Indus River Valley Civilization

Indus River

Geographic Features

• Indus River

• Flows southwest from the Himalayan Mountains

• The Delta flows into the Arabian Sea

• Natural Barriers

• Himalayan and Hindu Kush Mountains

• Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean

• Sub Continent -

– Separated from the rest of Asia by natural barriers

• Monsoon- a seasonal wind

– June to September(summer monsoon) dropping torrential rains

– October to May(winter monsoon) dry hot air bring temperatures of over 100

Indus Environment

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro• Large cities existing from 2500B.C. to

1500B.C

• Unable to decipher the written language

• First planned cities in history

– Wide, straight streets divided into square city blocks

– Strong central government

– Established standard weights and measurements

Well Planned Cities

Unknown Language

City Streets

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro• Economic Life

– A thriving agricultural economy

– Built channels to bring water from rivers to fields

– Food surpluses increased trade

– Indus valley the first to grow cotton

Irrigated fields

Hinduism• Founded around 1500B.C.-1000B.C.

• Polytheistic

– Brahma-Creator, Vishnu-Preserver, Shiva-destroyer

• Religious texts include the Vedas and the Upanishads

• Reincarnation- rebirth of the soul

• Karma- the sum of all actions in a person’s life will affect his or her fate in the next life

Reincarnation- rebirth of the soul

Caste