The emergence of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations is astounding in both their similarities and differences. The Mesopotamians were pessimistic while the Egyptian civilization was very optimistic.
<Tab/>Take for example both civilizations view of the rivers that ran through their land. The Egyptians had the Nile which they believed was in its own form a god, and called the annual floods, "The gift of the Nile" (Moss lecture, 9/23/04). The Mesopotamians were less optimistic about the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that flowed through their land. Whereas the Egyptians be…
