Ancient Egypt's political unification benefited from a coalescence of preconditions including the development of agriculture, the use of boats for river travel, and the forging of a common identity among separate settlements through collaboration in state-organized endeavors. Supporting all these activities, the Nile River stands out. Its geographic situation, moreover, helped insulate Egypt from foreign invaders, conducting to relatively light defense burdens and centuries of peace - blessings never enjoyed by the ancient riparian communities of Mesopotamia.
