Question

What are the major differences between ancient California and Mesopotamia?

Answer 1

The correct answer is the following.

The major differences between ancient California and Mesopotamia are the following.

When cities in Mesopotamia were well established and prosperous such as the case of Babylon, in ancient California there were just Nomad tribes that hunted animals. While in large cities of the Sumerian region people farmed the land, in ancient California the Nomads had no clue about growing crops. They had to hunt big animals for survival. Indeed, Mesopotamia is considered the birthplace of agriculture. Another big difference between Mesopotamia and ancient California is that people in Summer built magnificent buildings called Ziggurats (the equivalent of a Pyramid for the Egyptians). Those Ziggurats were built to honor their gods. Meanwhile, in ancient California, people did not build anything considerable.  

Answer 2

First, Mesopotamia was blessed with especially rich soil. Diverse elevations  (there are both high hills and low‐lying marshlands) and climatic variations in the region allowed for the evolution of many types of edible seeds and plants, as well as a variety of farm animals. California did not have it as easy as Mesopotamia did — it had several geographical disadvantages to conquer before its advantages could really shine.

Second, while the great city of Babylon was thriving in Mesopotamia in 3100 B.C., California remained rather insignificant as a trade or cultural center. It was inhabited by nomadic tribes who lived a hunter‐gatherer lifestyle.

Lastly, there was a speedy input of goods and knowledge via the waterways built across Mesopotamia. This was a distinct advantage of the area over competing regions, and allowed their economic and cultural life to flourish.