Chapter 2 Section 3

Vocab  Subcontinent  Monsoon  Harappan civilization

Geography of Indian Subcontinent  Mountain Ranges: Hindu Kush, Karakorum, and Himalayan separate India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh from rest of Asia; creates subcontinent Offer great protection from foreign invaders  Rivers: Indus and Ganges Important to connect interior of subcontinent to the sea Farming is only possible in areas directly watered by the rivers (silt)

Environmental Challenges  Monsoons: Seasonal winds dominate India’s climate ○ Winds from the sea carry heavy rain clouds and often flood ○ Winds from the North bring dry air, little rain ○ Without the floods crops will fail  Unpredictable wet and dry seasons When the monsoons brought too much water crops would be washed away Not enough rain crops would wither and die.

Harappan Civilization  Still unsure about first human settlements in this region Some evidence dates back to 7000 B.C.E Most information comes from Harappa; city along the Indus River  Cities: 2500 B.C.E. around same time as Egyptian pyramids Harappan cities were being constructed

Harappan Cities  Built on precise grid system Unlike early Mesopotamian cities that were jumbled together Building were made out of a standard sized bricks Fortified areas of the cities known as citadel ○ (i.e. Citadel Military School) ○ Even created efficient sewage systems and public works

Harappan Cities (cont)  Cities were very often built up on bricks to raise above flood level  Large walls would surround entire city for protection  Uniformity of cities suggests a strong central government

Harappan Culture  Language: Unlike Egyptians and Mesopotamians we have not been able to translate No inscriptions have been found that were bilingual Believed that like hieroglyphics pictures represented sounds

Harappan Culture  Role of Religion Believe that rulers had close tie with religion (theocracy) However no temple sites have been discovered Early depictions of Hindu god Shiva and others mother gods

Harappan Culture  Trade: Very prosperous trading culture Trade all over India and also brought copper, lumber, and precise stones to Sumer. Trade of brightly colored cotton cloth was very profitable few people had been able to grow cotton

The End is Near  Harappan civilization begins to fall around 1750 B.C.E Archeologists believe it was due to tectonic plates moving and changing the course of the Indus River Also around 1500 B.C.E a new group of people moved into the area ○ Aryans from the Hindu Kush Mountains