Ancient India and Indus Valley BENCHMARK REVIEW

Describe how Ancient India’s geography likely affected the development of early civilizations in the region?

• The tall mountains made farming easier.

• The rivers and fertile land helped people grow crops and build cities.

• The dry land and deserts encouraged people to move away.

• The high mountains were good for trade and transportation.

What can you infer about the importance of rivers like the Indus and Ganges to ancient Indian life?

• They were mostly used for transportation and building homes.

• People avoided living near them because of flooding.

• The rivers helped people farm and supported entire civilizations.

• Ancient people used rivers only for drinking water.

Why might India’s location near oceans and seas have helped it become connected to other ancient lands?

• Oceans kept ancient India isolated from the rest of the world.

• The water made it harder for other civilizations to reach India.

• Sailors preferred rivers over oceans for long-distance travel.

• Being near water made trade and travel with other places easier.

How do the tall mountains most likely help shape the climate in India?

• They keep cold air from the north out, making India warmer.

• They block warm air from reaching India.

• They make the summers colder and longer.

• They cause rainstorms in every season.

What could happen if the summer monsoon brings too much rain?

• It could cool down the land too much.

• Crops might not grow at all.

• The land could flood and damage crops and homes.

• There would be no dry season in the winter.

Determine why archaeologists might have believed that the Harappan cities had strong leadership?

• The people were the first to grow cotton in Asia.

• Harappan people used stone tools for farming.

• The cities were built near the Saraswati River.

• The cities had carefully planned streets, buildings, and sewer systems.

What does the use of underground sewers in Harappan cities tell us about the people who lived there?

• They only lived near rivers.

• They had no way to remove waste.

• They valued cleanliness and had advanced technology.

• They didn’t trade with other regions.

How was the development of cities in the Indus Valley similar to those in Ancient Mesopotamia?

• They all began with farming along rivers.

• They all started near the oceans.

• They all used cotton first.

• They traded only within their villages.

Which of the following 2 answers best explain how trade helped the Harappan civilization grow?

• Trade allowed them to discover new rivers.

• Trade gave them more food and clothing.

• Trade brought wealth, which helped develop more complex cities and culture.

• Trade taught them how to build with bricks.

Describe how archaeologists can learn from the fact that Harappan cities had standard weights and similar artifacts across the region?

• Harappans were very good at building with stone.

• That each Harappan city traded only with nearby villages.

• Harappans spoke many different languages.

• The Harappans had a shared culture and strong communication across cities.