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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 …

…and they lived morally pure lives and had good character so they would be happy in the afterlife. From this I would draw the conclusion the Egyptians were optimistic about their lives, gods and land, whereas the Mesopotamians were highly pessimistic, they saw death as a means of creation, they did not live morally pure lives, and they saw the Tigris-Euphrates valley rivers as almost a curse even though it is what made them flourish.