Ancient Egypt: The Origins Of Western Civilization

By definition, a civilization is “an advances state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached.” (Backman 5). Although it was not the first civilization, the advantages Egypt possessed pushed them far ahead of their predecessors, creating the most innovated society of its time. According to historians, the region of Sumner in southern Iraq held the origins of Western civilization. Sumner exampled some of the key notes of a civilization at the time: steady usage of agriculture, the domestication of animals for farming needs, the construction of cities, and the invention of writing (Backman 3). When Egypt came along, it showed these same characteristics at an even more excelled rate. Egyptians had a lot in their favor in regards to agriculture. They were the first people to use irrigation in agriculture. The rich fertile soil due to the flooding of the
Nile River allowed for crops to grow seamlessly throughout the year. This allowed the people to produce an abundance of food resources throughout the year. Agricultural abundance was a significant part of life in the Old Kingdom (Backman 3). Because Egypt had a surplus of agriculture, it allowed the people inhabiting the area to be released of the daily struggle for survival, allowing other endeavors and innovations to be pursued. The basic needs for life were taken care of from the land; therefore, Egyptians had a desire far beyond survival. While the basic needs were met, Egyptians had more time to invent new tools to help them grow cities and structures more easily. The Egyptians used the Nile as a tool for trade. In addition, the Egyptians were one of the first societies to use gold as a currency. In 2000 BCE the chariot was invented in Egypt and used as a new weapon of mass destruction Egypt possesses all of the same qualities those of most great civilizations do.
Civilization comes from the Latin word “civitas” – meaning city. Egypt had a capital city, Memphis. A characteristic of civilizations is writing. Egyptians created one of the first versions of language – hieroglyphics – using pictures to communicate ideas to one another. They must include a social structure. Egypt had a social structure consisting of Pharos ruling over the population. Civilizations have buildings and large structures. Today, there are about 80 pyramids known that were built from the Ancient Egypt time period. The pharos of Egypt built kingdoms where they would build themselves. Finally, a civilization must have people with goods. The population of Egypt valued their material objects, burying the dead with lots of things. In conclusion, Ancient Egypt was by far a civilization. Not only was it a civilization, it was an extremely advanced society for its time. The innovation seen through their inventions and accomplishments still alive today prove that
point.