Explain how geography affected the development of ancient Egypt

Egypt has been called "The Gift of the Nile." The Nile flooded annually, causing farmland surrounding it to become rich and fertile. This caused it become the breadbasket of the Mediterranean, and they became rich. During the flooding, the pharoahs of the Old Kingdom created a type of work program. Those farmers who could would be recruited to work on the pyramids, and would receive pay to send back to their families. This was considered a religious duty, since the pharoah was seen as a god. Also, the minerals found in Egypt made it rich--there was a great deal of gold in Egypt.