Jeff Garcia
History 1
09/26/14
Civilization is an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached by definition. Egypt and Mesopotamia are two primary models of complex and unique societies that established to be both prosperous and effective. The two greatest significant civilizations of the world developed in the same region of Middle East and North Africa, closely linked and influenced by each other. Even though, Egypt and Mesopotamia share similar aspects there are differences, which make them their own society. The geography surrounding Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia significantly forms the differences and similarities of these civilization’s visions of life and the afterlife. The geography of Egypt and Mesopotamia were very similar but differed in major aspects such as rivers, land barriers, and resources. First of all, both societies cultivated beside great fertile rivers that carried rich deposit for growing crops; Egypt had the Nile River and Mesopotamia had the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The Nile River flooded regularly and predictably, bringing fertile soil to the land of the Egyptians just in time for harvest, and kept relatively the same course. The Egyptians did not fear flooding knowing of the patterns. The Tigris and Euphrates, however, flood randomly and violently, usually before a harvest, and would wipe out communities as well as destroy progress of the people. The constant unpredictable floods in Mesopotamia gave people fear. The Egyptians had a very stable weather compared to the Mesopotamians’ chaos.
Egyptian civilization was established in the rich Nile river valley and was well protected by natural land barriers. To the north of Egypt was the Mediterranean Sea as for the other surroundings was desert. Meanwhile, Mesopotamia had no land borders. It sat in plain covered in infertile dried clay, except along the rivers. Because
Cited: Guisepi, Robert. "Egypt and Mesopotamia Compared." Egypt and Mesopotamia Compared. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2014. "FIRST CIVILIZATIONS: MESOPOTAMIA AND EGYPT." FIRST CIVILIZATIONS: MESOPOTAMIA AND EGYPT. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. "World Cultures: Mesopotamia and Egypt, Texts and History." World Cultures: Mesopotamia and Egypt, Texts and History. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014. Andrea, Alfred J., and James H. Overfield. The Satire of Trades. The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. N. page 19 Andrea, Alfred J., and James H. Overfield. The Epic of Gilgamesh The Human Record: Sources of Global History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. N. page 9