1. The Economies of Mesopotamia & Egypt
BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED SO FAR, WHAT ACTIVITIES DO YOU THINK WOULD DRIVE THE ECONOMIES OF EACH CIVILIZATION?

2. Agriculture in Mesopotamia
3 main crops: barley, dates & sesame seeds
Raised cows, donkeys & sheep
Wool was important industry
Irrigation canals essential to success, so professional irrigators maintained the system
Land owned by temples & leased to farmers:
1/3 production given to temple
1/3 production given to king
1/3 production given to farmer who paid taxes on it
Unfair system angered farmers, so land taken from temples & farmers allowed to buy it
Mesopotamian economy based mainly on barter system, but also used coins
Agriculture most important part of economy in both civs

3. Industry in Mesopotamia
Most craftspeople worked near or inside the walls of ziggurats
Artisans included tanners, potters, carpenters, weavers and metal workers
Overseers saw to quality control
Temple scribes kept accounts

4. Agriculture in Egypt
Pharaoh’s wealth based on abundance of food, not treasure
Few farmers owned their land
Most worked land owned by Pharaoh, temples or wealthy families
Paid a percentage of the harvest
Grain was most important crop
Grew papyrus reeds for paper, baskets, footwear, etc.
Barter system, based on the value of wheat, used to pay salaries, collect taxes and trade
Egyptian economy was a blend of traditional (subsistence farming), market (supply and demand) and command (government control of production and distribution of wealth) economies
Barter system would later be based on value of precious metals like gold, silver, copper
Also grew lettuce, beans, onions, figs, dates, grapes, melons cucumbers

5. Industry in Egypt Skilled trades passed from father to son
Artisans were part of a workshop
Sold their products in shops near the palace, temples or wealthy houses
Used local materials to produce goods (e.g. flax to make linen)
Artisans included furniture makers, potters, jewelers, weavers, etc.
Mining was important in rural areas
Construction materials (e.g. limestone, granite)
Precious metals and gems
Egyptians did not get to explore career options