Comparison/Contrast of
Early Mesopotamian & Egyptian Civilization

Mesopotamia* Located in the middle east; along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Location/Geography

Egypt*Located in North/East Africa with the Nile River running through it

These two rivers were essential to the survival of these two great civilizations

Mesopotamia

*Introduced writing as formal law codes, city planning/architecture/institutions.*Created the wheel around 4000 B.C.E*Innovations in irrigation, farming, pottery, bronze, and copper.

All of these innovations over time lead Mesopotamia into a More complex society

Mesopotamia Cont.

* By 3500 B.C.E the Sumerians came in and started to make innovations and discoveries.

Cuneiform (Writing)MathematicsCalender

Mesopotamia Cont.

*Political Infrastructure was implemented by a King

*First means of money system instead of bartering using silver as a means of exchange for goods and services.

Mesopotamia Cont.

Mesopotamia suffered from invasions due to its geographic location, beliefs, and political structure.

Egypt

*Arose about 1000 years after Mesopotamia due to the influence of trade and technological advances.

The success of Egypt was built primarily on the Nile River. Predictable flooding and irrigation methods provided for dense populations.

Egypt Cont.

A more government enforced structure was implemented in Egypt with a Pharaoh who had divine rule and was seen as a god. This would lead to pyramids, tombs, and god like statues covering Egypt.

Egypt Cont.

This divine rule was seen to be necessary due to the complexity of their agriculture system along the Nile. Results: Slave Labor

Time-line of Egypt

KINGDOMSDATESSIGNIFICANT EVENTS

Archaic4,950 4,636Unification of all Egypt

Old Kingdom4,636 4,031Construction of Pyramids

First Intermediate4,031 3,941Political Chaos

Middle Kingdom3,941 3,736Recovery and political Stability

Second Kingdom3,736 3,517Hyksos Invasion

New Kingdom3,517 3,055Creation of Egyption Empire(reigned over 3000 years)

Similarities/Differences

*Both relied heavily on the Rivers for survival.

*Both were religious but Egypt displayed more through their art.

*Both had slaves, Egypt was much harsher, in Mesopotamia you could buy your freedom back.

*Both shared a social stratification system with land owners at the top and peasants at the bottom.

Similarities / Differences Cont.

Urban centers became the center piece for both civilizations.

Mesopotamia brought innovations to Egypt and Egypt improved on those.

Both had a passion for art, astronomy, mathematics, and religions.

Both had writing systems, for law, commerce, and communication.

Biggest Difference

Egypt reigned for over 3000 years while Mesopotamia was other thrown countless times.

Synopsis

It is remarkable what makes and shapes a civilization from its political infrastructure, its geography, religion, and so much more. Each variable makes historians question what makes each civilization prosper and not succumb to outside or inside forces.

Works Cited

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Babylonian_numerals.html

Stearns, Peter N. World History in Brief: Major Patterns of Change and Continuity. Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print.

http://web.archive.org/web/20001215160400/http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/prehistory/egypt/history/timeline.html

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