Polygamy: The Significance Of The Nile River In Ancient Egypt

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The Significance of the Nile River in Ancient Egypt The civilization of Ancient Egypt was an extremely complex civilization, but remained organized throughout its many years due to the Nile River greatly impacting the land, as well as the people who lived there. The geography of Egypt, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Nile River, and the deserts that surrounded them played a large role in the way Ancient Egypt functioned. Each aspect of Ancient Egypt was significantly affected by the Nile River, and would have been very different if it had been a lake rather than a river. This is shown in every part of Ancient Egypt’s culture, from the way their government and economy functioned, to the Egyptians’ religious beliefs. Polity is undeniably …show more content…

If Egypt fought with another country, they would capture prisoners of war as slaves for their country. Slaves were an important part of the Egyptian government because they served as the base of the social structure, and were known for serving pharaohs and royal families. If the Nile River had been a lake, it would decrease the amount of natural borders between Egypt and enemy countries, making it more difficult to capture slaves and fight back during war. Another important component of Ancient Egypt’s government is how early in life Egyptians tended to marry, and how commonly practiced Polygamy was. Polygamy can be described as when one man has multiple wives. Polygamy was favored because it allowed for more children and workers. With the Nile being a lake rather than a river, this would not have been possible, because a lake would not be able to provide for such large families with such an abundance of wives and children. Women were given significantly more privileges in Ancient Egypt than in other countries. While women were expected to take care of the home and children, and cook for their families, they also had the ability to own property and pass it on, …show more content…

This was shown through their agricultural practices, specialization of skills, trading, and social stratification. Trading was a large part of Ancient Egypt’s culture because it allowed them to share both goods and ideas with surrounding countries. The Nile River connects to surrounding bodies of water, such as the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. This was especially convenient to the Egyptians because it allowed for transportation of goods, using the river as a roadway for them to travel. If the Nile River was not a river, but a lake, it would have taken away the Egyptian’s ability to transport goods and ideas easily. A majority of Ancient Egypt’s economic success was due to their excellence in agriculture. Not only did the Egyptians develop agricultural skills and manage their crops well, but the geography of Egypt was also a source of their prosperous farming. With the Nile Delta and the Mediterranean Sea so close to Egypt,, flooding was common in the lower area of the country. This flooding caused alluvium to deposit into the soil, making it rich, and allowing for their crops to flourish. Crops were sold for income, consumed, and traded for other items, and were a large part of what determined someone’s wealth. Also, rent and taxes were paid to the Pharaohs using crops. Without such a surplus of crops, people would not have been able to pay for items needed to live, they would

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