How were early African civilizations similar or different to river valley civilizations?

Answer 1

The first civilizations were similar in that they began in areas where fresh water was abundant and included farming rather than nomadic cultures. They were different in that the climates caused a variety of changes in housing structures and farming methods.

Answer 2

To give some basic comparisons:

Similarities: They were both bronze age societies consisting of urban settlements along a river supported by a farming majority. They both had a small class of literate scribes that allows us to know about their culture today. They were both polytheistic and had a powerful religious elite. They were both ruled by monarchs. They both built extensive systems of irrigation and enormous religious monuments. They both lacked anything resembling a market economy. They both made use of forced labor.

Differences: Aside from obvious differences (such as different gods), there are two primary differences.

1. The mesopotamian civilization was extremely decentralized. It basically consisted of largely independent city-states in which one city state would temporarily gain military dominance over others and exploit their resources and manpower to conquer additional city-states. Each Mesopotamian "empire" (whether Babylonian, Sumerian, or Assyrian) was basically a federation of city states. In contrast, ancient Egypt truly was, except during the intermediate periods, a unified stated with a centralized administration beneath the Pharaoh.

2. Despite the fact that both civilizations were extremely religious, Egyptian religion could be considered otherworldly whereas the Mesopotamian religions were more this-worldly. The Egyptians placed emphasis upon the afterlife. People followed a complicated religious code of conduct, prayed to the gods, and mummified bodies in the hope of living eternally in a pleasant next life. They believed that people who failed to perform their moral and religious duties would have their souls devoured by a kind of half-hippo half-crocodile named Am-mit the Devourer. One of the primary goals in life was to make sure that didn't happen.

Comparatively, the Mesopotamians didn't care much about the next life. They believed that all souls, regardless of their conduct in this life, traveled to a dismal "Land of No Return" after death. So the concern was primarily with this life.

Answer 3

Some African civilizations were river valley civilizations, such as Egypt and Nubia(because they were located along the nile river).