Life Along the Nile River
Ancient Egypt was mostly covered by hot, dry desert. In many places, the land was too dry to grow crops or raise animals.
Running through this desert was the Nile River, a long river that flowed from south to north. Each year, the river would rise and spill over its banks. When the water went back down, it left behind dark, rich soil that was good for growing plants.
Farmers planted crops such as wheat and barley in the soil left by the floodwaters. The river also provided fish to eat and water for drinking and farming. Boats traveled up and down the Nile carrying people and goods.
Over time, towns and cities grew along the riverbanks, and the Nile became the center of daily life for the people of ancient Egypt.