Early Indus River Valley Cities & The Aryans

Early Indian Communities & Migration of the Aryans

Mr. Mains

Multiple Choice

But first, on average, about how much human waste and pollution do you think is left behind on Mount Everest each year?

• 5 tons

• 1 ton

• 8 tons

• 2000 pounds

Objectives

• Review the structure and development of early communities within the Indian subcontinent

• Understand how the early communities helped influenced religion

• Understand how the early cities ended and how the geography encouraged other groups to migrate there

• Understand how the Aryans transitioned from hunters to agriculturalists

Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro: two early cities within the Indian subcontinent

Were similar to Catal Huyuk (of Turkey) because they were well-planned out cities

How do these cities compare to Catal Huyuk?

Open Ended

We talked about the ancient city of Catal Huyuk (in Turkey) just before our Mesopotamia unit. It has some noticeable similarities and differences with the cities of Mohenjo-Daro & Harappa. What do you notice? Be sure to say if it is similar or different to Catal Huyuk

Some of the characteristics of these two early India communities:

• These cities had streets; Catal Huyuk didn't

• Had thick walls around the city (protection); Catal Huyuk didn't

• Had about 35,000 people in each city; Catal Huyuk had about 6,000

• Some homes were 3 stories & made out of mud brick; Catal Huyuk were connected & most homes had one story

• They did develop an early writing system (even older than cuneiform)

• What would be some possible problems with having a really old writing system?

Open Ended

What would be some problems if they developed an early writing system?

What would be the biggest problem with having an early writing system?

• The fact that the likelihood of there being a deciphering code of this type of writing is very low

• This is true!

• There was no deciphering code of this type of language

• So what does that mean?

What the city looks like right now

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was something that these early cities had? Careful...don't get bamboozled...

• bathrooms

• toilets

• sewer system

• chutes for trash

• all of the answers

These cities were around about 4000 years ago, they had

• bathrooms

• toilets

• sewer system

• chutes for trash

• In addition, they also focused on cleanliness (soaps, medicine, combs)

• They even cared about dentistry-teeth were drilled

Multiple Choice

Like Catal Huyuk, they were religious. However, do you think they were monotheistic or polytheistic?

• monotheistic

• polytheistic

They worshipped many gods (polytheistic)

• each god/goddess represented something within life (even the "tree of life")

• they also worshipped animals-necessity to their life

• used yoga and meditation-this has impacted the culture of this region

• believed in rituals, charms and amulets

• originally buried their dead; then cremated them (ashes would be taken by the gods to the afterlife)

Had "The Great Bath"-used for religious functions/rituals (40ft x 23ft x8ft)

Multiple Choice

The people of this area formed the beginning of what POLYTHEISTIC religion that eventually became the main religion of India?

• Buddhism

• Hinduism

• Confucianism

• Christianity

Open Ended

The people of this area were also believed to be peaceful? What could make historians think this? Remember that even though they had a writing system, historians don't know what it says..

Overall, people of these cities were peaceful. What would make you think this?

• There was no weapons found anywhere in the city

• They also had bronze/cooper tools, clay pottery, cotton and jewelry

• They were active traders as many resources that were discovered were not native to that area

Open Ended

What would be some possible ways in which the people of this area declined or were no more?

Possible cause to the decline of the people of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

• earthquakes

• floods

• drought

• overtaken by outside invaders (remember they had no weapons)

• overuse of soil/resources

Overtime, the inhabitants of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro left. A new group migrated in and they were known as the Aryans (Indo-Europeans)

• Called the Aryans because India was originally known as Aryavarta

• These people are not direct descendants of present-day Indians

• This group were hunters, not farmers (nomadic)

• When they migrated to India, they no longer were nomads

• They raised cattle (not for food but for butter/milk)-deemed sacred

Open Ended

What do you think would make these people become more dominant than the previous inhabitants of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa? That is, what would allow them to survive longer?

The Aryans

• developed iron plows to clear the jungles for farmland

• understood, built and used irrigation

• greater weapon technology-bronze/iron weapons & chariots (enemies had stone weapons & ox-carts)

• they developed strong tribes to fight off enemies

Multiple Choice

What could be some problems with having multiple tribes in this region.

• unsure about who would lead them all

• constant fight for resources

• could align themselves with enemies to advance themselves

• all of the answers

Yes! A constant power struggle

• Overall, they had one hereditary king who ruled over the 5 main tribes

• They also did sacrifices (animals, not humans)-to bring prosperity

• Bonus of animals sacrifices=they gained more knowledge of their anatomy

• Sacrifices would often end with them drinking "soma"-caused hallucinations

• They believed that drinking soma would also lead to immortality. What does immortality mean?

Multiple Choice

What does immortality mean?

• not being seen

• process of turning into a god/goddess

• not dying/living forever

• process of turning into the ruler of an area

• all of the answers

Like the people of Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro, the Aryans declined due to

• invasion, natural disasters & overuse of resources

• also believed that they abandoned the cities

Today, the term "Aryan" has a negative connotation or reference. How so?

• In ancient Hindu text, the caste system Arya was the highest

• It was believed that the Aryans were high class people with legitimate claim to rule all

• Late 1800's-Germans declared themselves descendants of the Aryans (those with the "right to be superior")

• German Nazis used this in their propaganda as the "master race"

• Used this as a message to "control the world"-agenda behind WW1/WW2 (blond hair, blue eyes, light skin)

• This is all ridiculous because it was believed the original Aryans didn't look like that

Review:

• The people of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro had a relatively developed & well-planned out cities

• The belief system of the early cities helped form Hinduism

• The early cities ended due to invasion, overuse of resources & natural disasters

• The Aryans transitioned from hunters to farmers and were successful due to their advancements (weapons, tools, metal)

• The Aryan term today is seen as a negative when historically it isn't

Your task:

• No assignment

• ​Be sure that your Mt. Everest worksheet is complete and turned in

• Work on completing any missing work from first semester-don't forget that deadline!

• Have a great weekend!