Both ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egyptian civilizations begin in river valleys in dry climates. Both civilizations modified their environment in a number of ways. For example, they build canals and dams, which provided water for farming and saved their cities from flooding and drought. Both of these religions Thrive for thousands of years. Think about how important it is for a governments to provide a stable food supply, laws, and a protection for a civilization to thrive. Based on what you've learned about ancient Mesopotamia in ancient Egypt, what kind of leadership does such a civilization need? What does a government need to do to protect the way of life for its people? Can you think of any instances when the government did not attend to the needs of the people?