Period 7
9/7/14
Essay 2
It is interesting to compare and contrast each ancient civilization. Many societies are separated by natural resources like seas, deserts, and rivers but still manage to have similar political, social, and religious systems. Although, there are obvious differences that can be depicted between each civilization. These similarities and differences are what define each cultivation and able us to learn how the human race has evolved. Mesopotamia and Egypt are prime examples of how developments can have characteristics that relate and differ. Despite the fact that Egypt and Mesopotamia have similar political systems in the way their kings rule their social and religious structures such as women, language, and gods differ prior to 600 B.C. Egypt and Mesopotamia political foundations are similar in various ways. Both societies’ include their religious structures into their government, making them a theocracy. Each civilizations leader claim to be the son of the Gods sent to Earth to lead their society. In Egypt the government is led by one designated individual King, who is called Pharaoh. The Mesopotamia is also led by a single individual called Lugal. In both societies the priest, if not the ruler, was a primary influence in the decision making and ruling of the civilization. Another similarity exists in the established laws which governed the people of the land and were defined by the Gods. In Mesopotamia the laws were known as Hammurabi’s Code. Although Egypt had a similar foundation there was no formal name for the laws which governed their land. Egypt and Mesopotamia social key elements varied in several ways. In Mesopotamia the women of the land were granted a large degree of rights and freedom as they allowed to own property, participate in the trade industry, and have a decision in the handling of their dowry. Although in Egypt, the women of the land were able to inherit from their parents they had no input of what they would like to inherit. In addition, the Egyptian women could freely choose their marriage partner and dissolve their marriage without any social consequence. In Mesopotamia, divorce was not an option and in turn if the male partner was unsatisfied with his wife, it was acceptable to search for an additional female partner and take on an additional wife. The languages spoken in these civilizations varied not only in their structure but in how many were spoken. In Mesopotamia there was only one language used for both government official business and general public use. In Egypt, there were two languages and their uses differed. Hieroglyphics was used for formal political writings used in government business and religious rituals. Heretic language was used for everyday writing and communication. This language was utilized by the general population to trade and communicate in everyday activity. There were obvious characteristics that differed between Mesopotamia and Egypt religious structures. The Mesopotamians feared their Gods because of the perceived consequences on their people and their land endured. These environmental disasters were attributed to the powers and