IndexIntroductionThe Nile ValleyMesopotamiaConclusionIntroduction According to the Petit Robert dictionary (1991), a civilization, comparable to advancement, evolution, progress, refers first of all to the set of common characteristics to the most advanced large corporations, to all the acquisitions of human societies in opposition to the terms of nature or barbarism. For its part, the act of civilizing transforms a community into a more advanced social state (in the moral, intellectual, artistic, technical order) or considered as such. From a more neutral perspective, Civilization includes the set of social phenomena (religious, moral, aesthetic, scientific, technical) common to a large company or a group of companies. We also have a civilization that saw the light of day in the Nile Valley and Mesopotamia. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Nile Valley For centuries, the Nile River has flooded the valley, enriching the land with a thick layer of alluvial soil. From July to September, flooding occurred due to tropical rains in the highlands of Ethiopia. The river reached its maximum level in October, then began to decline, reaching its minimum between April and June. Since it rarely rains in Egypt, the floods provided the only source of moisture for the crops. Irrigation canals were used to control water, especially in times of drought. The main crops grown during the Pharaonic era were barley, spelt (a large grain), lentils, beans, cucumbers, leeks, onions, dates, figs, and grapes. The abundance of flowers provided nectar for bees to produce honey, which the Egyptians processed. Flax was grown to make cloth, and papyrus, i.e. paper, ropes, mats, sandals and light boats, was collected. It was the breeding of various domestic animals: cattle, oxen, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks and geese, among others. The donkey and the horse arrived from Asia around 1600 BC. J.-C. and the camel were introduced much later. At the time of the first pharaohs the camel was unknown. The Nile was the great route that connected the various parts of the country. Until the 19th century, overland travel was virtually unknown. Since there are no forests in Egypt, the wood was imported from Lebanon. Acacia wood was used in Lower Nubia to build ships that transported the granite used in the construction of the pyramids. The felucca, a small sailing vessel without a deck, was the most common means of transporting people and goods on the Nile. The Nile Valley is truly a blessing for Egypt. Without its waters and fertile land, Egyptian civilization would not have emerged. Mesopotamia During the extraordinary development of the Neolithic, which, among other discoveries, saw the implementation of agriculture and livestock farming, Mesopotamia played a role only very late; furthermore, in the context of a lucid and rich Middle East of its subsequent discoveries, it in fact long plays the role of a poor parent since, in this first period, the techniques acquired managed to obtain results in a floodplain of great fertility only on condition that the water was domesticated and no longer distributed unequally in time and space. When man had regulated the water thanks to canals, the valley of the two rivers then became a region of prosperity. The existence of large spaces, with agricultural possibilities conditioned only by hydraulic structures, completely alters the conditions of production and orients human communities towards new paths that lead to the birth of an organization of the town in Cités-Etat and the invention of la writing..