Part 1
Respond to each of the following questions. Be sure to provide information about
both of your chosen civilizations in each response. Your responses should all be in
complete sentences and should follow conventional guidelines for spelling,
grammar, and punctuation. Use your textbook and your notes to help you answer
the questions.
Compare Geography
1. In what present-day countries can the sites of your civilizations be found?
2. What is the present-day name of the river(s) around which your chosen
civilizations were based?
3. What is the climate today in the region of the ancient civilization?
4. How did the people of the civilizations use the river?
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5. How did the people of the civilizations deal with flooding of the river?
Compare Society
6. What type of government did each civilization have? How was power passed
through generations?
7. What was the social structure in each of the civilizations?
8. What technological advancements were created by each civilization?
Compare Religion
9. What religions did people in each civilization practice? Did any other religions
emerge in either region?
10.What relationship did the government have with religion?
1. The site of my first chosen civilization can be found in present-day Egypt. The site of my second chosen civilization can be found in present-day Iraq and Iran.
2. The present-day name of the river around which the first civilization was based is the Nile River. The present-day names of the rivers around which the second civilization was based are the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
3. The climate today in the region of the ancient civilization of Egypt is mostly desert with hot temperatures and little rainfall. The climate today in the region of the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia (Iraq and Iran) is also mostly desert with hot summers and mild winters.
4. The people of the Egyptian civilization used the Nile River for transportation, irrigation, and as a source of food. The people of the Mesopotamian civilizations used the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers for irrigation and as a source of water for their crops.
5. The people of the Egyptian civilization dealt with flooding of the Nile River by developing a system of canals and dikes to control the flow of water and prevent damage to their crops and settlements. The people of the Mesopotamian civilizations also built irrigation canals and dikes to control floodwaters, although their efforts were not always successful and flooding was a constant challenge.
6. The Egyptian civilization had a monarchy with a pharaoh as the ruler. Power was passed down through generations within the royal bloodline. The Mesopotamian civilizations had various forms of government, including city-states ruled by kings and later empires ruled by dynasties. Power in Mesopotamia was also passed down through generations within the ruling families.
7. In the Egyptian civilization, the social structure was hierarchical with the pharaoh at the top, followed by nobles, priests, scribes, and peasants. In Mesopotamia, the social structure was also hierarchical with the king at the top, followed by nobles, priests, and then peasants.
8. The Egyptian civilization made significant technological advancements such as pyramid construction, developing a system of writing known as hieroglyphics, and advancements in medicine and agriculture. The Mesopotamian civilizations made advancements in mathematics, astronomy, and writing. They also developed the wheel and used irrigation systems for agriculture.
9. The people in the Egyptian civilization practiced a polytheistic religion, worshiping many gods and goddesses such as Ra, Osiris, and Isis. In Mesopotamia, the people practiced a polytheistic religion as well, with many gods and goddesses such as An, Enlil, and Ishtar. In both regions, other religions also emerged over time, including Judaism in Egypt and Zoroastrianism in Mesopotamia.
10. In both civilizations, the government had a close relationship with religion. The pharaoh in Egypt was considered a divine ruler, believed to be the intermediary between the gods and the people. The rulers in Mesopotamia also had a religious role, with the king being seen as the representative of the gods on Earth. Religion played a significant role in both the government and daily life of these civilizations.
Thank you!
You're welcome! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
One more question!
Part 2
Develop your own question about these two civilizations. This should be information
that is not found in your textbook.
Once you have a question identified, set about trying to answer it. You should use
credible outside sources to locate the answer.
When you do your research, you may decide to use internet resources. Please use
the Website Evaluation Checklist to judge the quality of each website. Ask your
teacher if you have any questions about the checklist or a website.
Write your original question here:
Provide the answer to your original question here. Your answer should contain
information about both of your chosen civilizations. Use complete sentences.
Provide a citation for your source(s) here. Use the APA Style: Citing Sources and
Formatting guide from the lesson to help you.
Original question: What were the burial practices and beliefs surrounding the afterlife in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia?
Answer: In ancient Egypt, the burial practices and beliefs surrounding the afterlife were deeply intertwined with religious beliefs. The Egyptians believed in the concept of an afterlife and they believed that preserving the body was crucial for the soul to continue its journey in the afterlife. They mummified the bodies of the deceased to preserve them, and the process involved removing the internal organs, treating the body with preservatives, and wrapping it in linen bandages. They also placed grave goods and belongings of the deceased in their tombs to accompany them in the afterlife.
In Mesopotamia, the belief in an afterlife was not as prominent as in Egypt. The Mesopotamians believed in a gloomy underworld called Irkalla, where the souls of the deceased would reside after death. However, the focus was more on appeasing the gods and ensuring a good life on earth rather than an elaborate afterlife. Burial practices varied in Mesopotamia depending on social status and time period. The bodies were usually buried in simple graves, often accompanied by grave goods that were believed to be necessary for the journey to the underworld.
Source:
Mark, J. J. (2014, January 17). Death and afterlife in ancient Mesopotamia. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/598/death-and-afterlife-in-ancient-mesopotamia/