Geography and Early India The Big Idea Indian civilization first developed on the Indus River. Main Ideas The geography of India includes high mountains, great rivers, and heavy seasonal rain. Harappan civilization developed along the Indus River. The Aryan invasion of India changed the region’s civilization.

Mountains North: The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world. West: The Hindu Kush provide protection from enemies. Plains and Plateaus Rivers and melting snow kept the plains fertile. Both sides of the river thrived. Indian Geography Water Monsoons Heavy rainfall Civilizations arose around seasonal rainfall.

People Population grew in the Indus River Valley. Growth came as irrigation and farming techniques improved. Cities were built as surplus food was produced. Cities Harrapa Mohenjo Daro Fortresses for defense against enemies Well-planned public areas Harappan Civilization Achievements Wells and indoor plumbing Pottery, cotton clothing, jewelry India’s first writing system

Religion Government Language Invaders from the West When the Harappan civilization dissipated in 1700 BC, Central Asians called Aryans began taking over territory. The Aryans left behind vast collections of poems, hymns, myths, and rituals. They also had religious writings known as Vedas. No central government: small communities ruled by rajas Sanskrit is the root of many modern South Asian languages. Aryan Invasion

Harappan Civilization Aryan Invasion Two major cities: Harappa, Mohenjo Daro Advanced civilization that thrived between 2300 and 1700 BC Culture, artistry, city planning South Asian warriors pushed through the Hindu Kush mountains and settled in the Indus Valley Oral tradition in religion and mythology resulted in the most important language of ancient India: Sanskrit. Summary

Geography of Indian SubcontinentHarappan CivilizationAryan Civilization  India is a very large and separated from the continent of Asia by mountains  Subcontinent =smaller than a continent  Ganges delta in east  Triangular shaped  Bay of Bengal to the east  Indian Ocean to the south  Among the northern mountains of which the Himalayas are the largest in the world  The Great Indian Desert is west of the Himalayas  Most of India is covered by fertile plains and rugged plateaus  Major rivers flow from the Himalayas  The Indus and Ganges, provide fertile farmland with water  Seasonal floods and Monsoons provide silt to farmland  Hot and humid climate  Arabian Sea to the west  2300 BC to 1200 BC  Harappan Civilization formed in the Indus River Valley and the Sarasvati River southeast of the Indus River  An irrigation system was used for watering crops  Two large cities were formed 300 miles apart, Harappa and Mohenjo Daro (the mound of the dead)  Architecture was well planned  Towering fortresses (citadels)  Brick streets crossed at right angles  Flat roofs  Store houses, workshops, market stalls and houses  Public wells  Indoor plumbing  Weights to measure goods  Artisans: pottery, jewelry, ivory, cotton clothing  First writing system in India  Clay seals to stamp goods  2000 BC  People came from Caspian Sea in Central Asia  People may have came through the Khyber Pass in Northwest India’s Himalayas  Vedas-collection of poems, hymns, myths, and rituals written by Aryan Priest  They did not build homes  They formed small communities based on family ties  No single ruling authority  Group leaders were usually skilled warriors  A Raja was the leader of the village or group  Raja’s often fought each other  They had farmland and pastures  They raised cows, horses, sheep and goats  Sanskrit was the Aryan Language  Sanskrit Language is the root of many Southeast Asian Languages  Sanskrit is an Indo-European Language formed around 10,000 to 6000 years ago Chapter 5 Section 1 pages Geography and Early India