Mesopotamia and Egypt
Ancient Civilizations
Egypt Geography
• Nile
• Located on the
continent of Africa
• Papyrus Plant grows
by the Nile
• Great boat builders
and used river for
transportation
Mesopotamia Geography
•
•
•
•
Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Fertile Crescent
On the continent of Asia
Used the mud by banks for clay tablets
Geography in common
• Both located in the Middle East
• Both located by a river…called river
civilizations
• Both used the river for farming, trading,
transportation, fishing
• Both controlled the flooding of the river with
irrigation
Egypt Government
• Leader is called a
pharaoh
• Believed their leader was
the living son of a god
• Ruler controlled all parts
of life-religion, economy,
military, government
• Famous leader:
Hatshepsut
Mesopotamia Government
• Leader was called a
king
• Believed their leader
was a god
• Ruler controlled only
the military and
government
• Famous leader:
Hammurabi
Government in common
• Both had a monarchy type government
• Both had rulers connected to religion
• Both had laws recorded in writing
Egypt-Culture
• Mummification
• Pyramids
• Hieroglyphics using
papyrus for paper
• Various gods and
goddesses
Mesopotamia Culture
• Ziggurats
• Cuneiform on clay
tablets
• Invented the wheel
• Various gods and
goddesses
Culture in common
• Both were polytheistic
• Both had a picture writing system
• Both left structures that we can see
today
Big Question
• What are characteristics of ancient civilization?
• What do both of these civilizations have in
common?
Answer
• Geography by river
– so farming important
• Government
• Culture:
– Written language
– Religion-polytheism