COMPARING MESOPOTAMIA
AND EGYPT
Similarities
Environment
and Culture
Differences
Mesopotamia
Egypt
 Unpredictable  Predictable
floods (Tigris
floods (Nile)
and Euphrates)  Deserts,
 Open plains
mountains,
(vulnerable to
seas,
invasion)
cataracts
(protection)

Dependence on
river valleys led to
productive
agriculture

Religion played an
important role and
was shaped by
geographic setting

Pessimistic/

unfavorable
view of gods,
eternal life, and
world
Optimistic/
favorable
view of world
and gods

Both modified
surrounding
environment
through use of
public works
(irrigation, dikes)

Negative

impact on
environment
(deforestation,
soil erosion,
salinization)
Mostly
sustainable
agriculture
Similarities
Differences
Mesopotamia
Cities and 
States
Advanced political
structures set up;
strong kings


Creation of Empires


Divine rule where

kings saw themselves
receiving authority
from gods

City-states in
Sumer (more
urban)
Wall building
for protection
against
invasions
Egypt


Political unity

was imposed by
outside forces
(Akkadians,
Babylonians,
Assyrians)
Hammurabi’s
Code –
authority given
by sun god

Cities were not as
important (more
rural)
Not as necessary
to have fortified
towns because of
geography
Began as a
unified territory
and maintained
this for 3,000
years
Egyptian
pharaohs were
believed to be a
god in human
form
Similarities
Differences
Mesopotamia
Interaction 
and
Exchange





Both interacted with

each other and with
neighbors
Long distance trade
Large networks of
commerce, culture, and
power
Egypt
Contacts with •
Indus River
Valley,
Turkey, Iran,
Afghanistan
Contacts with
Nubia and
Punt
Influenced
Nubia
(pyramids,
writing,
religion)
Influenced other
cultures
Both influenced
Minoans

Influenced
Hebrews
(laws),
Phoenicians
(religion,
alphabet)
Received ideas from
other cultures

Received idea •
of chariot
from Hittites
•
Received idea
of chariot
from Hyksos
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
ESSAY
Thesis (Intro) Paragraph
• Need to address both political and
economic similarities and differences.
• Can express this in more than one
sentence.
• This is the bulk of your introduction.
Introduction
• Give some background / characteristics
of the civilizations
• Thesis statement
Background
• Once existing in modern day North
Africa and the Middle East, the
Egyptian and Mesopotamian
Civilizations were two of the earliest of
the ancient world.
Thesis Pointers
• Great starting/transition words - “While”/
“Despite”/ “Although”/ “However”
• Thesis must incorporate all parts of the
prompt question and a time period (if
given)
• A good thesis “lights the way” and
provides a travel direction for the rest of
the essay
Thesis No No’s
• YOU CAN NEVER SAY… “THERE WERE
MANY SIMILARITIES AND
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TWO
CIVILIZATIONS”
• Thesis must be more specific in stating
how they were similar and different
Sample Thesis
• Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations
had many similarities and differences.
• NOT ACCEPTED!!!!
Sample Thesis
• Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations
had many similarities and differences in
their environment and political structures.
• NOT ACCEPTED!!!!
Sample Thesis
• Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations
were similar in that they depended on their
physical environments and developed
advanced political structures that
incorporated religious elements. However,
these two civilizations emerged within
diverse geographical settings which
altered the roles of governmental
structures in each area.
Body Paragraphs
•
•
•
•
Paragraph 1:
Paragraph 2:
Paragraph 3:
Paragraph 4:
Environmental similarities
Environmental differences
Political similarities
Political differences
• (Order can be changed)
Topic Sentence
• Provides an overview of what will be
discussed in the paragraph
Sample Topic Sentence for
Environmental Similarities
• Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia both
arose in a geographic setting that included
a dependence on river valleys.
Sample Topic Sentence for
Environmental Differences
• Despite both civilizations sharing a
dependence on river valleys, other
geographic features in each area led to
major differences between these groups.
Sample Topic Sentence for
Political Similarities
• Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia both
developed advanced political structures
that used religious themes.
Sample Topic Sentence for
Political Differences
• While both these civilizations developed
impressive governments, their exact
political arrangement varied.