In the earliest civilizations agriculture and trade had fantastic effects on everyday life. The Mesopotamians and Egyptians paved the way for modern day nations to thrive. Irrigation and soil quality had a lot to do with the earliest civilizations crop success or failure (Perry, Chase, Jacob, Jacob & Von Laue, 2009).
The beginning of trade routes and paths with safe travel helped the civilizations to become quite wealthy (Perry, et. al, 2009).
Altogether, the beginning of all civilization began, simply, with growing crops and trading them.
The growing of crops in Mesopotamia took place near the rivers surrounding it: the Tigris and Euphrates. The area is now known as the “fertile crescent,” and can support a variety of crops (Rayment, 2012).
Because the main outcome of Mesopotamia’s toil was crops, they relied heavily on trade to support the people (Perry, et. al, 2009).
What helped Mesopotamia to succeed most was the fact that they were able to exercise private enterprise (Perry, et. al, 2009).
Of course, laws had to be established to ensure the fairness and safety of trade (Perry, et. al, 2009).
If such laws and standards had not been established by a stable government early on, the entire operation of trade throughout the early civilizations would have crumbled.
In Ancient Egypt agriculture began quite easily using “the gift of the Nile,” which was the extremely rich and fertile soil produced by irrigation near the Nile (Perry, et. al, 2009, p. 14).
The Term Paper on From Hunting and Gathering to Civilizations
Overview. The first human beings appeared in east Africa over two million years ago. Gradually humans developed a more erect stance and greater brain capacity. Early humans lived by hunting and gathering. The most advanced human species, Homo sapiens sapiens, migrated from Africa into the Middle East, then into Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Over time, they learned to fashion tools and ...
The Egyptians were blessed in other areas, too, such as their precious metals and other natural resources (Perry, et. al, 2009).
Because of the overabundance of the crops and the various other treasures the land had to offer, the Egyptians thrived. Trade routes were established stretching from Egypt to Persia, and even overseas (Perry, et. al, 2009).
Had the Egyptians not been blessed with such great land they may not have succeeded so greatly. Though a very intelligent and capable people, the land surrounding the Nile River greatly supported the people of Ancient Egypt. Trade would never have been possible without the ingenuity of ancient peoples.
In conclusion, the agriculture and trade of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt has shaped the nations existing today. Thankfully, God gave the people of the earliest civilizations minds to think and hand to plow! What an amazing testimony of God’s love in the earliest civilizations. In no way would the world be the same as it is today without the strong, intelligent people of the ancient world.
Perry, M., Chase, M., Jacob, J., Jacob, M., & Von Laue, T. (2009).
Western civilization: Ideas, politics, and society. (9th ed.).
Boston, MA: Wadsworth. Rayment, W. J. (2012).
Mesopotamia: First civilization. Retrieved from http://www.indepthinfo.com/history-ancient/mesopotamia.htm
