How did Egyptian civilization come about?
(Key Map 3500 BC) The slide show in the info bubble on Egypt helps to explain the irrigation system that fed the large population in the Nile valley. Organising and controlling this irrigation system called for a class of scribes and overseers, and over them powerful priest and chiefs (the very first records seem to refer to Water Chiefs, a possible indication of the importance of the irrigation system in bringing about organized states in Egypt). This ruling class needed to be able to read, write, do complicated mathematics, and know the movement of the stars (to tell the seasons accurately, and so when to plant and sow). As a result, they adopted a system of writing and numerals from Mesopotamian traders, which they adapted to create their own script. These developments marked the beginnings of Egyptian civilization. The scant historical records suggest that the chiefs fought with one another until one had conquered the entire Nile valley north of the First Cataract. This king, by tr
