Kezia Nyarko

Mr. Saldivar
A4 8/29/13

Reillys Cities and Civilization

The chief differences between Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations are all based
around the differing nature of the rivers in which each civilization lays. Mesopotamia and Egypt
were both in flood basins. While Mesopotamia was characterized with disasters, tension, and
turmoil, Egypt was characterized with serenity and ease. The Mesopotamian climate was harsh
since the Euphrates cut through Mesopotamia and flooded irregularly. Nature was not view as
something good nor beautiful but instead as part of the forces of evil. In contrast, Egyptians
viewed nature as part of life. The flood god was a helpful deity that provided people with food.
Because of their different experiences with their rivers, Mesopotamians developed a
civilization based on cities while the Egyptians did not (39). Mesopotamian civilization was a
product and expression of city life. The people of Mesopotamia were individuals who would
work together for one cause at times but did not base their lives on doing things together.
Adversely, Egyptian civilization was more village-like as it required for all the people to work
for one common cause. There wasnt a big sense of individuality because there were no class
divisions. It was the pharaoh and the people that worked for the pharaoh, which was basically a
mock of the village chief and his peasants. This only happened because it was much more easier
for the Egyptians to based their lives on more agricultural, village-like lifestyle as the supplies
were abundant to them.
Also, Mesopotamians considered themselves to be citizens of particular cities and gods
because they worked to help their city together, locally. By contrast, Egyptians never saw
themselves as citizens because they all worked to help the Pharaoh; they were peasants instead of
citizens. Even their physical structure of the civilizations acts as more evidence to prove the

Kezia Nyarko
Mr. Saldivar
A4 8/29/13

differences between Mesopotamia and Egypt. Still maintaining, its tense and turmoil like
character, Mesopotamias physical structure was packed with small and large houses jumbled
next to each other. But the specialized districts throughout the city maintained its individuality
and organization as a city state. In heavy contrast, Egypt was much more at ease as it was not
surrounded by walls but instead straggled down the eastern bank of the Nile for five miles and
faded into the desert (41). There were plenty of physical and social space between the gorgeous,
royal houses and the bunched villages of workers houses. Although life for the wealthy was
much more luxurious in Egypt than in Ur, unlike Ur, the Egyptians lacked a range in economy.
In many ways, the Egyptians did not live the city life but instead a more modernized
version of villages whilst Mesopotamians experienced more of a city life with its individuality
and civic loyalty. Although Euphrates made life harder for the Mesopotamians, it essentially
allowed them to revolutionize urbanely whilst the ease of the Nile river held back that
opportunity for the Egyptians.