Geography and the Early Settlement of

Egypt, Kush, abd Canaan

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

Section 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,
Kushite (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 Mediterranean 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. Three important factors were
water, topography (the shape and elevation of the surface features of the land), and
vegetation (plant life). These three factors were determined by each area's 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 Egyptians, Kushites, and
Israelites. You'll find out how
environmental factors in these places
affected people's choices of where to
live.

Section 2 -
Environmental
Factors and Early
Human Settlement

In ancient times, environmental

factors influenced people's choices
of where to settle.Three important
environmental factors were water,
topography, and vegetation.
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 includes 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 temperatures, 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.
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, topography, and vegetation were
important factors. Let's look at how these environmental factors influenced the early
settlements of the Egyptians, Kushites, and Israelites.

Section 3 - Environmental Factors and the Early

Settlement of Egypt and Kush

The Egyptians and Kushites both settled near the Nile River.
The Egyptians lived along the northern part of the river.The
Kushites lived to the south.
Why did settlements in these areas cluster around the Nile
River? Let's look at the physical features of Egypt and Kush to
see how environmental factors favored settlement near the Nile.
Physical Features of Egypt and Kush The most important
physical feature in ancient Egypt and Kush was the Nile River.
Flowing north from east Africa, the Nile created a long, 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 avoided these areas,
although the deserts did play one important role in the
settlement of Egypt and Kush. They formed a natural barrier
that helped protect people living in the Nile River valley. The
deserts did not support large settlements, and few invaders
wanted to risk crossing these harsh places.
On the north, Egypt was bordered by the Mediterranean Sea.
Settlers could not drink its sparkling salt water, but the sea was
rich in fish and other kinds of seafood. It was also a waterway
that linked ancient Egypt to other civilizations.
To the east of Egypt and Kush was a long channel of very salty water called the Red Sea.
The climate in this area was hot and dry. Much of the land near the Red Sea was desert.
Environmental Factors and Human Settlement in Egypt and Kush Environmental
factors in ancient Egypt and Kush greatly favored settlement near the Nile River. Most
important, the Nile was a source of fresh water in an area that was mostly desert.
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 find fish to catch and animals
to hunt. The abundant wildlife in the Nile region included fish, ducks, geese, hippos,
crocodiles, giraffes, and ostriches.

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.

Section 4 - Environmental Factors and Human

Settlement in Egypt and Kush
 The ancient Israelites settled in Canaan (KAY-nen), a diverse
land along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.Canaan's
physical features and environmental factors made settlement
easier in some parts of the region than in others.
Physical Features of Canaan Canaan's physical features
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 through
the middle of Canaan, heading south through the Sea of Galilee
to the Dead Sea. The land around the narrow river valley included hills, grassy slopes, and
mountains. To the east lay the hot, dry Syrian Desert. In southwestern Canaan was the
Negev (NEHgehv) Desert. Rain soaked this area during the winter months, supplying the
Negev with more water than most deserts receive.
Environmental Factors and Human Settlement in Canaan In Canaan, as in Egypt and Kush,
water was a key environmental factor. In very ancient times, the wet, fertile plains near the
Mediterranean Sea were farmed. The Mediterranean also enabled traders from many lands
to visit Canaan.
Other bodies of water also played a role in the settlement of Canaan. The Sea of Galilee
was actually a freshwater lake. It had plentiful fish, and fertile land was nearby. Another
large lake, the Dead Sea, was so salty that nothing grew in it, not even plants. The area
near the Dead Sea was hot and dry, making it unsuitable for farming.
 The main source of freshwater was
the Jordan River. People living near
the river hunted, fished, and farmed
along its banks.
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 patterns 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 only short,
scrubby plants. Grasslands were common, though, and herders made good use of them to
feed their animals