The Indus
River
Valley
Aim: How did geography help shape
early Indian civilizations?
• Do Now: Please read “Cities of the Indus
Valley” and answer the 2 corresponding
questions in complete sentences.
As we watch the video…
• Write down 3 things you learned about
India’s geography and how it affected the
people who live there.
Today’s Vocabulary
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Subcontinent
Monsoon
Harappan Civilization
Mountains (Himalaya, Hindu Kush)
Rivers (Indus and Ganges)
Desert (Thar)
Plains (Northern)
Plateau (Deccan)
Classroom Activity
Think Pair Share
• Please answer Documents 2-4
• Answer all questions in complete sentences
Homework:
• Answer Document #1 T-Chart
How was the Indus River Valley
civilization organized?
• Do Now: Please answer the multiple choice
questions
Think-Pair Share
• Planned Cities on the Indus
• Answer Questions 1-3 and the Skillbuilder
India
Harappan
society, ca.
2000 B.C.E.

Indus valley
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well-watered and heavily forested
500 miles along the river valley
–
10-20 times larger than Mesopotamia or Egypt
Geography
• Wall of Mountains- sepereated India from the
rest of Asia
– Hindu Kush
– Himalaya
– Karakoram
• This created an Indian Sub-Continent
• Monsoons – trade winds that brought rain in the
summer and dry wind in the winter
• Major Rivers– Indus
– Ganges
Summary: Today’s Vocabulary
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Subcontinent
Monsoon
Harappan Civilization
Mountains (Himalaya, Hindu Kush)
Rivers (Indus and Ganges)
Desert (Thar)
Plains (Northern)
Plateau (Deccan)
Indus Valley Civilizations
• The earliest Indian
civilization is cloaked in
mystery.
• Archaeologists have not
fully uncovered many
Indus Valley sites.
• No names of kings or
queens, no tax records, no
literature, no accounts of
famous victories.
Debrief
• Please fill in your notes as we go
through the slides.
Political
• Identically planned cities and
construction
suggests
a strong
central
government
Economic
• Traded long
distances
• Artifacts found
show that Sumer
and Indus traded
for about 350
years
Religious
• Artifacts show
links to modern
Hindu Culture
– Shiva- is a
major Hindu
god
• Worshipped
Cows
Social
• Civilization was generally
stable
• Same kinds of houses
suggests little social
differences
• Toys were found for
children – this shows
prosperity since they can
make things they do not
NEED to survive
Intellectual
• Solved the problem of plumbing
• Built extensive plumbing systems
– Private bath and toilet for every house
– Toilets made of brick with wooden
seats
– Pipes connected underground sewer
system
Achievements
• Sophisticated city planning – very
detailed and organized
– Used a grid system
• Citadel – a fortified area surrounded by a
wall that protected the major buildings in
the city
– Public buildings, bath, granaries and
religious quarters
Harappa
Mohenjo Daro
Pictures Cited
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Slide 1 – http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/writing/explore/images/ps322850.jpg
Slide 2 – http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/images/harappa_granary.jpg
Slide 3 –
http://christym7.tripod.com/mohenjodaro.gifhttp://www.indiana.edu/~isp/cd_rom/images/hara
ppa/bath_08.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.indiana.edu/~isp/cd_rom/images/harappa/bath_08.ht
m&h=267&w=400&sz=25&hl=en&start=78&um=1&tbnid=w12n8lRqNyAG5M:&tbnh=83
&tbnw=124&prev=
Slide 4 –http://www.virtualegypt.com/newhtml/articles/Who%20Began%20Writing%20Many%20Theories,%20Few%20
Answers_files/040699sci-early-writing.1.gif
Slide 5 – http://www.indhistory.com/img/harappa-picture-1.jpg
Slide 6 – http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/2/2b/Pashupati.gif
Slide 7 – http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/2002/dec2002/gec02lebax23x2.jpg
Slide 9 – http://www.mohenjodaro.net/images/
Slide 11 – http://www.geocities.com/dipalsarvesh/mohenjo-daro.jpg
Slide 12 – http://www.globalheritagefund.org/where/images/indus_25.jpg
Slide 13 – http://www.the-south-asian.com/July-Aug2006/Old-Ravi-Bed-Fields-Harapa.jpg
Slide 14 – www.mohenjodaro.net
Slide 16 – http://www.destination360.com/asia/china/images/s/china-himalayas.jpg
Slide 17 – http://www.unepwcmc.org/resources/publications/MountainWatch_Bishkek/presspack/I/Glacier(Bs).jpg
Slide 18 - http://atomar.tripod.com/pix/Everest-SW-Face_sm_copy.jpg