements should be located as shown on the map
below.

Ancient Canaan
35°E
N
LEBANON
33°N MOUNTAINS W E
Sea of
Galilee S

Mediterranean
Sea
Jordan River

32°N

SYRIAN
DESERT
Dead Sea

NEGEV 0 20 40 miles
DESERT
0 20 40 kilometers
Lambert Conformal
Conic Projection

3. Paragraphs will vary but should include at least

five words or phrases from the Word Bank. A
sample paragraph is provided below.
Geography affected people’s choices of where to
settle in ancient Canaan. Some people settled near
the Mediterranean Sea. The wet, fertile plains
were good for farming. The sea allowed traders
from many lands to visit Canaan. Other people
settled near the Jordan River. This river was the
most important source of fresh water in the area.
Vegetation was most plentiful near the Jordan
River. The hilly topography and dry soil caused
many people to become herders. Herders were
nomads, and some tried herding cattle and camels
in the Negev and Syrian deserts.

Geography and the Early Settlement of Egypt, Kush, and Canaan 91

 UNIT
2
Ancient Egypt and the
Middle East
Geography Challenge

Chapter 7: Geography and the Early Settlement

of Egypt, Kush, and Canaan
How did geography affect early settlement in Egypt, Kush,
and Canaan?

Chapter 8: The Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs

What did the pharaohs of ancient Egypt accomplish, and how
did they do it?

Chapter 9: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

How did social class affect daily life in ancient Egypt?

Chapter 10: The Kingdom of Kush

In what ways did location influence the history of Kush?

Chapter 11: The Origins of Judaism

How did Judaism originate and develop?

Chapter 12: Learning About World Religions:

Judaism
What were the central teachings of Judaism, and why did they
survive to modern day?

Timeline Challenge

47

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 U n i t 2 G e o g r a p h y C h a l l e n g e

Ancient Egypt, Kush, and Israel

EUROPE
ASIA
ATLANTIC
OCEAN

AFRICA

INDIAN
ATLANTIC OCEAN
OCEAN

W E

Ancient Egypt,
about 1500 B.C.E.

Kingdom of Kush,
about 1500 B.C.E.
0 500 1,000 miles
Kingdom of Israel,
about 1000 B.C.E. 0 500 1,000 kilometers
Sinusoidal (Sanson-Flamsteed) Projection

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 U n i t 2 G e o g r a p h y C h a l l e n g e

Geography Skills
Analyze the maps in “Setting the Stage” for Unit 2 in your book. Then answer the
following questions and fill out the map as directed.

1. Locate the Arabian Peninsula on the outline map. Label it. The Arabian Penin-
sula is part of which continent?

2. Locate ancient Egypt on the map in the Unit 2 “Setting the Stage” in your
book. Shade it on the outline map and key. Egypt is part of which continent?

3. Locate the Nile River and the Nile River delta on your map. Label them.

4. Four large bodies of water touch the shores of the Arabian Peninsula. Locate
these bodies of water and label them on your map.

5. Locate the kingdom of Israel. Label it on your map. Then locate the kingdom
of Kush. Label it on your map.

6. Locate the two deserts that surrounded much of ancient Egypt. Label them on
your map.

7. What are the two major vegetation zones in both ancient Egypt and the Mid-
dle East?

8. What do the boundaries of ancient Israel tell about its size compared with that
of ancient Egypt? Compared with that of ancient Kush?

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 U n i t 2 G e o g r a p h y C h a l l e n g e

Critical Thinking
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
9. Considering the environmental factor of vegetation, why do you think
civilization on the African continent began in Egypt, rather than farther west,
in central North Africa?

10. What do the locations of deserts, rivers, and seas on this map tell us about
where early people were likely to settle?

11. The kingdom of Kush was an important trading center in Africa. Why might
its location explain this fact?

12. Ancient Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula have very few mountains. Most of
the land is flat, with some low hills in places. How might the geography have
influenced what ancient people did to make their living?

13. While most people who lived in ancient Egypt and the Middle East avoided
settling in nearby deserts, those regions protected them from their enemies.
Why do you think this was true?

14. Ancient Egyptians worshiped the Nile River as a god. Why do you think they
did so?

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 U n i t 2 C H A P T E R

Geography and the

Early Settlement of Egypt,
Kush, and Canaan
How did geography affect early settlement in
7
Egypt, Kush, and Canaan?

P R E V I E W

The environmental factors of an area affect people’s choices about where to settle.
These factors might include bodies of water, landforms, plant life, and weather.

Examine the landscape drawing that your teacher is displaying. Identify at least
three environmental factors that might affect your choice of where to settle. For
each factor, explain why it is important. For example, you might write, The river
would provide food and fresh water for my settlement.

Environmental Factor 1:

Environmental Factor 2:

Environmental Factor 3

R E A D I N G N O T E S

Key Content Terms

As you complete the Reading Notes, use these terms in your answers.
topography Nile River Kush Canaan
vegetation Egypt Mediterranean Sea Jordan River

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 C h a p t e r 7

Section 7.2
Use the landscape drawing below to complete the following:
1. How did water affect people’s choices of where to settle? On or near an
appropriate place on the drawing, write three statements in blue that answer
this question.
2. How did topography affect people’s choices of where to settle? On or near an
appropriate place on the drawing, write three statements in brown that answer
this question.
3. How did vegetation affect people’s choices of where to settle? On or near an
appropriate place on the drawing, write three statements in green that answer
this question.

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 C h a p t e r 7

Section 7.3

After reading Section 7.3 and examining the map in this section in History Alive!
The Ancient World, follow these steps:
1. Label these physical features on the map below:
• Mediterranean Sea Ancient Egypt and Kush
• Red Sea 30°E 0 100 200 miles
0 100 200 kilometers
• Nile River Sinusoidal (Sanson-Flamsteed) Projection

• Arabian Desert
• Libyan Desert
• Nubian Desert

20°N

W E

40°E

2. Draw the letter H or another simple symbol in all the places on the
Word Bank
map where human settlements were located in this region.
water
3. Write a paragraph that answers this question: How did geography
affect people’s choices of where to settle in ancient Egypt and Kush? topography
Use and underline at least five words or phrases from the Word Bank. vegetation
Mediterranean Sea
Red Sea
Nile River
Arabian Desert
Libyan Desert
Nubian Desert

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 C h a p t e r 7

Section 7.4

After reading Section 7.4 and examining the map in this section in History Alive!
The Ancient World, follow these steps:
1. Label these physical features on the map below:
• Mediterranean Sea Ancient Canaan
• Sea of Galilee 35°E

N
• Dead Sea
W E
• Jordan River 33°N

S
• Lebanon Mountains
• Negev Desert
• Syrian Desert

32°N

0 20 40 miles

0 20 40 kilometers
Lambert Conformal Conic Projection

Word Bank
2. Draw the letter H or another simple symbol in all the places on the
map where human settlements were located in this region. water
3. Write a paragraph that answers this question: How did geography topography
affect people’s choices of where to settle in ancient Canaan? Use and vegetation
underline at least five words or phrases from the Word Bank. Mediterranean Sea
Sea of Galilee
Dead Sea
Jordan River
Lebanon Mountains
Negev Desert
Syrian Desert
nomad

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 C h a p t e r 7

P R O C E S S I N G

On a separate sheet of paper, draw a simple map of the state where you live.
Your map should include the following:
• labels for three or more important physical features (bodies of water and
landforms) in your state
• shading on the areas containing vegetation that is best suited for human
settlement
• the letter “H” or another simple symbol to show the most likely locations
of the first human settlements

After you have completed your map, write a short paragraph to answer this
question: How did geography affect early settlement in your state? Your answer
should include the names of at least two of the important physical features of
your state, and at least two of these terms: water, topography, vegetation.

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