Essay Compare And Contrast Mesopotamia And Egyptian Society

When beginning a study in history one must approach it in a broader view. It is simply insufficient to look at one aspect of a society and claim that the society is now understood. Instead an in depth approach must be taken to determine not only the cultural pieces that identify a society but also the environmental impacts that molded the society into what we know it as today. In the following paragraphs I will be explaining how the different environments of Mesopotamia and Egypt shaped their cultural traits. Mankind began as a hunter-gatherer species embracing a nomadic lifestyle based on the movements of prey and the lifecycles of plants. As man evolved he became more aware of the potential in domesticating animals and raising crops. Man
During earlier hunter-gatherer societies all members of a group aided in the acquisition of food, but now that crops and livestock were being farmed there was opportunity to work in other industries. Both the Mesopotamian and Egyptian societies developed bronze and iron works. In Mesopotamia the creation of the wheel lead to easier travel and thus expanded trade. The Egyptians achieved similar transportation success in their use of boats.
Diversification of trades also lead to the formation of social classes and a patriarchal society. In Mesopotamia ruling classes initially consisted of brave and successful warriors with priests holding highly esteemed positions as well. Beneath the higher classes, one could find landowners, laborers, and slaves. Egypt’s lower classes were similarly constructed but since the pharaohs were the supreme rulers, there was no space for lower levels of nobility.
Mesopotamia and Egypt enjoyed great success and prosperity. They were able to construct permanent cities, develop new technologies, enjoy rich trade, and evolve new social systems. The growth shown in both societies can be traced back to the advantageous sites chosen as