Egypt and Mesopotamia Comparison Chart

Thesis: During the years between 3000 BCE and 600 BCE, Mesopotamia and Egypt’s empirical build-up and ways of trading were alike; however, there were visible gaps in their traditions and cultures. | MESOPOTAMIA | SIMILAR | EGYPT | POLITICAL | -empires included Sargon of Akkad, Hammurabi, Assyrian, and New Babylonian (Nebuchadnezzar)-kings, that normally ruled with local nobles-nobles were through birth in rich families; could not work way up-city-states to control public life within city walls and oversee affairs in surrounding agricultural regions-more cities than Nubia | -had empires, but of different kinds-protected cities with dikes and defensive walls-civilized laws-had evidence of planning bc of architectures and blueprints of cities/modern cities-complex structures | -empires included ‘Old Kingdom,’ ‘Middle Kingdom,’ ‘New Kingdom.’-a pharaoh was ruler in areas-commoners could gain statuses by government work-gained political ideas from Mesopotamian ways (which was caused/influenced by Mesopotamian conquers/settlements/explorers) | ECONOMICAL | -their river for the trade was the Tigris-Euphrates river-imported gold, ivory, obsidian from Mediterranean-merchants helped in trade (for greater profits) and in cultural exchanges | -extensive trade networks-had a main river for over-seas trade-traded with neighbors for cooperation and to maintain peace-bronze metallurgy, which was the production of bronze for utilization-nomads contributed to trade | -their river for trade was the Nile-trade networks were to Nubia, east Africa, and north Africa-items traded wereebony, gems, slaves, linen, wine, wood | SOCIAL | -social class composed of kings, nobles, priests/priestesses, peasants, dependent clients (no property), and slaves.-Semitic (Jewish) migrants | -social class: only peasants and slaves played similar roles; both supplied labor to make complex agriculture possible.-partriarchial societies; however women had more power in Egypt than in Mes.-migrations