Compare and contrast the "first wave" civilizations of egypt and mesopotamia

The civilizations of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia were two of the earliest civilizations in world history. These two cultures shared many commonalities, but also had significant differences.

The civilization of Ancient Egypt developed along the Nile River. The proximity to the Nile allowed agriculture to flourish, and made it possible to sustain a large population. Similarly, Mesopotamia was the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and agriculture was made possible by this proximity to water. Another similarity was the fact that both civilizations had a polytheistic religion (they believed in the existence of many gods). Finally, both civilizations had similar social structures.

However, these civilizations also differed in many different ways. The religion of Mesopotamia was a pessimistic one. People in Mesopotamia believed that their gods were generally unkind, and that life involved a lot of suffering. Egyptians, on the other hand, had a more positive opinion of life and of the afterlife. Another difference was their treatment of women. In Mesopotamian culture, women had no power and were considered property. On the other hand, the Egyptians allowed women to own property, be independent and even become pharaohs.