U2 Indus River Valley Reading

Key Terms and People

subcontinent landmass that is a distinct part of a continent

monsoon seasonal wind

Harappan civilization ancient settlements in the Indus River Valley

Before You Read

In the last lesson, you read about the development of culture along the Nile.

In this lesson, you will learn about the first civilization in India.

As You Read

Use a chart to draw conclusions about Indus valley civilizations.

The Geography of The Indian Subcontinent

What is a subcontinent?

South Asia—modern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh—is a subcontinent. It is separated from the rest of Asia by tall mountains. Just below the mountains are two large plains that hold the Ganges and Indus rivers. The high mountains gave the people safety from invaders. Because they lived close to the sea, the people could travel over the water to trade with other peoples.

The people along the Indus River faced many of the same challenges that the people in Mesopotamia did. Their river flooded each year and left soil good for farming. But the floods did not occur at the same time each year. Also, the river sometimes changed course. The region’s weather caused problems, too. Each winter, strong winds blew dry air across the area. Each spring, the winds

brought heavy rains. These seasonal winds are called monsoons.

1. What three challenges did the people along the Indus River face?

The people in the Indus Valley faced challenges such as heavy rains following winds, unpredictable floods, and the river sometimes changing course

Civilization emerges on the Indus; Harappan culture

What were cities like on the Indus?

Historians cannot understand the writings of the people who settled in the Indus Valley. So, they have not learned much about these people. They do know that they were farming along the river by about 3200 BC. The culture is called Harappan civilization because many discoveries were made near the city of Harappa. They also know that the culture of these people covered an area larger than either Mesopotamia or Egypt. About 2500 BC, these people began building their first cities. In Mesopotamia, cities were a jumble of winding streets.

In the Indus Valley, however, the builders carefully planned their cities. They made a grid of streets. They built an area called a citadel that was easy to defend. All the important buildings were here. They also had systems for carrying water and sewage.

The houses were mostly alike in the cities. Because of this, scholars think that the Indus culture did not have big differences between social classes.

These early people left an important mark on the region. Some religious objects include symbols that became part of later Indian culture. Historians think that the people of the area had extensive trade with people in the region and with the people of Mesopotamia.

1. What three conclusions have been drawn about Harappan civilization regarding cities, social structure, and trade?

Cities were well-planned and had an efficient layout. Social divisions were limited and the wealth divide was smaller. Harappans openly traded with neighboring cultures.

INDUS VALLEY CULTURE ENDS How did Indus Valley culture end? Around 1750 BC, the cities began to show signs of decline. The Indus Valley civilization collapsed around 1500 BC. Satellite images suggest a shift in the earth’s crust that caused earthquakes. Because of the quakes the Indus River may have changed its course. This would stop the good effects of the yearly floods. The people may have overworked the land. This would have left the soil too poor to produce crops.

1. Provide two reasons why Indus Valley civilization may have ended.

Earthquakes may have changed the course of the Indus river, which stops the yearly floods from taking effect, or the nutrients of soil may have been worn off, reducing the production of crops