Early Civilizations of India

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

• Indian Ocean

• Bay of Bengal

• Deccan Plateau

• Himalayas

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

What did early farming villages in India depend on?

• the summer monsoon

• the winter monsoon

• the summer typhoon

• the winter typhoon

What caused the Indus Valley civilization to disappear?

• heavy flooding

• drought

• foreign invaders

• no known cause

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

• farming.

• mathematics.

• weather patterns.

• geography.

Why was the Ganges Plain a good region for settlement?

• It was protected by mountain ranges on all sides.

• It provided fertile, flat land.

• It was near the ocean.

• It provided lush, tropical forests.

What are the Vedas?

• a language written in Sanskrit

• sacred hymns

• priests who recited offerings

• the number system of the Indo-Aryans

How did the early Indo-Aryans measure their wealth?

• in cattle

• in horses

• in the number of chariots they owned

• in corn

What group was in the highest caste?

• dalits

• rulers and warriors

• priests

• landowners and merchants

Where did the Indo-Aryan kingdoms develop by 500 BCE?

• Indus Valley

• Ganges Plain

• southern coast of South Asia

• Brahmaputra Plain