There were two influences on the ancient Egyptians. The powerful religious belief of the Egyptians, and the belief that his mummified body was a guarantee of life beyond death. And the second of the influences being the River Nile, without the Nile Egypt would just be an uninhabitable desert.

Around 3400 BC there were two principle kingdoms in Egypt. Lower Egypt kingdom being governed from the Nile delta. The other kingdom being called Upper Egypt being governed from Nekhem,

These two kingdoms co existed until Menes the king of Upper Egypt conquered the North and became the first king of Upper and Lower Egypt. In the process making the Egyptians, the first ancient people to achieve nationhood.

The first pyramid was that of King Zoser, and was built near his capital of Memphis. This pyramid is a step pyramid, and is the oldest stone monument in the world.

Within a century of the step pyramid, the true pyramid evolved, with the burial chamber being in the centre of the structure, rather than beneath it. The Great Pyramid of King Khufu, contains nearly 6 million tins of stone, and covers more than 13 acres. On top of that it's four sides run almost exactly North South, East West. Close by the Great Pyramid, is the 240 foot long 66 foot high Great Sphinx, which was carved out of an outcrop of rock on the orders of King Chephren.

The Egyptians had hundreds of gods, some of these took the form of creatures, (e.g. cows) and others in the form of cosmic forces. The main reason for this is due to the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. The state religion had to absorb the conflicting, and often contradictory beliefs of local cults.

Oh, (this is just to impress you and also to prove that I'm not just making this up) the title Pharaoh was never the correct title of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt.
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