Egypt had a system of granaries for storing and giving out grain to the people, supported by taxes. This made Egyptians more secure from hunger than people in Mesopotamia.

Question

Answer

Pro: The large grain stockpiles made it easy for Egypt to survive years with bad harvests. This kept the economy strong.

Answer

Pro: Poorer people could often get free food from these massive grain stockpiles.

Answer

Con: Mesopotamia was able to develop large irrigation systems, which helped them to continue producing large amounts of grain even when weather conditions were bad.

Answer

Con: Ancient Egypt taxed its citizens far more heavily than Mesopotamia did. In some cases, farmers were taxed up to 60% of their yearly harvest. These heavy taxes kept many peasants poor.

Which Bronze-Age civilization would be better to live in: Egypt or Mesopotamia?

Egypt had a system of granaries for storing and giving out grain to the people, supported by taxes. This made Egyptians more secure from hunger than people in Mesopotamia.

Pros

Cons

The large grain stockpiles made it easy for Egypt to survive years with bad harvests. This kept the economy strong.

Poorer people could often get free food from these massive grain stockpiles.

Mesopotamia was able to develop large irrigation systems, which helped them to continue producing large amounts of grain even when weather conditions were bad.

Ancient Egypt taxed its citizens far more heavily than Mesopotamia did. In some cases, farmers were taxed up to 60% of their yearly harvest. These heavy taxes kept many peasants poor.

Selected claim, supporting its parent

Egypt had a system of granaries for storing and giving out grain to the people, supported by taxes. This made Egyptians more secure from hunger than people in Mesopotamia.

Pro claim 1

The large grain stockpiles made it easy for Egypt to survive years with bad harvests. This kept the economy strong.

Pro claim 2

Poorer people could often get free food from these massive grain stockpiles.

Con claim 1

Mesopotamia was able to develop large irrigation systems, which helped them to continue producing large amounts of grain even when weather conditions were bad.

Con claim 2

Ancient Egypt taxed its citizens far more heavily than Mesopotamia did. In some cases, farmers were taxed up to 60% of their yearly harvest. These heavy taxes kept many peasants poor.