Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:

In the midst of studying Ancient Egypt in your homeschool, take a quick detour into geography by learning about the Nile. Help your kids realize the impact of physical surroundings on the development of a nation.

The Nile is the longest river in the world—flowing for more than 4,000 miles. Its two sources are the White Nile and the Blue Nile. These two rivers meet in Sudan to form the Nile River, which runs through Egypt and empties into the Mediterranean Sea.

Without the Nile, Egypt would simply be one big desert. The country receives almost no rain. Its peoples are dependent upon the Nile River for drinking water, electricity, and irrigation.

Until the Aswan High Dam was built in the 1960s, the Nile flooded annually from June until September. Each year, Ethiopia's rainy season would add torrents of water to the Blue Nile. As the Blue Nile poured into the Nile River, Egypt's main source of water literally out-flowed its banks, spilling into the surrounding fields. At the end of the flood season, these waters would drain away, leaving behind a fresh layer of minerals and other sediment. The soil that flanked the Nile River was now enriched for planting. For millennia, the Nile's annual flood was as predictable as springtime. It allowed Egypt to produce enough food to feed its own people and trade with other countries, and was the secret of Egypt's power and prosperity for many centuries.

Until next time, I'm Mike Smith.