Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations in the world! Egypt is located in the northeastern part of Africa, along the Nile, which is the longest river in the world. The soil was very fertile along the river, so most people lived there and grew crops. Egypt consisted of two separate kingdoms, the north and the south, until about 3,150 BC, when the first pharaoh, whose name was Narmer, or Mene, united the upper and lower parts into one. Some Old Testament stories took place in or near this country. Egypt has had many pharaohs, religious beliefs, and important events throughout its history. First of all, in ancient Egypt, the most powerful person was the pharaoh. He was the ruler of all Egypt and was responsible for both government and religion. He was also responsible for caring for and protecting his people. Their throne was inherited and then passed to a son. They were also considered gods. Since they believed that after death they had an afterlife, the pharaohs had wonderful burial tombs or hidden pyramids built, so that they could continue their afterlife. Many treasures and material possessions were buried with them for use in the afterlife they believed in. There were many different pharaohs who ruled ancient Egypt during this time and some became more famous than others. Cheops built the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Kahafra, son of Cheops, built the second pyramid of Giza as well as the Great Sphinx. Tutankhamun was the youngest pharaoh of all as he became pharaoh when he was only ten years old. Ramesses II was considered the most powerful of the pharaohs. A female pharaoh Hatsheput was one of the most successful. Sec...... middle of paper ...... the Great Sphinx. The construction of tombs also began in the Valley of the Kings area. Many structures built during this era, which are true marvels of engineering, still stand today. The Egyptians invented the first paper, papyrus, used for writing, painting and drawing. They were the first to record historical events in writing. They invented the calendar which had 365 days and divided the day into 24 hours. They were also the inventors of cement, highly efficient irrigation systems, reservoirs, ways of measuring flood levels, and efficient farming skills. Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations in the world! It was very different from other civilizations in the world. Egypt has had many pharaohs, religious beliefs, and important events throughout its history. In the future, Egypt will probably look nothing like its past.