- Civilization along the Nile River.
- The second center of civilization in northern Africa.
- Formed by 3000 B.C.E.
Bibliography
Ancient Egypt. (2014). Retrieved from Time-Maps: http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/Ancient-Egypt#Technology
Ancient Mesopotamia. (2014). Retrieved from Time Maps: http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/Ancient-Mesopotamia
Compare the Political and Social Structures of Mesopotamia and Egypt. (2011, May). Retrieved from AP World History Review Project: https://sites.google.com/a/guhsd.net/ap-world-review-2011/topics/a2-1
Museum, T. B. (n.d.). Ancient Civilizations: Mesopotamia. Retrieved from Mesopotamia: http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/staff/resources/background/bg07/home.html
Mesopotamia + Middle East
Sumerians after recently invading this area, develop the alphabet.
The farmers of Mesopotamia were familiar with bronze and copper and have invented the wheel for transportation.
Indo-European herding and hunting groups invaded from the north.
Large political units declined in favor of smaller city-states or regional kingdoms.
Egyptian pharaohs began building tombs called Pyramids.
Egyptian Civilization sprang up in northern Africa, along the Nile River.
Egyptian Society began to decline, but remained intact until around this time.
- King/Pharaoh possessed immense power.
- Their society was structured as a hierarchy.
- Government control was necessary due to coordinating Nile Irrigation.
- Pharaohs had a God-Like status in egyptian society.
- Tightly organized city states in Sumeria.
- King claimed divine authority.
- Provided a court system for justice.
- Kings were originally military leaders during times of turmoil.
- Kings and rulers were at the top of the social structure.
- The middle class was below them, they were consisted of the merchants, artisans and farmers
- The bottom of the social pyramid was made up by the slaves and prisoners. (Compare the Political and Social Structures of Mesopotamia and Egypt, 2011)
Interactions With Other Societies
- Egypt benefited from the trade and technological influence of Mesopotamia, but it produced a different society and culture.
- Egypt remained unified through most of its existence due to the fact that it was less open to invasion.
Religion and Intelligence
Religion
- Sumerians had complex religious rituals.
- Each city had a patron God.
- Ziggurats are massive temples for rituals.
- Polytheistic Religion
- Prayers to prevent flooding from the rivers.
- Had a concept of Hell.
- Egyptians had a polytheistic religion
- Pyramids held tombs for Pharaohs to be housed in after death.
- The egyptians believed in an afterlife surrounded in beauty.
- Their math skills were highly developed.
- Produced the idea of a 24 hour day.
Technology And Trading
Interactions With Other Societies
Mesopotamian Civilization
- Made use of bronze and copper.
- By 4000 B.C.E the wheel was invented.
- Farming required Irrigation.
- After invading this area, the Sumerians developed a alphabet.
- The rivers allowed easy trade.
- From the first settled communities around 8000 B.C. the inhabitants of the Near East developed almost all the techniques that formed the basis of civilized life before the industrial revolution: architecture, transport, metalworking, carpentry, pottery, glass- making, textile manufacture and leather-working as well as many processes associated with farming and food preparation. (Museum, n.d.)
- The Ancient Egyptians developed high levels of mathematical skills to enable them to build their pyramids and temples with remarkably simple tools. (Ancient Egypt, 2014)
- As early as 3000 BC an Egyptian ship of 75ft in length had been built. (Ancient Egypt, 2014)
- The Egyptian Economy was fully government-directed.
- The first civilization founded in the Tigris Euphrates River valley.
- An example of a civilization made from scratch.
- Mesopotamia literally means "Between The Rivers".
- Mesopotamian Civilization's trade and technological influences impacted Egypt.
- Because they were one of the first civilizations, they influenced many other civilizations.
- "Mesopotamian civilization deeply influenced societies in Syria, Palestine and Egypt."(Ancient Mesopotamia, 2014)
River Valley Civilizations: Mesopotamia and Egypt