Comparison of Egypt and Mesopotamia
Emily Taggart
AP World History
Dumas
9 September 2014
Mini Comparative Complex Cultures Essay
The Neolithic Revolution led to the discovery of agriculture and allowed for the development of sedentary civilizations, permanently changing the human way of life. The rise and fall of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies occurred around the same time and were both centered on mighty rivers. Although located less than 1000 miles from each other, the geographical situations of Mesopotamia and Egypt from 3000 B.C.E. to 600 C.E. were strongly dissimilar and, as a result, their religions were affected dramatically in different ways.
Egypt was known as the “gift of the Nile” as the Nile predictably overflowed annually and left behind rich soil deposits that resulted in extremely fertile farming land, often resulting in a food surplus. Furthermore, a vast desert to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the North, and the Red Sea to the East guarded Egypt. These natural barriers kept out invaders and led to Egypt’s isolation; Egypt became a very internalized and harmonized nation with little major internal conflict and disagreement. The beneficial surroundings of Egypt led to a very positive religion with agreeable and merciful gods and a very optimistic afterlife known as “The Land of Two Fields.” This was the Ancient Egyptian equivalent of Heaven. The Egyptians felt that since they had such amenable lives, the gods and goddesses must be amenable as well and should be worshipped and loved. In contrast, while Mesopotamia was centered between two large rivers that also flooded, the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates was irregular and violent. The floods often resulted in destroyed cities and dead people and livestock. Because the rivers were destructive and didn’t aid in the process of farming like the Nile, fertile farmland was rare, causing endless wars over the rights to said land. Also, unlike Egypt, which was protected by natural barricades, Mesopotamia
AP World History
Dumas
9 September 2014
Mini Comparative Complex Cultures Essay
The Neolithic Revolution led to the discovery of agriculture and allowed for the development of sedentary civilizations, permanently changing the human way of life. The rise and fall of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies occurred around the same time and were both centered on mighty rivers. Although located less than 1000 miles from each other, the geographical situations of Mesopotamia and Egypt from 3000 B.C.E. to 600 C.E. were strongly dissimilar and, as a result, their religions were affected dramatically in different ways.
Egypt was known as the “gift of the Nile” as the Nile predictably overflowed annually and left behind rich soil deposits that resulted in extremely fertile farming land, often resulting in a food surplus. Furthermore, a vast desert to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the North, and the Red Sea to the East guarded Egypt. These natural barriers kept out invaders and led to Egypt’s isolation; Egypt became a very internalized and harmonized nation with little major internal conflict and disagreement. The beneficial surroundings of Egypt led to a very positive religion with agreeable and merciful gods and a very optimistic afterlife known as “The Land of Two Fields.” This was the Ancient Egyptian equivalent of Heaven. The Egyptians felt that since they had such amenable lives, the gods and goddesses must be amenable as well and should be worshipped and loved. In contrast, while Mesopotamia was centered between two large rivers that also flooded, the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates was irregular and violent. The floods often resulted in destroyed cities and dead people and livestock. Because the rivers were destructive and didn’t aid in the process of farming like the Nile, fertile farmland was rare, causing endless wars over the rights to said land. Also, unlike Egypt, which was protected by natural barricades, Mesopotamia
Cited: Stevenson, John T. "EGYPT - THE LAND OF THE NILE." EGYPT - THE LAND OF THE NILE. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. Streich, Michael. "Egypt and Mesopotamia Compared." Suite. N.p., 24 Sept. 2009. Web. 09 Sept. 2014. Webb, Eugene. "Mesopotamian Religion." Mesopotamian Religion. University of Washington, n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2014.