SS U3 C5 S1&2 Flashcards
What is India known as? Why?
It is known as a subcontinent because of how large it is.
What is a subcontinent?
a large landmass that is smaller than a continent
What separates India from the rest of the continent?
Mountains separate India from the rest of Asia
What are the highest mountains in the world called?
Himalayas (in northern India)
What lies to the west of the Himalayas?
Thar Dessert
What is the climate in India?
Most of India is hot and humid
What are monsoons?
A seasonal wind pattern that causes wet and dry seasons.
How do they affect climate in India?
In the summer, monsoon winds can blow into India from the Indian Ocean bringing heavy rains and causing flooding.
In the winter, the winds blow down from the mountains forcing moisture out of India and creating warm, dry winters.
Where was the Harappan Civilization formed>
In the Indus River Valley
During what time period did the Harappan civilization thrive?
2300-1700 BC
What were the two major cities of the Harrapan civilization?
The Harappa and Mahenjo Daro
How were the two major cities of Harrapan similar?
- Cities were next to a huge citadel (fortress) to help guard against invasions
- Cities had many public wells
- Streets were paved and well drained, meeting at right angles to create a grid.
Harappan Achievements
- Civilization was very advanced
- houses had bathrooms and indoor plumbing
- made excellent pottery, jewelry, ivory and cotton clothing
- developed India’s first writing system
Why don’t we know much about Harappan civilization?
Unable to read language
How did the Harappan civilization end?
No one really knows.
What group of people moved in after the end of the Harappan civilization?
Aryan
How do we know about the Aryan society?
From religious writings known as Vedas (collection of poems, hymns, myths and rituals)
Explain how the Aryan people changed the ways that they lived as time passed.
They were nomads but over time they settled in villages and began to farm.
How did the Aryan and the Harappan societies differ?
- The Harappan people lived in large cities, the Aryans did not
- Aryans lived in small communities based on family ties, no single ruling authority existed. Each group had its own leader
Describe the political system of the Aryans.
- Villages were governed by rajas (leader who ruled a village and the land around it).