Geography and Early History of South Asia

1
Chapter 7

• Geography and Early History of South Asia

2
Main Ideas

• A study of the Vedas (Hindu bible/sacred texts)
  would help you learn about Aryan religious
  beliefs.
• The Aryan way of life influenced India for
  thousands of years.
• The winter monsoon blows from the northeast to
  the southwest.
• Summer monsoons pick up moisture from the Indian
  Ocean.
• Winter monsoons originate over land while the
  summer monsoons originate over water.

3
Main Ideas

• The Himalaya Mountains helped isolate South Asia
  from the rest of Asia.
• The Khyber and other passes helped in the
  movement and goods and people.
• The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a densely populated
  farming region.
• Many people live in the delta region on the Bay
  of Bengal because it has fertile soil.
• Monsoons are essential to survival in this
  region.

4
Main Ideas

• Hundreds of languages and dialects of S. Asia are
  evidence of its cultural diversity.
• Rajahs were chiefs of Aryan villages.
• The social structure of early Aryan society
  included 4 varna. (classes of people)
• Archeologists are trying to decipher the writing
  of the Indus Valley civilization.
• India and Pakistan are located on the
  subcontinent of South Asia.

5
Main Ideas

• The city of Bangladesh has often suffered from
  severe tropical cyclones.(tornado starting over
  water)
• Rain shadow- cooling air releasing its moisture
  on one side of a mountain chain.
• The variety of religious beliefs indicate
  cultural diversity.
• The Indus Valley civilization had a high degree
  of urban planning.
• The Aryan migration into India resulted in the
  final collapse of the Indus Valley civilization.