Egyptian And Sumerian Civilizations example essay topic

Two civilizations of the "Old World" were Egyptian and Sumerian. They both lived in parts of the Middle East; Egyptians lived on the Nile, while the Sumerians lived in Mesopotamia (between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers). The Egyptians believed that the afterlife was either total and complete damnation or a "Happy Field of Food". The Sumerians also believed in an afterlife but theirs was thought to be dreary and desolate. Although the Egyptians and Sumerians had a lot in common they also had a lot of differences, like government, some parts of their religions, and the ways that women were treated. In the Egyptian government system there were Pharaohs, who depended on Vipers to supervise the business of government.

Under the Vizier, differing bureaus looked after matters such as tax collections, farming, and the all important irrigation system. In the Sumerian government system there were many city-states. Sumerians were a little obsessed with the control of land and water, so they had many battles as a way to get to these resources. For protection from these many battles, Sumerians turned to war leaders, who were later elevated to hereditary rulers. Each ruler was responsible for maintaining the walls and irrigation systems of each city-state. The Sumerian warlord, also known as a Satrap, would lead his army to battle and to enforce laws.

The Egyptian religion was based on farming and survival, so the Nile god (Osiris) and the Sun god (Amon-Re) were the major gods. Osiris, the god of the Nile was also the god of the underworld. There is a legend that states that each soul had to pass a test to gain eternal life. Osiris would weigh the soul's heart against the feather of truth.

The souls that he judged to be sinners were fed to the Crocodile-like Eater of the Dead, and the souls that he judged to be worthy were allowed into the "Happy Field of Food". The Egyptians were convinced that life after death would be a lot like life on earth so they buried the dead with all the stuff that they thought that the body would need. The Sumerians believed that the gods controlled every aspect of life. But they also believed that the gods were like normal people; they could eat, drink, marry, and raise families. Even though the gods favored justice and truth, they were responsible for suffering and violence. The Sumerians thought that it was their job to keep the gods happy so they made sacrifices and prayed to these human-like gods.

The Sumerians believed in an afterlife also, but their outlook towards it was very gloomy and some people believe that this is the reason why the Sumerians were so negative. In the Egyptian civilization the women were able to inherit property, enter business deals, go to court, buy and sell goods, and could divorce their husbands. Women weren't confined to the home life but could open up a business selling textiles and perfumes. Women could also become priestesses especially serving goddesses. In Sumerian civilization the women were allowed to own their own businesses and they were given respect as a god would be given. As the Sumerian city-states evolved the women lost some of their authority but still enjoyed some liberties.

Over a long time, men gained more control over the city-states and the status of women changed. Because they devoted a lot of time and energy into the household and children, women became more and more dependent on men for their welfare. But the women of Sumerian civilization still had legal rights; they could engage in trade, borrow and loan money, and own property. Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations have a lot of differences.

The personalities of these two peoples seemed to me almost opposite. The Egyptians were a civilization of advancement and propose, while the Sumerians had a pessimistic attitude.