1. South Asia/Indian Subcontinent – Images of India 1st 7 minutes (intro link start at 1:43)
separate part of continent: a large area that is an identifiably separate part of a continent
isolated by geographic features
India - 2nd to China in population
Nations
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan
Island Nations: Sri Lanka, Republic of Maldives Transition: Afghanistan

2. Indian Subcontinent Geography (South Asia)
Instructions: Using page (Sections 1 & 2), find
evidence in the sections to support each of the following
generalizations.
The terrain of the Indian subcontinent varies widely.
The Himalayas and the Hindu Kush are important to the subcontinent’s water supply.
Farming is an important way of life for millions of people on the subcontinent.
Geographic barriers influenced the development of different regional cultures on the subcontinent.
Rivers play many vital roles in the life of South Asia.

3. The Indian Subcontinent
A subcontinent is a large landmass that is smaller than a continent.
The Indian subcontinent was formed when pieces of the landmass of Gondwanaland collided with Laurasia.
The ensuing collision created the Himalaya and Hindu Kush mountains.
Although people were able to travel through passes in these mountains, its settlers developed a unique culture.

6. a. The Terrain of the Indian subcontinent varies widely.
Northern Mountain:
Himalayas (Mt. Everest), Hindu Kush
Khyber Pass: mountain pass through Hindu Kush = traders & invaders
Kashmir : mountain valley – farming & herding - song
Mineral resources – lacks oil for industry
Rain shadow effect

7. Rain Shadow

8. Northern Mountains
The Himalaya Mountains stretch 1,500 miles from east to west.
Many of the world’s highest mountains are in the Himalayas.
At least 50 of the mountains are more than 5 miles high, including Mt. Everest.
To the northwest of the continent lie the Hindu Kush Mountains.
Although smaller in area than the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush are nearly as high and rugged.
The Arabic word kush means “death.”

9. Mountain Valleys
In between the northern mountains lie many remote valleys.
Through these valleys flow the headwaters of many of the subcontinent’s rivers.
People in these isolated valleys developed their own ways of life.
In the Kashmir Valley, goats produce a fine wool called cashmere.

11. a. The Terrain of the Indian subcontinent varies widely.
Northern Plains/Indo-Gangetic Plain
Pakistan to India to Bangladesh
Rivers: Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra
Farming=Densely populated
Steady source of water
Fertile land
Long growing season
Thar Desert: western end of plains = nomads
Mineral resources – lacks oil for industry

13. a. The Terrain of the Indian subcontinent varies widely.
Deccan Plateau
Surrounded by Ghats and Vindhya mountains
Triangular, high, flat land, rivers, water harder to find
½ of South Asia
Millions of tiny farms rely on monsoons

17. b. The Himalayas and the Hindu Kush are important to the subcontinent’s water supply.
Melting snow is the source of streams that feed river system

19. c. Farming is an important way of life for millions of people on the subcontinent.
¾ are farmer
Indo-Gangetic = Plain densely populated
Monsoons: Deccan Plateau relies on the monsoons
Key to life, wet and dry (see handout)
Ganges River Delta (Bay of Bengal) (video)
Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna rivers
Bangladesh
Densely populated
At sea level
Cyclones
Floods
Influences art and literature
Read page 162 and page 166
advance past video

20. Back

21. Monsoons
Some people consider monsoon forecasts the most important weather predictions on earth.
The monsoon is a seasonal wind that dominates the climate of South Asia.
The word monsoon means “season” in Arabic.
Two monsoons define the seasons in South Asia: the wet monsoon of summer and the dry monsoon of winter.

22. Bay of Bengal

23. Flooding and Storms
Because of the rich soil on the delta formed by the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated nations in the world.
Because much of the land is barely above sea level, seasonal flooding is common.
In addition, fierce tropical cyclones sweep in from the Bay of Bengal every five to seven years.
These storms have a devastating effect on the people in Bangladesh.

24. 1:45

25. 2:40
Back

26. d. Geographic barriers influenced the development of different regional cultures on the subcontinent. Show Culture section Images of India 5 minutes
Mountains: separate and isolate
Hindu Kush, Himalayas, Ghats, Vindhya (read page 164)
Cultural diversity – Unity in Diversity
Separate people into regional and local groups
Food, clothing, music, dance
Language
India: 15 official languages, 700 dialects
Hindi: most widely spoken
English
Religion:
Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism
3 Migrations:
1. other parts of Asia, 2. Muslim , 3. Europe
How to play Cricket
Highlights

28. How to play Cricket
Highlights

29. There are more than 80 recorded ways to wear a sari
The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with the loose end of the drape to be worn over the shoulder, baring the midriff
However, the sari can be draped in several different styles, though some styles do require a sari of a particular length or form

34. e. Rivers play many vital roles in the life of South Asia
Essential to life = farming and religion
Ganges holiest river to Hinduism
Supported earliest civilizations of the region
Ganges River delta/Delta on the Bay of Bengal = fertile supports life

35. Closure
One sentence summary.