Nile Causes and Effects

Do Now What part of the Nile River supported

the most people? How was silt created?

Activity Turn to page 136 of your textbook.

Label as many causes and effects and you can find.

Cause 1 In some years, rains were not heavy

enough to make the Nile overflow

Effect 1 The lands baked in the sun, and crops

dried up

Without a harvest, many Egyptians starved

Cause 2 In other years, too much rain fell

Effect 2 The river flooded wildly, drowning

people and destroying crops

Cause 3 Egyptians developed agricultural

techniques such as:

Irrigation ditches Dams Dikes They also stored water in ponds or

pools for use when the river was low.

Effect 3 Populations of settlements along the

shores increased

Cause 4 Irrigation became extremely

important to the food supply

Effect 4 It became supervised by government

officials

Cause 5 The government began to have

complete control over farming and irrigation

Effect 5 The authority of early Egyptian

leaders was based on their ability to provide water for crops

Cause 6 In good years, large harvests

produced surplus food

Effect 6 Rulers stored surplus to feed people

in times of drought and to feed the laborers on public works projects

Wrap Up Why was irrigation and controlling

water so important to Egyptians?