3. Indus valley and China Flashcards
T or F: India is mostly composed of flat land.
False - has mountains, river valleys, dry interior plateau, coastal plains
How many languages are spoken in India? How many dialects?
110 languages, 1000+ dialects
What valley is directly south of the Himalaya?
Ganges river valley
What river valley is in the West of India? What is it like?
Indus river valley - relatively dry plateau that forms backbone of modern pakistan - moderate climate, “cradle of Indian civilization”
What is south of India’s 2 major river valleys? What is it like?
Deccan Plateau from Ganges valley to southern tip of India - interior is hilly and dry.
What is the geography like at the coasts of India?
Lush plains to the east and west - very densely populated.
What is the primary feature of India’s climate? (think weather)
Monsoon - seasonal wind pattern in southern Asia - between June and September, southern/southwestern winds blow across Arabian sea, carrying moisture laden air and causing heavy rainfall (especially near Mumbai)
How do Indian wind patterns change with seasons?
Cool (oct-feb) - From the north and northeast - brings rain
Warm (jun-sep) - from the south and southeast - brings even more rain and humidity
Where is the wettest place on earth? How does it affect life?
Mountains in northeast India - farmers depend on heavy rains from southwest monsoons - wrong time/amount leads to bye bye crops
When did the Indus valley civilization happen?
3000 bc - 1500 bc
Where was the indus valley civilization?
Indus valley (xD)
From the himilaya to the Arabian sea (NOT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF INDIA)
What is an alternative name for Indus Civilization? (area around India and near countries)
Harappan Civilization
How many inhabitants did Harappa and Mohenjo Daro have at their heights?
35,000 in Harappa, 35k-40k in Mohenjo Daro
T or F: Like many old civilizations, Harappa and Mohenjo Daro weren’t very well planned in terms of construction
False - roads ran north-south and east west, some houses varied in size but followed a pattern
T or F: Water and waste were well managed in Indus Valley Civilization
True - public wells, advance drainage for bathrooms, trash chutes
T or F: The government in indus valley civilizations was well organized.
True.
How did religion affect politics in Harrapa?
Rulers based their power in belief in divine assistance - royal palace and holy temple combined in citadel/fortress at Harappa
What was the Harappan economy based on?
FARMING - indus river floods, gives rich soil to grow wheat, barley, and peas
What did the Harappans trade with the Sumerians?
Get - textiles, food
Give - copper, wood, precious stones, cotton, luxury goods
What led to the decline of the Indus Valley civilization?
Kind of a mystery, started in 1800 BC - Floods, earthquake, changes in climate, environmental changes from humans, change in course of Indus river
What for sure ended/drastically changed India’s culture?
1500 BC - foreign migration, environmental changes
Who were the Aryan people in Indian history?
2000 BC - Indo-European speaking nomadic ppl move out of the steppes of central Asia and south into northern India - language called Indo-Aryan. Historians think Aryans traveled very far south to end up there.
How did different people groups affect the culture of the Indus Valley region? How were Aryan people affected?
Some believe Aryan culture replaced Indus Valley culture, others believe a mingling of tribes and cultures within the Indian subcontinent led to a new Indian civilization forming. Aryans gave up their nomadic lifestyle for farming.
Who introduced Iron to the Indus Valley, and how was it impactful?
Hittites (probably) introduced it from Southeast Asia, allowing an iron plow to be created. This along with irrigation helped farmers clear dense jungle growth by the Ganges River to make farmland.
What were the main crops in various regions of India?
- North - wheat, barley, millet
- Fertile River valley area - Rice
- South - grain, veggies, cotton, spices (incl. pepper, ginger, and cinnamon)
T or F: The first written language in the Indus Valley was created around 1000 BC
False - there was a language no one has translated (yet)