Title: Ancient India
1Ancient India
- In this lesson, students will identify
characteristics of Indias geography. - Students will be able to define and/or identify
the following terms - Himalaya Mountains
- Monsoons
- Indus River
- Harappa
- Urban Planning.
2India is a subcontinent in South Asia.
3The Indian Subcontinent
- India is a country in South Asia.
- India is a subcontinent.
- A subcontinent is a large land mass that is
smaller than a continent. - A subcontinent is usually split from the rest of
the continent by a mountain range.
4The Himalaya Mountains separate India From China.
5The Himalayas
- The Himalayas are mountains in northern India.
- The Himalayas are the highest mountains on the
surface of the earth. - The Himalayas have not completely separated India
from the rest of Asia because the mountains have
passes.
6This is a photograph of the famous Khyber Pass.
This valley allowed travelers to enter India.
7India also experiences the monsoon. The monsoons
are winds that bring rains.
8Monsoons
- Monsoons are winds that bring rains.
- The Monsoons are vital for farming.
- Monsoon rains provide water for farming.
- If the monsoon rains do not arrive, many people
will die from hunger and starvation.
9The Indus River is an important river in Indian
history. It was the birthplace of South Asias
earliest civilization.
10The Indus River
- The name India is derived from the Indus River.
- An early civilization developed along the banks
of the Indus River. - Today, the Indus River flows mostly through
Pakistan. Pakistan was once part of India.
11The Ganges River is an important river in India.
It is a sacred or holy river for Hindus.
12The Ganges River
- The Ganges river is an important river in India.
- It is considered a sacred or holy river to
Hindus. - Hinduism is a religion of India. Hindus believe
that the waters from the Ganges will purify the
souls of those who drink or bathe in the Ganges
river.
13Harappan Civilization
- The early civilization that developed in the
Indus river valley is frequently referred to as
Harappan civilization. - The name Harappan comes from one of the cities
in the Indus river valley. - Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were two important
cities of this early river valley civilization.
14This ruin reveals the careful planning of the
Indus river city of Harappa.
15The buildings of Mohenjo-Daro were also carefully
planned.
16Urban Planning
- Urban planning refers to the careful planning of
a city. - In Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, every brick in every
city was exactly the same size during a period of
time. - Like modern cities, buildings had to conform to
government standards.
17This hole and drain suggest that indoor bathrooms
and toilets may have existed.
18Harappan civilization had writing.
However, archaeologists are still deciphering it.
19This map reveals the location of
Harappan civilization.
20Harappan civilization began around 3000 B.C.
21The cities were surrounded by walls. Walls were
used to protect the inhabitants of the cities.
22Harappan civilization declined around 1500 B.C.
It is possible that the monsoon failed or an
earthquake occurred.
23Questions for Reflection
- Why did the Himalayas not completely prevent
cultural diffusion? - Why are the monsoons vital for Indians?
- Where did Indias first civilization develop?
- List two geographic features of India and state
an effect for each feature. - How did Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro exhibit aspects
of urban planning? - List three accomplishments of Harappan
civilization.