When talking about geography, religion, and political views, there were more differences than similarities within these two civilizations. Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia shared one key similarity in their geography; access to a major source of freshwater. For Egypt, it was the Nile River and for Mesopotamia, it was the Tigris and Euphrates River. Luckily, they were both gifted with fertile soil thanks to the rivers. Also, both rivers flooded.
The Egyptians could possibly be an extinct population if it were not for the Nile River. Not only did the Nile River provide a water source for the Ancient Egyptians, its frequent flooding provided rich soils to grow and maintain crops. The Nile River is such a large body of water and for the Ancient Egyptians to get full use out if it they developed one of the first irrigation systems, diverting water away from cities and towards fertile soil to help grow crops. The irrigation system was also used to provide clean drinking water (“Ancient Egyptian agriculture”, 2013, Irrigation Systems, para.1). As impressive as their irrigation systems were I believe the most interesting fact about the Nile River and the Ancient Egyptians is that the frequent flooding was so predictable that this was the basis for creating the first calendar,
Answer to DBQ People in early civilizations like Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Indus Valley, depended a lot in the physical environment that surrounded them. Many of these civilizations developed near rivers, because they can be great water resources and also they can provide silt for crops when they flood. Rivers not only provide silt and water for the natives but it can be a great way of transportation. Transportation later could lead to trade, a great way of expanding ideas and learning more about other countries. Even though the climate in these areas may be a little arid, the river keeps the people with water and provides them what they need in order to create a society and living with happiness.
A.B. September 21, 2010 Irrigation in the Ancient Worlds. The ancient world was a time of invention. One of the major technological inventions was the irrigation system--the digging of canals for better access to water sources. Irrigation had many uses, such as trade routs and the transfer of silt-bearing water for agriculture.
The Mesopotamian and Indus Valley’s architectural, technological, and economical structures all developed differently from one another’s, but also had some similarities between the two. Although they have their similarities in their architectural, economical, and technological ways of life, these two civilizations have enough contrast between each other to be viewed as different societies. Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilization share some similarities involving architecture and the way they build their cities and villages, but have some constructive differences as well. They both retain a sort of communal bath house, where all the citizens bathe and cleanse themselves. They have these bathing houses in most villages and cities in the Indus River Valley, but in Mesopotamia, they have these only in their largest cities.
Mesopotamia is an example of an early river civilization because rivers were a big factor in the way that the earliest societies came about. Mesopotamians had to learn to adapt to the rivers and were creative enough to invent technology to help control the flow of water to irrigate crops which was essential for successful farming. Mesopotamia’s location near the two rivers is also beneficial because the soil becomes greatly deposited with mud and clay which allows for the development of building materials to make homes, residences, and marketplaces, etc. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers also supplies most of the civilizations drinking water. The civilization has “tilled the soil, built houses, and constructed irrigation systems, draining marshes, and digging canals, dikes, and ditches” (Ancient Civilizations, n.d.).
They flowed into the Persian Gulf with large amounts of fertile silt and soil deposits. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers had a positive impact on the history and culture of Mesopotamia. They also helped the early settlers, like the Sumerians, plant crops with their fertile soil and silt deposits. The river was also used as a large transportation route. The route was used for trade, and travel.
GKE Task 1 I chose Egypt and the Nile as the geographic factor that contributed to the development of Ancient Egypt. The Nile is considered Egypt’s lifeline and important to the economy. Each year the Nile floods bringing with it numerous elements that nourish the land, not like the Tigris or Euphrates systems that have alkaline waters. The Nile fertilizes the land making it perfect for planting. The Ancient Egyptians planted wheat, barley, and many other crops after the flood waters receded.
For instance, ancient civilizations that solely depended on irrigation canals and ditches often suffered food shortages and famine when the river levels dropped, or when the water systems could not be properly maintained. In addition, irrigation canals filled with water often became breeding grounds for insects carrying diseases, such as mosquitoes. On the contrary, there were also positive effects from technological developments that resulted from the need of a steady water supply. Advancements in irrigation technology made it much easier for farmers to water their crops, and in ancient Rome, the massive aqueducts that were crafted brought water to thousands of Roman citizens, even to those who didn’t live directly next to a stream or river. Secondly, the need for steady water supplies had a great deal of impact on the economies of ancient civilizations.
The water from the rivers would flow through bringing down soil from the mountains in which made the soil super fertile. The fertile ground and great climate was a great place for agriculture. The rich soil and way to grow food helped contribute to this society. People were able to plant all kinds of crops and grow food. Since people were able to grow food they were able to start staying in one place instead of moving around.