Lesson 1 Development of civilization in India Chapter 4 Lesson 1 Development of civilization in India

I. India’s geographic setting A. Monsoon Climate 1. Winter monsoons bring dry air –winds from Northeast–October to May 2. People depend on summer monsoons for rain -winds from Southwest-June to September 3. Due to warm weather and rains –two crops a year can be planted (fall crops are harvested before the flood) 4. Early farmers built walls of earth to protect the crops

B. Barriers and pathways 1 B. Barriers and pathways 1. Himalayas form barrier between India and the rest of Asia (subcontinent) 2. Mountains help to protect people but make trading difficult** 3. Indus and Ganges rivers flow from the Himalayas and carry twice as much silt as the Nile River

II. Life in the Indus River Valley Historians call the cultures in this area the Harappan culture. Ancient city planners 1. Locals call the ruins Mohenjo-Daro meaning “mound of the dead” (Pakistan) 2. Mohenjo-Daro built above ground level 3. Buildings were laid out in blocks 4. Citadel (fort) was city’s highest point 5.Clay pipes under the streets carried waste from homes and public buildings (bricks)

C. Life in Mohenjo-Daro 1. City active with merchants, artisans, and traders 2. People enjoyed toys, pets, games and music 3. Language, writing, government and religion are unknown to historians-reason we are unable to translate their written language*** D. Mysterious decline 1. Around 2000 BC, Indus Valley farmers began to abandon their land 2. Between 2000 and 1500BC, newcomers from the north entered the valley

III. A new culture arises A. Aryan Culture 1. Aryans believed in only male gods and were herders and weapons-makers (powerful people) 2. Took over from the Indus Valley to Ganges Valley 3. Combined their traditions, ideas and beliefs with those of the native people (marriages) B. Aryan life 1. Religious leaders were called Brahman 2. Society was organized into 4 classes C. Social order 1. By 500 BC, there was a strict division of classes 2. People had to stay in the caste, or class of their parents