Aim: How is India a victim of it’s geography? Do Now: Feast or Famine Can you give an example of this phrase applying to something in your life?

Political The people of the Indus River valley had a strong central government.  There is architectural evidence of large urban centers in Harappa, Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan, and Lothal in India.  In total 1,052 cities and settlements have been found.  Municipal planning – all the streets were laid out in a grid system  There was a high priority placed on Hygiene.

The World’s First Urban Sanitation System- An example of a bathing platform.

Economic There is evidence that a large trading network existed between these cities because of the dockyards found along the riverbeds. They were the first to develop a sysytem of weights and measures, which are indispensible in trade.

Religious The religion of Indus is unknown. No site has certainly been identified as a temple. Similar to the cultures of ancient Middle East, it appears that the Indus religion recognized some type of life after death. Indus people carefully buried their dead in wooded coffins with their heads facing north and the feet pointing south. Included in the graves were pottery jars containing food and weapons for use in the afterlife. What do these two facts abo ut the people of Ancient India suggest?

Social There is no evidence of palaces, temples or of kings, arm ies or priests. What we do know is that many people were either traders or artisans.

Art

Pottery and Jewelry

Interaction- With their geography Settled by the river- Indus River

Pre-Monsoon Post Monsoon

India

Group Work- The class will be split into two sections… You will each be given a short article to read concerning climate changes in India. Question: What is the challenge being faced by the People in India?

Demise of the Indus River Considering how advanced this civilization was, why is your theory on why it ended so abruptly?