The Ancient Egypt - 5 things you should know - History for kids

Smile and Learn! Five things you should know about ancient Egypt. I'm sure you've heard about the Pyramids of Giza, but did you know that they actually were massive tombs for pharaohs? Thousands of laborers worked for years to build a pyramid. The inside of the pyramids is full of mysteries. There are tunnels, chambers, and secret shafts or passageways. The most important pyramids are those of Cheops, Chephren, and Menkor. What about mummies? Do you know what they were? When a pharaoh or a wealthy Egyptian died, the body was prepared to be preserved for as long as possible. The dead body was cleaned and covered with aromatic substances. Then it was wrapped in bandages. Later on, the body was placed in luxurious sarcophaguses. Egyptians believed in life after death. That's why next to the dead body, they would leave furniture, food, and other objects they thought might be useful in the next life. But wait, hold on a second. When did all of that take place? The Egyptian civilization flourished in the northeast region of the African continent, in the place that is now the country of Egypt. This civilization began more than 5,000 years ago and lasted about 3,000 years. How impressive! The Nile River was a key factor in the development of the Egyptian civilization. The Nile is the second largest river in the world. It is almost 7,000 kilometers long. The Egyptian civilization flourished on its riverbanks. Egypt is mostly desert and the few fertile lands were along the river. Oh, it wasn't just the rich harvest. People also fished in the Nile. Apart from agriculture and fishing, the Nile River was also important because it was used for transportation and shipping. The ships carried people and goods throughout the empire. I'm sure you've heard about pharaohs. Do you know who they were? Pharaohs were the kings of ancient Egypt. They were thought to be gods on earth. Cleopatra was one of the most famous queens. She was also a diplomat, navy commander, linguist, and wrote books on medicine. Another famous king was Tutankhamun. His tomb was discovered almost intact. Did you know that King Tut became a pharaoh when he was nine years old? These are the five things you should know about ancient Egypt. Did you like learning about them?