Uniting Egypt
Skillful farming led to more food than was needed, or a surplus. This freed some people to work as artisans instead
of farmers. Artisans wove cloth, made pottery, and carved statues. They also shaped copper into weapons and tools.
Now Egyptians had goods to trade. First, they traded with each other. Then they traveled to Mesopotamia to trade.
There they may have learned new ideas about writing and government.Irrigation systems needed to be built and
maintained. Grain had to be stored. Disputes over land needed to be settled. Over time, a government formed in Egypt.
By 4000 B.C., Egypt was made up of two large kingdoms. Lower Egypt was in the north in the Nile delta. Upper Egypt
was in the south along the Nile River. About 3100 B.C., Narmer was king of Upper Egypt. He led
his armies north and took control of Lower Egypt. Narmer’s kingdom stayed together long after his death. His family
passed power from father to son to grandson. This is called a dynasty. Over time, ancient Egypt would be ruled by
30 dynasties over a period of about 2,800 years. Historians group Egypt’s dynasties into three main eras—the Old
Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. Each kingdom had a long period of strong leadership and safety
Skillful farming led to more food than was needed, or a surplus. This freed some people to work as artisans instead
of farmers. Artisans wove cloth, made pottery, and carved statues. They also shaped copper into weapons and tools.
Now Egyptians had goods to trade. First, they traded with each other. Then they traveled to Mesopotamia to trade.
There they may have learned new ideas about writing and government.Irrigation systems needed to be built and
maintained. Grain had to be stored. Disputes over land needed to be settled. Over time, a government formed in Egypt.
By 4000 B.C., Egypt was made up of two large kingdoms. Lower Egypt was in the north in the Nile delta. Upper Egypt
was in the south along the Nile River. About 3100 B.C., Narmer was king of Upper Egypt. He led
his armies north and took control of Lower Egypt. Narmer’s kingdom stayed together long after his death. His family
passed power from father to son to grandson. This is called a dynasty. Over time, ancient Egypt would be ruled by
30 dynasties over a period of about 2,800 years. Historians group Egypt’s dynasties into three main eras—the Old
Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. Each kingdom had a long period of strong leadership and safety