What similarities and differences did Egypt and Mesopotamia have and why was Egypt more politically unified than its neighbor, Mesopotamia? I think to answer these questions it is important to look at how both societies lived. Egypt and Mesopotamia were two civilizations existing between 2000 and 1200 BCE. (text, 97) These civilizations were shaped by their environments, involved in trade, and faced changes in government after 100 years of drought; however, they differed in that Egypt was shaped by the Nile, traded goods for goods, and changed their view of the pharaoh who was ruler of all; while Mesopotamia was shaped by the Tigris and Euphrates, exchanged money for goods, and had ruler upon rulers. Egypt's harmonious and governed lifestyle led this society to be more unified politically; while the government of Mesopotamia led to many different ways of structuring, thus creating a less unified society. One of the reasons I think Egypt was more unified was the gift of the Nile. In my opinion, people are products of their environment. The Nile was one of the elements that allowed a large population to live. The relaxed atmosphere brought people together to create simple but effective ways to fertilize the soil; in addition, the fertile and rich area allowed crops to prosper and gave everyone the certainty that they were not going to die of hunger. (text, 73) On the other hand, the two rivers of Mesopotamia, the Tigris and the Euphrates, forced people to create means of irrigation to make the land more fertile for crops. (text, 59) The general idea of ​​Mesopotamian greed arose from the possibility of losing crops to floods. (text, 59) In other words, land did not provide much security...... middle of paper ......the king also had to meet the needs of the poor and disadvantaged. (text, 113) The king was directly with the people, not so much as with the gods. (text, 114) In conclusion, it was the form of the Nile, the promotion of goods and the harmonious style of government, led by pharaoh, that made Egypt a more politically unified society. For Mesopotamia, it was the unpredictable Tigris and Euphrates, money-hungry tax routes, and the independence of powerful rulers that made Mesopotamia a place where political division could threaten the existence of society. Although both states shared a common goal: overcoming the difficulties of running a state, it was the citizens of both states who determined the unity of their state. I think the slogan “United we stand, divided we fall” is the one thing a society needs to remember to be more unified...