The Ancient Egyptian civilization formed along the Nile river and the earliest traces of human life in that region were from the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) circa 300,000 BC, at the very edges of the Nile Valley. Beyond the Nile River Valley, on both sides of the river the land was an endless stretch of desert. At that time the River Valley inhabitants were Nomadic and were also Hunter/Gatherers, but they never strayed far from their lifeline, the Nile. Because Egypt was located In the Nile River Valley., the Ancient Egyptians used the fertile land and yearly flood to their advantage. The floods left huge amounts of silt from the highlands with which to farm, so over time the people started to take advantage of this and grew many different crops. They farmed Cereal crops such as wheat and barley. They found ways to store the yearly floodwaters, through dams and irrigation systems, to be used for the dry seasons. The farmers learned to pump water out of the Nile or wells and send it across the fields through a system of canals. .
The ancient Egyptians thought of Egypt as being divided into two types of land, the "black land" and the "red land." The "black land" was the fertile land on the banks of the Nile. The ancient Egyptians used this land for growing their crops. The "red land" was the barren desert that protected Egypt on two sides. These deserts separated ancient Egypt from neighboring countries and invading armies. They also provided the ancient Egyptians with a source for precious metals and semi-precious stones.
In order for the Ancient Egyptian civilization to grow, the people had to work together and unify. So as the farmers and other inhabitant began to cooperate in the daily tasks, a mighty organization began to grow. They found leaders among themselves, who directed the work that needed to be done, and thus a form of government developed. Ancient Egyptian government was led by a king, or pharaoh and some of the most noteworthy were: Narmer, Ahmose, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Akhenaton, Ramses II, and Ramses III.
