Cities of the Indus Valley Chapter 3 Section 1

1. Cities of the Indus ValleyChapter 3 Section 1 Mr. Marsh Columbus North High School

2. Which of the following two water bodies influenced early Indian civilization? • Yellow and Yangzi rivers • Indus and Ganges rivers • Arabian and Mediterranean seas • Tigris and Euphrates rivers [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

3. The Finding of the Indus Valley • The Indus Valley Civilization was discovered in 1922 • Little is known about the Civilization • First Cities in the Indus Valley were developed around 2500 BC

4. Geography of the Subcontinent • Three Major Regions • Northern Plain • Dry Triangular Deccan • Coastal Plains

5. Indus Valley Civilization • First Civilization was founded around 2500 BC • Present day Pakistan • Lasted for around 1000 years • No records have been found to name kings, queens, tax records, etc…

6. Well Planed Cities • Harappa • Mohenjo-Daro (moh HEHN joh DAH roh) • Both Cities where laid out in large rectangular blocks. • Grid Pattern • All houses built uniform • Modern plumbing systems • Uniform weights and measure

7. What evidence suggests that the Indus Valley cities had a well-organized government? • well-planned cities • writings on stone seals • records left by kings • statues of goddesses [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

8. Farming and Trade • First to cultivate cotton, and weave fibers into cloth • Farming was driving by two major things • Melting snow from the Himalayan Mountains (Northern Plain) • Summer Monson Rains (Coastal Plains) • Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea allowed the Indus people to trade with those of Mesopotamia • Contact with Sumer lead to the development of writing in the Indus Valley

9. Religious Beliefs • All based on speculation by archeologist • Polytheistic • Mother Goddess, the source of creation • Sacred Animals • Believed to be the major reason for Indian beliefs towards cattle

10. Decline and Disappearance • By 1750 BC the civilization began to decline • No real evidence on why • Theories include • Volcanic eruption which blocked the Indus river causing the valley to flood • Earthquake • Tsunami • Overuse of natural resources

11. Disappearance • Scholars believed by 1500 BC the final blow was given • Nomadic newcomers known as Aryans • Arrived from Southern Russia • Horses, superior weapons…

12. The Indus River and "lower town"

13. Lower Town:

14. Lower Town:

15. Lower Town:

16. Great Bath and Granary

17. Great Bath, SD Area, looking north

18. Corbelled Drain exiting the Great Bath

19. What is this? [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

20. Kingdoms of the GangesChapter 3 sec. 2 Mr. Marsh Columbus North High School

21. Aryans • Indo-European group that migrated across Europe and Asia in search of water and food • Nomadic tribe • Most of what is known about the Aryans has come from the Vedas • Collection of prayers, hymns and religious teachings • Time period became known as the Vedic Age

22. During the Vedic age, the Aryans changed • from nomads to farmers. • from warriors to merchants. • from servants to rulers. • from farmers to nomads. [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

23. Aryan Society • People were divided by occupation not income • Three Basic Groups • Brahmins or priests • Kshatriyas (kuh SHAT ree yuhz) warriors • Vaisyas (vis yhuz) herders, farmers, artisans and merchants • Warriors were seen as the highest tier but with time Brahmins claimed they were the only ones that could please the gods

24. Aryan Society Cont’ • Felt superior to the Dravidians (the people they conquered) • Dravidians and non-Aryans became the fourth group, known as Sudras (soo druhz) • With time class divisions came to reflect social and economic status a much more complex system known as “castes” • You are born into your castes and you can not change that status

25. Aryan Religious Beliefs • Polytheistic • Gods and goddesses of fire, earth, wind, sun, moon, war, etc…. • Also had animal gods and goddesses • With time a notion of a single spiritual power beyond the gods developed called “’Brahman” • Move toward mysticism • Spiritual truth through meditation • Religions that emerged after the Vedic age reflected the impact of mysticism

26. Expansion and Change • As Aryans conquered they mingled and took from other civilizations, soon they gave up the nomadic way of life for farming • Aryans begin to settle the Ganges basin by 800 B.C. • Tribal wars began over territories between Aryan tribes • By 500 B.C. a new Indian Civilization had emerged • Indian people had developed a written language, Sanskrit • Vedas start to be written

27. Epic Literature • Even with written language the Oral tradition stayed a mainstream with the Aryans • Two major epic poems were kept in Oral context • Mahabharata (muh HAH bah rah tuh) • Ramayana (rah MAH yuh nuh)

28. Mahabharata • 100,000 versus • Epic battles between the Aryans • One episode Bhagavad-Gita (BUGH un vuhd GEE tuh) reflects important Indian religious beliefs about the immortality of the soul and the importance of duty

29. Ramayana • Major moral lesson is the role of men and women • Men- taught the model of virtue • Women- loyal and obedient to her husband

30. Looking Ahead • Aryan religion develops into two of the worlds largest religions • Hinduism and Buddhism