Section #6.1“India’s Early Civilizations”

p194-201

The Land of India

What mountains separate India from the rest of Asia?

The Himalaya Mountains

1.

What are the names of the two river valley’s in India?

Ganges River Valley andIndus River Valley

2.

What do you call the strong wind that blows one direction in the

winter and the opposite direction in summer?

monsoon

3.

Why do farmers celebrate when the summer monsoon comes?

It brings heavy rains that ensure good crops

4.

What happens if the monsoons are delayed in India?

There can be a drought

5.

What do you call a long period of time when there is a

shortage of water?

drought

6.

Why did the earliest civilizations in India start in

the river valley?

There was fertile soil

7.

Describe the chain of civilization in the early Indus

River Valley.

1. Rich and fertile soil helped grow good crops

2. The surplus of food allowed people to do other things than farm

3. People began to trade (food and other items)

4. Cities grew

8.

Name the two major cities of the Indus River Valley

civilization.

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

9.

Why did the people in the Indus River Valley build a

fortress near the city?

For protection – to keep guard for the residents

10.

What material was used to build most houses in the Indus

River Valley?

Bricks made from mud

11.

Why did the people in the Indus River Valley build a

fortress near the city?

For protection – to keep guard for the residents

12.

Name 2 “modern” conveniences that could be found in homes in the Indus

River Valley

- indoor bathrooms- well water- garbage chutes inside houses - a drainage system

13.

What was the main occupation of most Harappans?

They were farmers

14.

Name 3 of the major crops of farmers.

Rice, wheat, barley, peas and cotton

15.

What types of products were made by artisans in Harrapa?

copper and bronze toolsclay potterycotton cloth

jewelry made from gold, shells & ivory

16.

The Aryans

Historians believe that the Harappan civilization collapsed

because of ___ and ___

Floods and earthquakes

17.

Before coming to India, where did the Aryan people live?

Central Asia

18.

What was the most prized possession of Aryans?

cattle

19.

Why were cattle considered a prized possession of Aryans?

- they provided meat, milk and butter- they were used as money

20.

What skills made Aryans good warriors?

They were expert horse ridersand good hunters

21.

The Aryans were nomadic hunters. What is a nomadic

hunter?

Someone who moves from place to place following the animal they hunt

22.

How did life change for the Aryans after they moved into

India?

They stopped being nomads and became farmers

23.

How did the Aryans regard cattle afterafter moving to India?

Cattle became sacred and it was forbidden to use them for food.

24.

Name some examples of Aryan technology.

- Invention of an iron plow- Built canals as irrigation systems- Invention of a written language

25.

What was the name of the Aryan written language?

Sanskrit

26.

The Aryan people were divided into ___

tribes

27.

What do you call the leaders of the Aryan tribes?

raja

28.

What is another name for a raja?

prince

29.

How did canals help the people in the Ganges River

valley?

It helped irrigate the land – making better farmland

30.

Society in Ancient India

A social system that you are born into and cannot change is

called a ___

caste

31.

What term do people in India use instead of the word

“caste system?”

jati

32.

What are 3 things dictated for people by the caste system in

India?

- what job a person can have- who a person can marry- with whom a person can eat or drink

33.

It is believed that in ancient times ___ influenced who was placed in which caste a person

was placed in

skin color

34.

The caste (jati) system divides people into 4 groups/levels

called ___

varnas

35.

Place the social levels (varnas) in the correct place:

36.

unskilled workers & servants common people

priests warriors & rulers

Place the social levels (varnas) in the correct place:

36.

priests warriors & rulers

common people

unskilled workers & servants

What was the name of the group that didn’t belong to any varna?

The Untouchables

37.

What kinds of work would an untouchable perform?

picking up trashhandling dead bodies

skinning animals

38.

Why is life difficult for an Untouchable?

- They had to live apart from everyone else- People didn’t want to be anywhere near an Untouchable

39.

Extended families all lived together

40. How do we know that family was important to the people in

ancient India?

The oldest male

41.Who was the “head” of the

family in ancient India?

Men could: - inherit property - go to school - become priests

42. What rights did a male have that a female did not in ancient

India?

guru

43.What do you call a teacher in

ancient India?

Parents arrange the marriage (decide who you will marry)

44. What is one major difference between marriage in India and marriage in the United States?

If an important man died he would be cremated and it was expected that his

wife would throw herself into the funeral flames.

45.Explain the practice called

suttee