Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley Civilization p.129-134

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Analyze how the environment influenced the

Indus Valley civilization
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Describe the achievements of the Indus Valley

civilization
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Explain why the Indus Valley Civilization’s

politics, religion, and history remain a mystery

LESSON TARGETS

VOCABULARY

subcontinent

a large landmass
that is set apart
from the rest of the
continent

VOCABULARY

river system

main river, and all
the other rivers

VOCABULARY

monsoon
Seasonal wind
that brings rain to
the Indian
subcontinent
during parts of the
year

VOCABULARY

granary

special building
used to hold grain

VOCABULARY

citadel

fortified area

VOCABULARY

achievement

accomplishment that
requires effort or skill

VOCABULARY

evidence

information used
to prove
something

Multiple Choice

Main river, and all the other rivers

• subcontinent

• river system

• monsoon

• granary

Multiple Choice

A large landmass that is set apart from the rest of the continent

• subcontinent

• river system

• monsoon

• granary

Multiple Choice

special building used to hold grain

• subcontinent

• river system

• monsoon

• granary

Multiple Choice

Seasonal wind that brings rain to the Indian subcontinent during parts of the year

• subcontinent

• river system

• monsoon

• granary

Multiple Choice

information used to prove something

• citadel

• achievement

• evidence

Multiple Choice

Accomplishment that requires effort or skill

• citadel

• achievement

• evidence

Multiple Choice

fortified area

• citadel

• achievement

• evidence

The Himalayas and the Hindu Kush mountain ranges

Along the coasts and rivers in the lower elevations

They provided water for
growing crops, which led to a
surplus of food.

The river valley provided
water to irrigate farmland.

Successful farming led to a
surplus of crops that helped
civilization grow.

Disease

Lack of forest cover

Overgrazing of cattle

drought

Lesson 1 The Indus Valley
Civilization

The first civilizations arose near rivers.
One such civilization formed along the
Indus River in South Asia. Farmers
grew plenty of food, and populations
grew. In time, some of the people settled
in towns and cities and formed
governments.

What Is the Indian
Subcontinent

South Asia is also known as the
Indian subcontinent.It is called
a subcontinent because of its
large size and its isolation from
the rest of Asia.

What Is the Indian
Subcontinent

South Asia is bounded to the
north by mountains—the
Himalayas and the Hindu Kush.
Ocean surrounds much of the
rest of the land. South Asia's
climate is dominated by seasonal
winds called monsoons.

What Is the Indian
Subcontinent

These bring dry, hot weather
in the winter. In summer,
monsoons bring a rainy
season that provides water for
crops.

What Is the Indian Subcontinent

India’s first civilization grew around the
valleys of the Indus and now-dry
Saraswati rivers. When the rivers
flooded, they left behind rich soil. River
water allowed farmers to harvest
plentiful crops and feed the cities of the
civilization.

Indus Valley Civilization

Farmers first began groups near the
Indus River system around 7000
BCE. From these beginnings an
advanced civilization arose around
2500 BCE and disappeared by 1700
BCE. Indus Valley cities were well
planned and organized.

Indus Valley Civilization

Cities were surrounded by thick
walls. Huge raised mounds of earth
and brick offered protection from
floods. Many featuresof the Indus
Valley people showed an advanced
knowledge of mathematics.

Indus Valley Civilization

For example, cities had grids of
wide, straight streets. The people
used an advanced system of
weights and measures using
multiples of ten. Indus Valley
farmers built irrigation channels
and ditches to provide reliable
supplies of water to crops.

Indus Valley Civilization

They built granaries to hold
surplus grain. Indus Valley people
were also active traders. They
exchanged jewelry, cotton cloth,
and teak wood for foreign
products.

What Mysteries Surround the
Indus Valley Civilization?

Scientists know little about many
features of the Indus Valley
civilization. For example, they do
not know how it was governed and
what religion its people practiced.

What Mysteries Surround the
Indus Valley Civilization?

The cities also contain large
citadels, or fortified areas, of
unknown purpose. Another
mystery is the symbols found on
stone seals and pottery.

What Mysteries Surround the
Indus Valley Civilization?

This may represent writing, but no
one has figured out how to read
the markings. However, the
greatest mystery surrounding the
Indus Valley civilization is why it
disappeared around 1700 bce.

What Mysteries Surround the
Indus Valley Civilization?

There are several possible reasons
for the civilization’s decline.
There may have been an outbreak
of disease.

What Mysteries Surround the
Indus Valley Civilization?

The stripping of forest may have
left the people without wood and
more vulnerable to floods. Other
possibilities include damage to
the soil, an earthquake, and
drought.

The large landmass set apart
from the main continent of
Asia

To store surplus grain

The floods deposited rich soil.

Farmers made irrigation
channels to water their fields.

They had houses with
bathrooms and trash chutes
and a sewage system.

They created an advanced
system of weights and
measures.

All grew near rivers, used
irrigation for farming and built
cities.

No one has deciphered their
writing yet.

C

H

A

M

P

Answer Quiz

Multiple Choice

What physical feature separates the subcontinent of India from the rest of Asia?

• Indian Ocean

• Bay of Bengal

• Deccan Plateau

• Himalayas

Multiple Choice

Where did the first civilization of India arise?

• along the Ganges River

• along the Indus and Sarasvati rivers

• near the coast of the subcontinent

• on the central plateau

Multiple Choice

What did early farming villages in India depend on?

• the summer monsoon

• the winter monsoon

• the summer typhoon

• the winter typhoon

Multiple Choice

What caused the Indus Valley civilization to disappear?

• heavy flooding

• drought

• foreign invaders

• no known cause

Multiple Choice

Many of the achievements of the ancient Indus Valley civilization was due to their advanced knowledge of

• farming.

• mathematics.

• weather patterns.

• geography.

Multiple Choice

How did rivers and monsoons support the development of India's first civilizations?

• They provided water for growing crops, which led to a surplus of food

• The large landmass set apart from the main continent of Asia

• They had houses with bathrooms and trash chutes and a sewage system

Multiple Choice

What were some innovations of the Indus Valley civilization?

• They provided water for growing crops, which led to a surplus of food

• They provided water for growing crops, which led to a surplus of food

• They had houses with bathrooms and trash chutes and a sewage system

Multiple Choice

True or False: The Indus Valley Civilization and other ancient river valley civilizations developed near rivers, used irrigation for farming and built cities.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

True or False: India is a subcontinent because it is a large landmass set apart from the ain continent of Asia.

• True

• False

Multiple Select

The following are possible reasons for the Indus Valley Civilization decline EXCEPT (2 Points):

• Disease

• Stripping of forest

• Drought

• Flooding