Harappans Theory Investigation - WHI

The following is an excerpt from The Histories written by the Greek historian Herodotus in 440 BCE. Herodotus spent much of his life traveling to collect information for his book. He based his history book on the stories that the people in the places he visited reported to him.

The Egyptians told me that Cheops became king over the Egyptians and brought about every kind of evil. He closed all the temples and forced all the Egyptians to work for him. Some were forced to mine stones, and he ordered others to move the stones after they had been carried over the river in boats. They worked in groups of a hundred thousand men at a time, and each group worked for three months continually. This was the making of the [Great] pyramid, which itself took twenty years.

Multiple Choice

According to this document, did enslaved people build the pyramids?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Select

What evidence does this source use to support its claim? (choose 2)

• The Egyptians told me that Cheops became king over the Egyptians and brought about every kind of evil.

• He closed all the temples and forced all the Egyptians to work for him.

• Some were forced to mine stones, and he ordered others to move the stones after they had been carried over the river in boats.

• They worked in groups of a hundred thousand men at a time, and each group worked for three months continually.

Poll

Do you find this evidence convincing?

• Yes

• No

Page 63 - Caste System

Label the body parts

Purusha’s mouth became the Brahmins, his arms became the Kshatriyas, his legs became the Vaishyas, and his feet became the Shudras.

Brahmins

The highest varna in society were the Brahmins, which included priests, scholars, judges, teachers, and landowners. The Brahmins were believed to understand the Dharma, or spiritual laws that governed the universe. Many Brahmins lived in the temples apart from the rest of society.

Kshatriya

The next varna included the Kshatriya who were the rulers and warriors. They made everyday decisions and ran the government.

Vaishyas

The third varna was made up of peasants, farmers and traders called Vaishyas. Sometimes Vaishyas held some leadership positions in smaller villages.

Shudras

The last varna was made up of laborers and known as Shudras. They mostly worked on farms owned by wealthier people in their community.

Multiple Choice

According to legends, Brahma created Vaishyas from his ______.

• Legs

• Feet

• Mouth

• Arms

Multiple Choice

How many Castes were there in India?

• One

• Two

• Three

• Four

Multiple Choice

In ancient India, who were responsible for fending off intruders?

• Untouchables

• Kshatriyas

• Brahmins

• Shudras

Multiple Choice

In ancient India, who were responsible for exporting goods to other countries?

• Vaishyas

• Kshatriyas

• Brahmins

• Shudras

Page 64 - What Happened to the Harappans?

For each theory create a name and list three key points to that theory. Then use your background knowledge to assess the validity of each theory.

Theory 1

There is archaeological evidence that shows a possible massacre. Skeletons of both men and women have been found scattered about the streets. They were found on the same stratum which indicates they died at the same time. Some of the skeletons were incomplete, while two had cranial damage. There were other indications of a quick exit by the people of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. One of the Aryan Gods, Indra, was bloodthirsty and is often referred to as the destroyer of forts.

Multiple Choice

What evidence suggests a possible massacre in Harappa?

• Archaeological findings of skeletons

• Written records from the Harappans

• Seals depicting animals

• Climate change evidence

Open Ended

What is ONE key fact from the theory

Poll

Rate this theory on how valid (believable) it is.

• 1 - 2

  No Way!

• 3 - 4

  Not Likely

• 5 - 6

  Strong Maybe

• 7 - 8

  Likely

• 9 - 10

  Absolutely!

Theory 2

The Harappans were known for their seals. The seals, which were used to imprint images in clay, most often had pictures of an animal with pictograms from an unknown written language. The most common animals found on the seals are unicorns and bulls, but there are also other animals. Some of the other animals include the monkey, the rhino, the elephant, and the hippopotamus. All of these creatures commonly live in forested, jungle habitats with plenty of water. Today the Indus River Valley is mostly arid plains or desert. This shows us that there was a change in the climate at some point in history.

Multiple Choice

What role did seals play in Harappan society?

• Used for trade

• Used for religious purposes

• Used to imprint images

• Used for decoration

Open Ended

What is ONE key fact from the theory

Poll

Rate this theory on how valid (believable) it is.

• 1 - 2

  No Way!

• 3 - 4

  Not Likely

• 5 - 6

  Strong Maybe

• 7 - 8

  Likely

• 9 - 10

  Absolutely!

Theory 3

The Indus River was a wildly changing one. It would change its course quite regularly during the time of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. A change in the course of the river could have disastrous effects on any city that was located on its banks. This is the case for most of the cities In the Harappan Age. In fact the city of Harappa was destroyed and rebuilt five times, while Mohenjo-Daro was rebuilt six times.

Multiple Choice

How did the changing course of the Indus River affect Harappa?

• It caused flooding

• It led to the destruction of cities

• It improved agriculture

• It had no effect

Open Ended

What is ONE key fact from the theory

Poll

Rate this theory on how valid (believable) it is.

• 1 - 2

  No Way!

• 3 - 4

  Not Likely

• 5 - 6

  Strong Maybe

• 7 - 8

  Likely

• 9 - 10

  Absolutely!

Theory 4

The Harappans were an agrarian society, meaning they grew crops in fields and lived in one place. They had a highly advanced sewer system and running water in each home. They were also able to build an irrigation system to bring water from the Indus River to their fields. In order to support a larger population they needed larger fields and so they would cut down trees to enlarge the amount of arable land. Over time, the Harappans fields were exhausted of minerals and nutrients, and the irrigation system left a salty residue on their fields. This limited the ability of the Harappans to grow crops.

Multiple Choice

What does the term 'agrarian society' imply about the Harappans?

• They were nomadic

• They relied on hunting

• They grew crops and lived in one place

• They were primarily traders

Open Ended

What is ONE key fact from the theory

Poll

Rate this theory on how valid (believable) it is.

• 1 - 2

  No Way!

• 3 - 4

  Not Likely

• 5 - 6

  Strong Maybe

• 7 - 8

  Likely

• 9 - 10

  Absolutely!

Theory 5

In 1964, an American scientist George Dales, looked at skeletons believed to have been massacred. He found evidence that many of them had been buried years after the others died, after the ground level had risen. There are also no signs of extensive burning, no bodies of armored warriors, and no significant amount of weapons. The raised Citadel, shows no sign of a last stand.

Multiple Choice

What did George Dales find regarding the skeletons believed to be massacred?

• Evidence of extensive burning

• No bodies of armored warriors

• Signs of a last stand

• Evidence of a battle

Open Ended

What is ONE key fact from the theory

Poll

Rate this theory on how valid (believable) it is.

• 1 - 2

  No Way!

• 3 - 4

  Not Likely

• 5 - 6

  Strong Maybe

• 7 - 8

  Likely

• 9 - 10

  Absolutely!

Poll

Which theory do you think is MOST valid?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 5