Mesopotamia & Egypt Compared Block – World Civilizations Mrs. Petras

Differences - Political Mesopotamia divided into city- states Egypt has a Bureaucracy Egypt united into a kingdom Early on 3100 BCE by King Narmer (31 dynasties)

Differences cont. Mesopotamian kings were considered to be representatives of the gods Egyptian kings were considered gods – pharaohs (gov’t was a theocracy) –Kings had eternal life force Ka

Sim - Political Empire building Standing Army Dynastic Religion played a role in politics

Economic Differences Egypt valued luxury items such as gold, spice, and incense Egypt traded corn, Wheat, cloth, Papyrus Mesopotamia needed day to day items – traded grain, oils and textiles for timber, precious metals and stones

Economic - Similarity Crops were barley, wheat and dates Both were agricultural Specialized labor Traded with surrounding areas

Economic Similarity Both needed Timber Taxes paid to the government Slavery Rivers used for trade and agriculture which caused cultural diffusion

Social Similarity Social Hierarchy – However, order was different Kings, queen, and royal family Upper class – wealthy landowners, government officials, priests and army commanders

Social Similarities Next middle class – merchants and artisans Lowest class (majority of society) – peasant farmers and laborers Finally Slaves

Social Sim. Cont. In order to rise in society – Need to be able to read and write Patriarchal Women – could own and trade property

Social differences Women had more rights in Egypt –Female rulers – Queen Hatshepsut –Could propose marriage –Seek divorce –If granted divorce, she would be entitled to one-third of the couple’s property

Cultural Similarity Both polytheistic –Re, the sun god, and Osiris, god of the dead –Isis – ideal wife and mother Buried in tombs with many of their possessions

Cultural Differences Egyptian view of life – positive Egyptians believed in afterlife Believed to be judged for their deeds Anubis, god and guide for the underworld Large tombs mummification

Cultural Differences Each city-state in Sumer had their own god that was worshiped by its people Unlike Egyptians did not think they had any control over their lives

Intellectual - Similarity Monumental architecture: Ziggurats and Pyramid Writing system: Cuneiform and Hieroglyphics Literature: Epic of Gilgamesh and Book of the Dead Calendar

Intellectual Similarity cont. Writing done on stone and clay 365 days –12 months and 5 day of holiday Geometry

Intellectual Differences Later writing on papyrus Literature: Egypt happy (first love poems) and Mesopotamia gloomy 1 st to use stone columns in homes, palaces and temples Advance medicine

Intellectual Differences Cont. Pulse checking Set broken bones Treatments for wounds and fevers Surgery Arts – Makeup

Environment Differences Mesopotamia: Open - invaded often Egypt: protected by sea and rivers Nile could be predicated but Tigris and Euphrates could not SAME: DESERT Settled by fertile waterways