First Draft of Annotated Bibliography
Jasmine Franklin
Wise English 105-01
October 25, 2010
Professor Peterson
Annotated Draft
Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, there were many resources that contributed to the survival of the civilization. The Nile River was one of the main components that aided in the growth of the Egyptian empire. The Nile played many roles in order for Ancient Egypt to thrive and flourish during ancient times. Many may ask, what role did the Nile River play in order for ancient Egypt to thrive? For one, it provided transportation, growth, wealth and promoted overall life without the Nile River there would be no Egypt.
Ancient Egypt Online. “The River Nile.” Attic Designs. http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com
(accessed September 27, 2010).
This website gives a legitimate amount of historical information about ancient Egypt. It has different sections on the subjects of Egypt and is not just focused on one. The section that untilized was about the Nile River and its overall use from the people of the civilization. The website mentioned that the river “made it easy for cities and civilizations to spring up alongside the banks of the Nile.”[1] The evidence presents that the Nile River made it possible for little towns and cities to form, which promotes growth to the civilization.
Budge, E.A. The Dwellers on the Nile. London: Religious Tract Society, 1926.
This Entry can be related to the question because it mentions what the ancient civilization did to survive and how they lived around the Nile. It mentioned what materials they used and how they implemented different artifacts for survival. It also focused on the different problems Egypt would have had if the Nile was not present. For instance, it states that
“starvation and agriculture would fail,”[2] which shows how important the Nile river is to the
people because it is a source for food.
Cullum, George W. “The Land of Egypt” Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York 13, (1881): 1-28. http://www.jstor.org/stable/196450.
This journal article emphasized how the Nile became Egyptian Land. It also focused of the geographical location of the Nile and what it was used for. In one section, protection was mentioned, stating that “its boundaries kept Egypt away from harm and potential attacks.”[3] The quote emphasizes how the Nile River was use as a form of protection for the ancient civilization.
Gemmill, Paul F. “Egypt Is the Nile.” Economic Geography 4, no.3 (1928): 295-312.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/140298.
In Gemmill’s exert Egypt is the Nile River, he explains how the river contributed to the civilization. He also mentioned the geography and how it played an important part to the wellness of Egypt. The river brought life into the land and supplied the people for example, “It was the Nile that made Egypt the granary of needy people in later times…supplied grain in Scarcity.”[4] The quote means if the Nile River had not been there, then there would be no ancient civilization of Egypt.
Meadowcroft, Enid. The Gift of the River. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1937
Meadowcroft illustrates the Nile as a care giver to the Egyptian people and focuses how it helps the civilization overall. It also illustrates the power the Nile has over the people and how most of the civilization, base their lives around it. Some individuals thought of the river “as a [present] from the gods,”[5] the quote is useful because Egyptian people are very religious and they abide by what they think is a source from God. It relates to how the Nile helped the civilization.
Penfield, Frederic. “Harnessing the Nile.” Century Magazine 57, no. 4 (1899): 14-23.
In this section of the magazine, Penfield gives an overview on the luxories of the Nile River. He states that the river helped in “engineering exploits…manufracturing products”[6] which expanded the Egyptain empire because it helped with getting more resources. The magazine also stated how the people of the civilization learned how to build boats to travel across the Nile. It relates to the question because it helped the Egyptians grow as an empire.
Silverman, David P. Ancient Egypt. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
This source was mainly about Ancient Egypt as a whole but it had different parts in the story to make it easier to view. In a section about the Nile River Silverman emphasizes how the people of ancient Egypt lived of the resources from the Nile. For example, he states that the river was a “source for water and nourishment,”[7] which can be related back to how the civilization needed the Nile river in order to survive.
The Nile and Ancient Egypt. “The Nile and Ancient Egypt.” Reshafim. (2002):
http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/geography/nile.htm. (assecced on September 27,
2010).
On this website, the main point of focus is the geography of the Nile River. It displays maps and different landmarks located near the river or created by the river. It also emphasizes how transportation was used by the Egyptians from the waterways of the Nile. The website implies that the river “was [the Egyptians] highway, making roads superfluous,”[8] which indicates that the Nile was one of the primary sources for transportation among the people.
Upshur, Jiu-Hwa.”Early Civilization in West Asia, Africa, the Aegean, and the Western
Hemisphere.” Chap. 1 in World History. 4th ed. edited by Clark Baxter, 15-54. Boston:
Wadsworth, 2005
In the text is states that the Egyptians worked around the Nile to supply goods to their people and surround empires. It also emphasizes how the river made the city and how everything was built around it. The source indicates that the Nile “produced abundant crops that sustained their society.”[9] The quote indicates that since is produced resources that the people of the civilization thrived off of the river.
Walters, Collin. “Ancient Egypt.” In Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations, edited by
Arthur Cotterell, 1: 22-58. London: The Rainbird Publishing Group Limited, 1980.The encyclopedia gives detailed information about ancient Egypt. It gives background information about the region itself. Also, it mentions how the area of Memphis was surrounded by the Nile and still survived because it gave protection. Menes “Built walls for floods…protected the civilization,”[10] as one can see, if it was not for the Nile then there would be no barriers to hold Memphis together for protection.
Woods, Janet. “The Nile River.” Ancient Nile’s Ancient Egyptian Article. (1995):
http://www.ancientnile.co.uk/nile.php
Wood’s article is mainly about how the Nile River came into place in shaping ancient Egypt. She also mentions brief history of the Nile’s legacy and where its name came from. In the article is displays how the river was a blessing to the civilization’s people and how some practice a religion around it. Woods states that “Egyptians believed that the Nile was the center of the world and the beginning,”[11] which illustrates how the people practice their beliefs around the river.
[1]Ancient Egypt Online, “The River Nile,” Attic Designs, http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com (accessed
September 27, 2010).
[2] E.A. Budge, The Dwellers on the Nile (London: Religious Tract Society, 1926), 37.
[3] George W. Cullum, “The Land of Egypt,” Journal of the American Geographical Society of New
York 13, (1881): 7, http://www.jstor.org/stable/196450.
[4] Paul F. Gemmill, “Egypt Is the Nile,” Economic Geography 4, no. 3 (1928): 295,
[5] Enid Meadowcroft, The Gift of the River (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1937), 82.
[6] Frederic Penfield, “Harnessing the Nile,” Century Magazine 57, no. 4 (1899): 17.
[7] David P. Silverman, Ancient Egypt (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 26.
[8] The Nile and ancient Egypt, “The Nile and ancient Egypt,” Reshafim, (2002)
http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/geography/nile.htm (accessed September 27, 2010)
[9] Jiu-Hwa Upshur, ”Early Civilization in West Asia, Africa, the Aegean, and the Western
Hemisphere,” Chap. 1 in World History, 4th ed. edited by Clark Baxter. 15-54. (Boston:
Wadsworth, 2005), 19.
[10] Collin Walters, “Ancient Egypt,” in Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations, ed.
Arthur Cotterell (London: The Rainbird Publishing Group Limited, 1980), 1: 32.
[11] Janet Woods, “The Nile River,” Ancient Nile’s Ancient Egyptian Article, (1995)
http://www.ancientnile.co.uk/nile.php (accessed September 27, 2010).
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