INDIA AND CHINA RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS

OBJECTIVES WHI.3 Objective: The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of ancient river valley civilizations, including the Indus River, by: Locating the civilization in time and place Describing the development of social, political, and economic patterns, including slavery Explaining the development of religious traditions Explaining the development of language and writing Essential Questions: Why did Ancient Civilizations develop in river valleys? Where were the earliest civilizations located? When did these civilizations exist? What were the social, political, and economic characteristics of early civilizations What religious traditions developed in ancient civilizations? What forms of language and writing existed in early civilizations?

GEOGRAPHYGEOGRAPHY OF SOUTH ASIA Indian Subcontinent Modern day countries of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh Mountains Hindu Kush, Karakoram, Himalaya Rivers Indus and Ganges Cover 1, 500 mile area called Indus-Ganges plain Indus river provided access to trade Monsoons Seasonal winds Oct- May: dry winds June- Sept: winds shift, brings rain

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Mountains River Valleys Dry Interior Plateau Fertile Coastal Plains

INDUS RIVER

GANGES RIVER

HIMALAYAS

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES Floods Indus river floods yearly Deposits silt Unpredictable, river can change course Monsoons Wet/Dry seasons Mountains/ Desert Creates natural boundaries

INDUS RIVER PEOPLES Had contact with Mesopotamia Developed own distinctive alphabet and artistic forms

CIVILIZATION EMERGES ON INDUS Lack of evidence Haven’t deciphered language yet Many sites have washed away Earliest Arrivals Evidence of agriculture and domestication of animals 7000 B.C.E B.C.E. evidence of farming villages

MOHENJO-DAROMOHENJO-DARO AND HARAPPA Planned Cities 2500 B.C.E. Sophisticated grid system Featured fortified citadel, Separate residential districts Plumbing/sewage systems, Strong central government Advanced irrigation and large granaries Culture/Trade Little social hierarchy Prosperous society Religion similar to Hinduism Long-distance trade Traded with Akkad (2300 B.C.E.)

RULERS AND ECONOMY Divine rule Royal palace and temple were in 1 building Part of citadel, or fortress Farming economy Relied on Indus River flood for silt Grew wheat, barley, peas Trade with Mesopotamia Copper, lumber, precious stones, cotton, luxury goods

MOHENJO- DARO

ENDEND TO THE INDUS CIVILIZATION 1750 B.C.E. cities declined Theories? River changed course Flooding Over farming Natural disaster Attack Aryans Arrived around same time Nomadic people from Central Asia

ARYANS 1500 B.C.E. Nomadic Indo-Europeans From Central Asia - crossed Hindu Kush Conquered Harappans Merged two cultures Excelled at war Used chariot Eventually controlled all of India

OBJECTIVES WHI.3 Objective: The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of ancient river valley civilizations, including the Indus River, by: Locating the civilization in time and place Describing the development of social, political, and economic patterns, including slavery Explaining the development of religious traditions Explaining the development of language and writing Essential Questions: Why did Ancient Civilizations develop in river valleys? Where were the earliest civilizations located? When did these civilizations exist? What were the social, political, and economic characteristics of early civilizations What religious traditions developed in ancient civilizations? What forms of language and writing existed in early civilizations?