Introductory Paragraph to Mesopotamian and Egyptian Civilizations

In 3,500 BCE along the Euphrates and Nile rivers two separate civilizations were emerging. Along the Euphrates, large villages such as Eridu, Erech, Lagash, Kish, Ur and Babylonia became more productive river valleys, which became known as Mesopotamia.

The Egyptian civilization was located along the Nile River. Both civilizations originated around the same time period. The main differences between Mesopotamia and Egypt are directly affected by the rivers on which they were located, along the Nile River floods were predictable and left rich sediment behind for next seasons crops, on the Euphrates that was not the case. Along the Euphrates floods were unpredictable and could often ruin harvest. Because of the predictable and more submissive floods irrigation was a simple process in Egypt, along the Euphrates, however, this included much more complicated irrigation routes. However, transportation along the Nile was also made much easier due to winds, the Euphrates often had too little water to sail or tough winds that made it difficult to travel up stream.