Comparing Egypt and Sumer

Location/Geography

Sumer between Tigris and

Euphrates Rivers

plain area called Mesopotamia

unpredictable floods

limited natural resources

Ancient Egypt along great Nile

River called “Gift of the

Nile” cataracts = rapids delta: broad,

marshy triangular area

with deposits of soil

Religion

polytheistic: many gods, about

3,000 gods were all

powerful and immortal, humans

were servants

souls of dead went to “land of no return”

kings were gods pharaohs: god-kings polytheistic: about

2,000 Ra = sun Iris = ideal

mother/wife Orisis = chose

afterlife

Writing

Epic of Gilgamesh epic myth about

unsuccessful quest for immortality

crude pictographs hieroglyphics

(sacred carvings) wrote on dried

papyrus

Government/Law

city-states: each city and the

surrounding land it controlled

ziggurats at the center, where priests appealed to gods for well-being

warriors had control of armies

dynasties: when rules were from one family

divided into Upper and Lower Egypt

Menes united in 3000 B.C.E.

theocracy: ruler is a divine figure

pharaohs promoted truth and justices

Science/Technology

invented wheel, sail, and plow

first to use bronze first system of

writing: cuneiform arches, number

system base 60, geometry

creation of pyramids from limestone/granite

Mummification (to preserve the dead)

written numbers medicine and

surgery

Social Classes

priests/kings were highest, then merchants, workers,

slaves lowest women had some

rights, not education

royal families were highest, then government officials, priest and commanders

below them were the merchants/artisans, and the unskilled laborers

women equal to men

Categorization Strategies When comparing

and contrasting, consider using a few of these categories to help organize your essay and provide a solid comparison.

Political Economic Social Cultural Intellectual Religious Geographic

Essay Scoring Rubric

Topic sentence – introduces the category or point; could be directly from introduction paragraph

Clincher sentence – sums up what you just said and is the main point to take away from that paragraph

Essay Scoring Rubric

Each item listed is 1 point for a total of 18 points.

17 more points will come from my being able to read your essay, emailing me a copy if it is typed, signing the honor code somewhere on your essay, etc.

Essays will typically be worth 55 points, this first one will only be 35 points.