And Every Brick Was the Same Size: Harappan Civilization
E. Napp
Objective: To identify and explain several key characteristics of the Indus River civilization
or Harappan Civilization
Do Now: List four characteristics of civilization.
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Harappan Civilization:
 Developed in what is today Pakistan
and northwestern India
 Indus River Civilization
 Two important cities: Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro
 Written language but has never been
deciphered by modern scholars
 As such, much about this civilization
remains unclear or is unknown
Questions:
 On what subcontinent was Harappan civilization located?
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 Harappan civilization was located in what present-day country?
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 List two important cities of this river valley.
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 Why do scholars know little about civilization?
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Some kind of centralized state, and extensive town planning, is suggested by the layout of
the great cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. The same kind of burnt brick appears to
have been used in the construction of buildings in cities that were as much as several
hundred miles apart. The weights and measures show a very considerable regularity. The
Indus Valley people domesticated animals, and harvested various crops, such as cotton,
sesame, peas, barley, and cotton. They may also have been a sea-faring people, and it is
rather interesting that Indus Valley seals have been dug up in such places as Sumer. The
Indus Valley people had a merchant class that, evidence suggests, engaged in extensive
trading. ~ Adapted from sscnet.ucla.edu
Complete the Chart on the Indus River Valley Civilization Using the Reading Above:
Evidence of a Centralized
Evidence of Experiencing a
Evidence of Long-Distance
State (centralized means
Neolithic Revolution:
Trade:
“under a single authority”):
A Physical Map of the Indian subcontinent:
Adapted from globaled.org
Map Questions:
 What mountains separate India from China?
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 What three bodies of water surround the peninsula?
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 What desert is located in India and Pakistan?
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 Name several rivers in the subcontinent (a large land mass smaller than a continent
– a major division of a continent)?
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 In what continent is India located?
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 Name the plateau located in central India.
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Reading: Exploring India's Diversity: Geography and Map Study
~Adapted from globaled.org
South Asia is an area occupied by India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The entire region has many diverse physical characteristics.
These physical features greatly influence the way people live.
The northern boundary of India forms a high mountain zone. It separates the
subcontinent from the rest of Asia. These mountains form a natural barrier allowing for
few good routes from the north to the subcontinent. Some of the world's highest mountains
are in this range such as Mount Everest. The Himalayas are a tremendous physical and
climatic barrier, preventing the cold, dry winds from the Tibetan Plateau to cross into
India. The mountains keep India much warmer and wetter in the summer months than if
there were no mountains present. These mountains are the source of the great river system
of the north: the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. Water from the Himalayan
snowfields provides irrigation throughout the year as well as being a source of India's
water resources.
The Indo-Gangetic Plain is south of the Himalayas. It is formed by the basin of the three
great rivers - -the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra. The entire plain is almost completely
cleared for farming and is one of the most fertile areas on earth as well as one of the most
densely populated regions. The present capital of India, New Delhi, is located on the
northern plain.
The Thar Desert lies southwest of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, from the southern edge of the
Punjab through northwestern Rajasthan. This desert averages 6 inches of rain a year or
less. The Peninsular Plateau occupies the greatest part of India - a tilted tableland of low
rolling hills, great river valleys and uplands. Much of India's mineral wealth is found on
the plateau. The southern part of the plateau is called the Deccan Peninsula.
Complete the Sentences Below:
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________ _________ is an area occupied by India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal,
Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The northern ____________ of India forms a high mountain zone.
______________ form a natural barrier allowing for few good routes from the north
to the subcontinent.
The ____________ are a tremendous physical and climatic barrier, preventing the
cold, dry winds from the Tibetan Plateau to cross into India.
Mountains are the source of the great river system of the north which includes the
Indus, the __________, and the Brahmaputra.
___________ from Himalayan snowfields provides irrigation throughout the year as
well as being a source of India’s water resources.
The present capital of India, _____ ________, is located on the northern plain.
The Thar ____________ averages 6 inches of rain a year or less.
Much of India’s mineral wealth is found on the ________________.
Monsoon:
Definition: A monsoon is a
periodic wind, especially in the
Indian Ocean and southern
Asia
 Sometimes monsoon
winds bring rains.
~Adapted from Time Magazine
Monsoons:
Every year, winds which bring heavy rains (monsoons) hit parts of India. In 2005, the
monsoons were the worst ever recorded. Mumbai, India’s largest city, was drenched in 37
inches of rain in 24 hours.
Officials say at least 1,000 people died in western India because of the flooding. On
Monday, officials warned of more flooding and advised people to stay inside.
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is India’s center of business and entertainment.
Since the rain began one week ago, people have been knee-deep in water. In some areas,
water levels are up to 7 feet high. The flooding has left many of Mumbai’s residents
without water or electricity. Many are worried about the threat of disease because of the
number of animals that have drowned. This has contaminated the water.
Yet the monsoon is life in India. Farmers depend on monsoon winds to bring the rains that
are essential for farming.