Chapter 2 - Sec.3

Question 1

What term do geographers use to refer to the landmass that includes India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh?

Answer 1

Indian subcontinent

Question 2

What geographic barriers separate India from the rest of the continent?

Answer 2

mountains

Question 3

What seasonal winds dominate India’s climate?

Answer 3

Monsoons

Question 4

What environmental challenges do these winds provide? (list 3)

Answer 4

• flooding
• unpredictable drought
• changes course

Question 5

What is another term for Indus Valley civilizations? How did it get that name?

Answer 5

-Harappan civilization; many archaeological discoveries were made at that site

Question 6

What are some examples of the sophisticated city planning of the Indus Valley people?

Answer 6

plumbing/sewage systems

Question 7

Why has it been impossible for linguists to decipher the Harrapan language?

Answer 7

They have not found anything like it, it was letter stones

Question 8

List three characteristics of Harappan culture.

Answer 8

• few weapons (less conflict)
• animals
• prosperous city: toys, jewelries
• close ties to religion
• social division were emphasized

Question 9

What items did Harappans trade with peoples in the region?

Answer 9

• gold
• silver
• semiprecious stones
• cotton cloth

Question 10

What is the probable cause of the end of Indus Valley culture?

Answer 10

• earthquakes

- river change drastically

Question 11

Define subcontinent.

Answer 11

India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh which is referred to Indian subcontinent
-an area is separated from rest of Asia by wall of high mountains (Hindu, Kush, and Himalayas)

Question 12

Define monsoon.

Answer 12

• seasonal winds, dominate climate
• winter monsoons: Oct.-Feb.: from northeast. blow westward
• summer monsoons: June-Oct.: from southwest, blow eastward, bring more moisture-leads to flooding, drought when fail to develop

Question 13

Define Harappan culture.

Answer 13

-around 2500B.C. - same time as Egyptian climate; several ancient cities in area of Indus Valley (today Pakistan)

Question 14

What are some characteristics of the Indus’ geography? (list 4).

Answer 14

• mountains (hindu, kusk, karakorum, himalayan ranges)
• Ganges plain(flat, low elevation) and Deccan plateau(southern,flat, high elevation)
• monsoon(seasonal wind)
• desert in the West

Question 15

What are some characteristics of the Indus’ settlements/buildings? List 3.

Answer 15

• plumbing/sewage system
• cities made out of oven-baked bricks(fortification)
• A human island

Question 16

What are some characteristics of the Indus’ religious beliefs? List 2.

Answer 16

• theocracy (god, power)

- major Hindu god - Shiva

Question 17

What are some characteristics of the Indus’ economic life?

Answer 17

• farming
• written language (400 symbols)
• had a prosperous life (toys, gold, silver, clothes, semiprecious stones)

Question 18

Explain how monsoons affect the climate and in turn the people of the Indus Valley.

Answer 18

• Winter monsoons would blow dry air
• Summer monsoons would cause drought if it fail to develop resulting in crop disasters
• too little rain: plants withered, more people starved
• too much rain: flood