Research and Describe Mesopotamia / Egypt in Ancient Times

Mesopotamia/Egypt in Ancient Times
Name
Institutional affiliation Mesopotamia/Egypt in Ancient Times
Thesis
Mesopotamia and the Egyptian civilization contributed a lot to the civilization of humanity. The truth is that both have their similarities and differences. One of the major differences is that they occurred in different areas. The Egyptian civilization took place in North Africa while Mesopotamia is located in the Middle East. Mesopotamia occupied what is currently known as Iraq. It is between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. About ten thousand years ago the people who occupied that area began what came to be referred to as an agricultural revolution. This was because the two rivers created a fertile bed which was suitable for agriculture in the middle of an inhabitable land. Egypt, on the other hand, is a desert but the river Nile provided a source of water for agricultural purposes. During the civilization of both, great inventions were made which plays a significant role in the civilization of humankind. For the first time, people could cultivate crops instead of hunting and gathering. They built houses which they lived in as a community while rearing animals and growing crops for food. This paper will deliberate on the differences and similarities between the two. It will concentrate on the political, cultural and geographic differences between the two.
Introduction
Arguably ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia had their differences and similarities which are visible to date. It is important to note that both received their source of water from rivers. Mesopotamia is located between two rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) which Egypt receives its water from the river Nile. The rivers provided a good source of water which was used for various reasons from irrigation to domestic consumption. Another similarity appears in the religion of both sides. They both believed in multiple gods instead of just one they also believed that demons exist and were created by the gods and they could either be evil or good (Houston, Baines, & Cooper, 2003).
However, the two differ in the political structure. Egypt had a centralized government with one ruler while Mesopotamia had self-governed city-states. In Egypt, there was only one rule which was the Pharaoh and all the land belonged to him. People were allowed to cultivate and own small pieces of land if they paid tax to the king. In Mesopotamia, the scenario was different whereby there were self-governed states which were controlled by their political centers. The Egyptians also worshiped their leader as a god and were considered holy and immortal which was not the case in Mesopotamia.
The writing was used by both sides for writing down events. The people in both areas saw the need to note down important events, and writing came in handy. It was also adapted for easier communication though it was hard to learn since it contained a lot of symbols. Writing was also used as a source of information and knowledge it was also used as a point of reference by both sides (Carmona, & Ezzamel, 2007). Apart from writing both sides adapted pictographs which helped in making communication easier. Although writing was present in both eras, symbols and words were not the same. Mesopot...