1. Aim: How much did geography influence the Indus and Yellow River Valley Civilizations?
Do Now: What do you know about India and China? What would you like to know?

2. I Geography of India
India is a subcontinent.
Mountain ranges: Hindu Kush & Himalayas (includes Mt Everest)
Main rivers: Indus, Ganges.
Deccan Plateau: hot and dry.
Monsoons: seasonal winds that bring rain. The monsoons are necessary to farm, but also bring a risk of floods.

3. South Asia Monsoons
Winter
Monsoon
Summer Monsoon

5. II Indus River Valley Civilizations 2500 – 1500 BCE
A) Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were “twin” cities in the Indus River Valley (in modern Pakistan) 2500 BCE. B) Both were planned cities; the buildings and streets were laid out on a grid, and even had a sewer system! C) Animistic (believed in spirits in nature). D) System of writing that is still undeciphered. E) By 1500 BCE Aryans (light skinned Indo-Europeans) conquered the Indus River Valley.

6. Harappa

7. Indus River Valley
The "great bath" is possibly the earliest public water tank in the ancient world. It may also have served a religious function (I.e. water purification rituals). On the right is Indus River Valley writing.

8. Hukou Falls, Part of the Yellow River
III Geography of China
Natural barriers: Pacific Ocean (West) - Himalayan Mountains (Southwest) -Gobi Desert (North).
-> ISOLATION
The melting snows from the mountains in the west feed the Yellow and the Yangzi rivers. The Yellow River gets its name due to yellow clay called loess.
China grows rice in the south, due to a warmer and wetter climate. China grows wheat in the north, due to a colder and drier climate.
Hukou Falls, Part of the Yellow River

10. Hukou Falls, Part of the Yellow River

11. Terraced Farming: Chinese rice farmers cut steps into the mountains
Terraced Farming: Chinese rice farmers cut steps into the mountains. This way, the water will be better distributed.

12. IV Shang Dynasty 1650 – 1027 BCE
1st centralized Chinese government. Developed by the Yellow River.
Walled cities. Army of 30,000 soldiers.
Bronze tools, weapons, and vessels. Made by skilled working class.
Animistic religion (belief in spirits in nature)
Earliest evidence of Chinese writing on “oracle bones” (tortoise shells)

13. V Zhou Dynasty 1027 – 256 BCE
A) 1027 BCE the Zhou Dynasty conquered the Shang B) Produced iron tools and weapons D) Developed the idea of rulers having the Mandate of Heaven: the gods have the power to give or take away the right of a ruler to rule (divine right).

14. Zhou Dynasty Continued…
D) The Mandate of Heaven was used to explain the Dynastic Cycle.
If there are numerous problems under a dynasty, the people would believe the ruler lost the mandate of heaven.

15. Zhou Burial

16. Summary Questions
How did geography influence the Indus river valley civilizations?
How did geography influence the Yellow river valley civilizations?
In your own words, explain the mandate of heaven and dynastic cycle.

17. Key Vocabulary Deccan Plateau Mandate of Heaven Dynastic Cycle
Mohenjo-Daro
Ganges River
Monsoons
Gobi Desert
Mt. Everest
Harappa
Oracle Bones
Himalayas
Shang Dynasty
Hindu Kush
Terrace Farming
Huang River
Yangtze (Yellow) River
Indus River
Zhou Dynasty