Comparative Essay: Compare And Contrast Egypt And Mesopotamia

The /Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations developed many differences. The geography, culture, and religion are all different and play a huge role in history.

When you look back in history to the development and the contributions of both the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations, you see that there was a lot accomplished, as well as a lot created. The earliest forms of writing developed in Mesopotamia, while Egypt was referred to the “Gift of the Nile” by traveler Herodotus (McKay,42). Development of cities was another major marker, especially in the “old world”, of how people eventually determined civilizations and what they represented. According to McKay, civilizations were determined by people who considered themselves more “civilized”, urban people mostly. Made up of cities, written rules of law, and social justice codes, Mesopotamia and Egypt would develop into two of the largest civilizations in history.

Over the years the Egyptians had more experience than the Mesopotamians, because the Egyptians had more ideas for making new things. In Ancient Egypt the Egyptians had built pyramid structures and in the Ancient Middle East the Mesopotamians had built ziggurat structures. The Egyptians and the Mesopotamians had most things in common, but they mostly have a lot of differences. The Mesopotamians were the first to develop tools during that time, but over the years the Egyptians had also developed tools but it was real science technology. Another thing is that when it came to women’s rights in Ancient Middle East all the women were owned by their husbands, and in Ancient Egypt the people worshiped women and there was even a woman ruler. Even though Ancient Middle East and Ancient Egypt share written language and both heavily relied on the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates, rivers the difference between Ancient Middle East and Ancient Egypt is that they both had an opposite view of the afterlife.

The Egyptian and Mesopotamian religion and society were similar, but their government system was different. The religions in Egypt and Mesopotamia were similar because both were polytheistic, had beliefs of an afterlife, as well as priests who were part of the upper levels of the social hierarchy. Social similarities between Egypt and Mesopotamia included: rigid social structure, dependence on slavery, and authoritative religious structure. However, the system of government was different because Egyptian society was governed by a theocratic monarchy, while Mesopotamia was ruled by a traditional monarchy.

Egypt and Mesopotamia developed different and similar political and religious civilizations. Mesopotamian civilizations such as the Sumerians, the Akkadian kingdom, the Assyrian empire and the Babylonian city-state, were all too dependent on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Egypt’s natural isolation and material self-sufficiency fostered a unique culture that for long periods had relatively little to do with other civilizations. Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt.

I have chosen to discuss the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Both have many significant similarities and differences. I would like to compare some important points in four common categories. I will compare and contrast the geography and its impact, the political structure of each society, the importance of their existing class structures and finally the role of women in these dynamic civilizations.

Both Mesopotamia and Egypt between 3000 and 600 B.C.E had similarities and differences. Both regions differ in regards to social structure concerning gender roles, social classes, and slavery. However Mesopotamia and Egypt shared similar technological developments in regards to mathematics, astronomy, and writing as well as political structure as it regards to taxes, kingship, and the power of religion.

During 3500 BCE to 1250 BCE, Mesopotamia and Egypt were different in writing systems because of their uses of the writing systems and what they represented. Another difference is their outlook of the world because of their environment; however they are similar in beliefs because they believe aspect of the world is controlled by a force.

During the period from 2700 B.C.E to 1000 B.C.E., the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt shared many similarities. Both have kingships, farming and agriculture, technology and metallurgy, grain storage, and a system of hierarchy that included slavery. Although they are quite similar, they show differences as well, including their perspective of the afterlife and the fact that Mesopotamia experienced conquests while documents showed Egypt as a conqueror.

In both cultures religion guided every aspect of life. Egyptian and Mesopotamian religion was based on polytheistic belief system. This means that the people believed in more than just on god. The Egyptians had as many as 2000 gods and goddesses. The difference is that the Egyptian leader who was the pharaoh was the religious leader of the Egyptian people, also known as: 'Lord of the Two Lands' and 'High Priest of Every Temple'. But they both believed that the many of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature. They believed the gods controlled everything good and bad that happened to them. This religion played a part on the different societies government systems.

The ancient civilization of Mesopotamia emerged around 5000 B.C. and the ancient Egypt civilization started around 3500-3000 B.C. They were both very successful and revolutionary civilization. The Sumerians initiated the Bronze Age and the Egyptians deciphered seven different languages. They Egyptian civilization was once separated but was eventually united under one ruler. Conversely, the Mesopotamian civilization always remained independent because each city-state had its own government and ruler, but they still shared one same culture. Both Egyptians and Mesopotamians developed a successful civilization thanks to their way of life, beliefs/religions, and their government/leaders.

Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia are similar and different in many ways. Life was way different back then compared to life today. These two civilizations are known as River Valley Civilization. Things that make them different are their culture, religion, and government. Both Ancient Egypt and Ancient Mesopotamia

Old kingdom Egypt and Mesopotamia shared a lot of similarities and multiple differences. The first Sumerian cities had populations between 5,000 and 50,000 people and became the center of trade. City walls were important to ensure the people's protection so they didn't get raided. Egypt however had no walls and was isolated. Due to Egypt's isolation, they weren't involved in external conflicts and where the most peaceful and prosperous of the three kingdoms. While Mesopotamia had kings, old kingdom Egypt had god like

The area Mesopotamia and Egypt built their communities allowed a varied response. This varied response was because Egypt had stability and protection with the desert being a boundary line that no very many could survive through let alone charge an entire army and with Mesopotamia the mini communities there were in constant battle with each other for water and food for their people. Then even though with religion they both were polytheistic Egypt took religion a lot more seriously with the belief of an afterlife as a good thing, yet Mesopotamia thought going to the afterlife was a punishment and more like our view today on Hell. Mesopotamia’s government was through strict brute force that ended up leading to their own ruin and the Egyptians ruled through a kind of hierarchy with the bloodline of the Pharaohs that lead to respect, as long as you didn’t mess with the worship of the Gods. The inventions were different as Mesopotamia had only basic math and Egypt had algebra which created stepping stones to society’s math today. Egypt even went as far as to make one of the first kind of paper instead of using clay tablets. Although Mesopotamia invented the wheel long before Egypt

The Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies are two of the oldest civilizations in the history of the world. The Egyptian and Mesopotamian political, social, and cultural parts of their lives developed differently, but there is a similar basis between the two. Although they had similar political systems in that they both were ruled by kings, the way they viewed their kings and the way that they both constructed their power differed. Both civilizations constructed their social classes similarly in that they had kings at the top, followed by other officials and merchants, and at the bottom the slaves and peasants. They both had their own form of writing; Mesopotamia had cuneiform, and Egypt had hieroglyphics and cursive script, respectively. While they are similar in many different political, social, and cultural activities and ideas, they have enough contrast to be viewed as different societies.