Exploring the Indus Valley Civilization

Civilization began in India around 2500 BC about 1000 years after the start of civilization in Sumer. The first Indian civilization arose around the northern plain and the Valley of the Indus River. Historians call that civilization the Indus Valley civilization.

When did civilization begin in India?

• 3000 BC

• 2500 BC

• 2000 BC

• 1500 BC

Civilization developed in the Indus Valley much as it had had in Sumer and Egypt. Thousands of years ago nomads moved into the valley. The rich soil and plentiful supply of water made the valley a good place to live. The nomads settled into villages and began to plant crops such as wheat and barley.

In time their tiny farm villages grew into towns and in cities.

Why was the Indus Valley a good place for nomads to settle?

• It had a lot of trees

• It had rich soil and plentiful water

• It was close to the sea

• It was a mountainous region

The rich soil and plentiful supply of water made the valley a good place to live. The nomads settled into villages and began to plant crops such as wheat and barley. In time their tiny farm villages grew into towns and in cities.

What crops did the nomads begin to plant in the Indus Valley?

• Rice and corn

• Wheat and barley

• Potatoes and tomatoes

• Beans and peas

The Indus Valley Civilization had two chief cities: Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Both cities were carefully planned. Both were laid out in blocks like modern cities the streets of the cities were wide, straight, and paved.

Describe one way the Indus Valley cities were similar to modern cities.

• They had skyscrapers

• They were laid out in blocks with wide, straight, and paved streets

• They had public transportation

• They had shopping malls

The Indus Valley Civilization had two chief cities: Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Both cities were carefully planned. Both were laid out in blocks like modern cities the streets of the cities were wide, straight, and paved.

What were the two chief cities of the Indus Valley Civilization?

• Babylon and Ur

• Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

• Cairo and Thebes

• Athens and Sparta

In this Valley people also built sewer systems for their cities. They laid large sewer pipes under their streets. Each house was connected to the sewer by drainpipes. The pipes carried wastewater away from the houses.  

How did the Indus Valley people manage waste in their cities?

• They buried it

• They burned it

• They built sewer systems

• They dumped it in the river

The people of the Indus Valley built their cities out of mud bricks. They learned to bake the bricks in ovens. Those bricks were almost as hard as stone.

What material did the people of the Indus Valley use to build their cities?

• Stone

• Wood

• Mud bricks

• Metal

The people of the Indus Valley built their cities out of mud bricks. They learned to bake the bricks in ovens. Those bricks were almost as hard as stone. 

What was a unique feature of the bricks used in the Indus Valley cities?

• They were colorful

• They were made of stone

• They were baked in ovens and almost as hard as stone

• They were lightweight

The Indus Valley civilization lasted over 1000 years like the peoples of the ancient Middle East, Indus Valley people developed their own system of writing and counting. They also developed a system of weights and measures. In this Valley people were skilled crafts workers. They made jewelry and other objects of gold, bronze and copper. Weavers wove cotton thread into cloth Indus Valley people were probably the first people to grow cotton. 

What system did the Indus Valley people develop for trade?

• A currency system

• A barter system

• A system of weights and measures

• A credit system

The Indus Valley civilization lasted over 1000 years like the peoples of the ancient Middle East, Indus Valley people developed their own system of writing and counting. They also developed a system of weights and measures. In this Valley people were skilled crafts workers. They made jewelry and other objects of gold, bronze and copper. Weavers wove cotton thread into cloth Indus Valley people were probably the first people to grow cotton. 

What system did the Indus Valley people develop that was similar to the ancient Middle East?

• A system of government

• A system of writing and counting

• A system of religion

• A system of education