COMPARING MESOPOTAMIA AND EGYPT

Similarities DifferencesMesopotamia Egypt

Environment and Culture

Dependence on river valleys led to productive agriculture

Religion played an important role and was shaped by geographic setting

Both modified surrounding environment through use of public works (irrigation, dikes)

Unpredictable floods (Tigris and Euphrates)

Open plains (vulnerable to invasion)

Pessimistic/ unfavorable view of gods, eternal life, and world

Negative impact on environment (deforestation, soil erosion, salinization)

Predictable floods (Nile)

Deserts, mountains, seas, cataracts (protection)

Optimistic/ favorable view of world and gods

Mostly sustainable agriculture

Similarities DifferencesMesopotamia Egypt

Cities and States

Advanced political structures set up; strong kings

Creation of Empires

Divine rule where kings saw themselves receiving authority from gods

City-states in Sumer (more urban)

Wall building for protection against invasions

Political unity was imposed by outside forces (Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians)

Hammurabi’s Code – authority given by sun god

Cities were not as important (more rural)

Not as necessary to have fortified towns because of geography

Began as a unified territory and maintained this for 3,000 years

Egyptian pharaohs were believed to be a god in human form

Similarities Differences

Mesopotamia Egypt

Interaction and Exchange

Both interacted with each other and with neighbors

Long distance trade Large networks of

commerce, culture, and power

Influenced other cultures

Both influenced Minoans

Received ideas from other cultures

Contacts with Indus River Valley, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan

Influenced Hebrews (laws), Phoenicians (religion, alphabet)

Received idea of chariot from Hittites

• Contacts with Nubia and Punt

• Influenced Nubia (pyramids, writing, religion)

• Received idea of chariot from Hyksos

COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY

Thesis (Intro) ParagraphThesis (Intro) Paragraph

• Need to address both political and economic similarities and differences.

• Can express this in more than one sentence.

• This is the bulk of your introduction.

IntroductionIntroduction

• Give some background / characteristics of the civilizations

• Thesis statement

BackgroundBackground

• Once existing in modern day North Africa and the Middle East, the Egyptian and Mesopotamian

Civilizations were two of the earliest of the ancient world.

Thesis PointersThesis Pointers

• Great starting/transition words - “While”/ “Despite”/ “Although”/ “However”

• Thesis must incorporate all parts of the prompt question and a time period (if given)

• A good thesis “lights the way” and provides a travel direction for the rest of the essay

Thesis No No’sThesis No No’s

• YOU CAN NEVER SAY… “THERE WERE MANY SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TWO CIVILIZATIONS”

• Thesis must be more specific in stating how they were similar and different

Sample ThesisSample Thesis

• Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations had many similarities and differences.

• NOT ACCEPTED!!!!

Sample ThesisSample Thesis

• Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations had many similarities and differences in their environment and political structures.

• NOT ACCEPTED!!!!

Sample ThesisSample Thesis

• Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations were similar in that they depended on their physical environments and developed advanced political structures that incorporated religious elements. However, these two civilizations emerged within diverse geographical settings which altered the roles of governmental structures in each area.

Body ParagraphsBody Paragraphs

• Paragraph 1: Environmental similarities

• Paragraph 2: Environmental differences

• Paragraph 3: Political similarities

• Paragraph 4: Political differences

• (Order can be changed)

Topic SentenceTopic Sentence

• Provides an overview of what will be discussed in the paragraph

Sample Topic Sentence for Sample Topic Sentence for Environmental SimilaritiesEnvironmental Similarities

• Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia both arose in a geographic setting that included a dependence on river valleys.

Sample Topic Sentence for Sample Topic Sentence for Environmental DifferencesEnvironmental Differences

• Despite both civilizations sharing a dependence on river valleys, other geographic features in each area led to major differences between these groups.

Sample Topic Sentence for Sample Topic Sentence for Political SimilaritiesPolitical Similarities

• Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia both developed advanced political structures that used religious themes.

Sample Topic Sentence for Sample Topic Sentence for Political DifferencesPolitical Differences

• While both these civilizations developed impressive governments, their exact political arrangement varied.