INDUS RIVER VALLEYAim: How did geography affect the development of Indian civilization?

Do Now: View map of NYC

Why do you think lower and upper Manhattan are laid out so differently?

Why is having a grid system advantageous?

Geography• The Indian subcontinent includes India, Pakistan and

Bangladesh.• Hindu Kush, Karakorum and Himalayan ranges • India’s mountains guard fertile plain formed by two rivers

Mt. Everest

• Highest mountain on Earth. 29,029 feet above sea level.

• Part of the Himalaya Mt. chain.

Effects of the Monsoon Rains

• Yearly Floods• Rivers change course• Unpredictability of wet and dry

seasons

EARLY CIVILIZATIONS IN THE INDUS RIVER VALLEY2500 BC to 1500 BC – the Harappa Civilization developed in the Indus River valley

The Indus River Valley

Why would the Himalayan Mountains separate the Indian civilization from the developing Chinese civilization?

Harappan civilization • Laid brick for India’s first cities.• Created their own written language: sanskrit• Built strong levees, to keep water out of their cities.• Constructed human-made islands to raise the cities above

possible floodwaters.

Sophisticated city planning• Grid formation• Fortified area called a “citadel”• Advanced Sewage systems• Level of sophistication

suggests that there was a strong central government.

Private bath with drainage system for waste.

What does the attention the Indus people gave to the plumbing and sewer systems say about their culture?

EARLY CIVILIZATIONS IN THE INDUS RIVER VALLEYHarappa and Mohenjo Daro

Q-A-R-D Activity• Read “The Geography of the Indian Subcontinent” and fill out the Q-A-R-D sheet in pairs.

• Steps to a successful Q-A-R-D sheet• Q- Read the question• A- Answer the question using factual information

• R- React to the factual information presented• D- Have a partner respond to your reaction