Woman Roles in Past Civilization

Today's civilization has not changed from past ones; women's roles can vary depending on their cultures. In 199 we saw the first women president Mireya Mascoso of Panama. Yet in India we still see arranged marriages. Between two rivers the Tigris and Euphrates lies the land known as Mesopotamia from 5000 BCE to 250 BCE. Egypt has sustained life for many thousands of years but this civilization began around 3000 BCE. When it comes to women's roles in a civilization it depends on their culture; such is the case with the Mesopotamian women versus Egyptian women. I will prove that a civilization does not dictate a women's role but the culture that they belong to.

Mesopotamian women could never make their own choices unlike the Egyptian women who made their own. Mesopotamian women went from their fathers making their choices to their husband making them. Egyptian women kept control of all their own assets. Egyptian women even made their own decision even after marriage. Since Mesopotamian women could make no choices on their own, their life was centered with in their families.

In Mesopotamian culture women never acted as individuals. Mesopotamian women did not have any interaction with life outside of their families. Egyptian women were able to socialize on their own. Egyptian women even had jobs in the fields and work shops. Since Mesopotamian women were not able to socialize outside of their families they were not as adapt to change.

Egyptian women were influenced by other Egyptians other than their family because they worked and had lives outside of their families. If a Mesopotamian husband was to leave his wife a widow his oldest son would take control of his father's riches. An Egyptian wife would receive a third of her husband's wealth to keep if she was to be widowed. Egyptian women were more capable to manage their assets because of their knowledge she acquired from being able to interact with others. Due to Egyptian women's independence they had a bigger role in society unlike Mesopotamian women.

Mesopotamian women were not thought to make their own choices so even if they wanted to they wouldn't know how to. Since they were not independent they were sheltered and isolated from society. Egyptian women were more knowledgeable to business because they were independent and capable of living their own lives. As you can see in different cultures women had different roles and status.