The Indus and Ganges River Valleys

1. The Indus and Ganges River Valleys

2. A large landmass that juts out from a continent What is a subcontinent?

3. NW: Hindu Kush Mts. NE: Himalaya Mts. W,S,E: water Arabian Sea Indian Ocean Bay of Bengal How did geography limit India’s contact with the rest of the world?

4. Monsoons • Strong, seasonal winds that sometimes bring heavy rain and destruction Crops + survival On time + moderate Summer monsoons Late, weak, or extreme Crop failure + famine

5. Indus and Ganges Rivers begin in mountains, cutting a path through them Fed by melting snow and by rain Hydrate the river valleys, enabling farming River Pathways

6. Winter Monsoons October-May Blow from NE Dry air Summer Monsoons June- Blow from SW Wet and stormy Monsoon Patterns

7. Well-planned city c. 2500-1500 B.C. Located in present day Pakistan Along bank of Indus R. Rich soil meant food and settlements Mohenjo-Daro

8. Elevated to avoid flooding Canals-When river was high, canals outside city caught overflow Drainage system - clay pipes under brick streets - waste carried away from homes and public buildings Innovations

9. City’s highest point A lookout enclosed by brick walls Protected city’s most important buildings, the storehouse for grain and the bath house Citadel

10. Homes were built with courtyards Children had toys and pets Adults enjoyed work, games, and music Life in Mohenjo-Daro Compare the spaciousness of this house in Mohenjo-Daro (left) with the tiny rooms making up an apartment in a modern block of flats (right).

11. Open markets lined the streets Merchants and artisans sold grain, cloth, and other goods Markets

12. Writing has been found on artifacts, but the language is not known and has not been reconstructed No royal tombs or great temples have been found Evidence of polytheism Bull carved in a soapstone seal. Language, religion, & government Seal from Mohenjo-Daro shows a person sitting in the lotus position of Yoga, an ancient discipline.

13. A Mysterious Decline • Around 2000 B.C. Indus valley farmers began to abandon their land. What are some theories about the decline of this ancient city? - Climate changed from fertile to desert - Earthquakes, floods, or droughts led to famine • Newcomers repopulated 2000-1500 B.C.

14. Aryans- means “noble” or “highborn” Migrated, or moved, from central Asia Nomadic herders Horse-drawn chariots overwhelmed enemies Intermarried with locals A New Culture Arises

15. Aryan culture spread through settlement and intermarriage The locals and newcomers mixed traditions Culture spread from Indus to Ganges River Valley Used iron tools to clear rainforests and build farms, villages, and cities Aryan Culture Spreads

16. Vedas means knowledge Early religious books Gives information on everyday life in Ancient India Vedas

17. Society organized around three social classes - Brahman, priests - Warriors and nobles - Artisans and merchants (-farmer, laborers, servants) Organization of Society

18. By 500 B.C, there was a strict division on classes, later termed “castes” Born, marry, and die in same caste Each main caste divides into 100’s (by occupation) The Social Order