CHAPTER IV SECTION IThe Indus River and Ganges River Valleys

Essential Question

What is the geography of the Indus Valley and why did civilization flourish there??

Vocabulary

Subcontinent Monsoon Citadel Migrate Caste

India’s Geographic Setting Subcontinent- A large landmass that

juts out from a continent Stretching south from the Himalayas,

the kite-shaped land of India juts out from Asia into the Indian Ocean.

Historians refer to the entire subcontinent as India, although today it is divided into several different countries, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

A Climate Of Monsoons

Monsoon- A strong wind that blows across the region at certain times of the year

From October to May, the winter monsoon blows from the northeast, spreading dry air across the country

It carries rain that drenches the plains and river valleys daily.

Barriers And Pathways

The Hindu Kush mountain range have served as highways for migration and invasion.

The Indus River crosses the Himalayas and empties into the Arabian Sea.

The Ganges River flows from the Himalayas into the bay of Bengal.

Life In The Indus River Valley From around 2500 B.C.E. to about

1500 B.C.E., well planned cities flourished the valley.

Two such cities were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.

Both located in present-day Pakistan.

A Mysterious Decline

Citadel- A fortress Around 2000 B.C.E., Indus valley

farmers began to abandon their land Between 2000 B.C.E. and 1500

B.C.E., newcomers from the north entered the valley

The Social Order

By 500 B.C.E., there was a strict division of classes

Europeans later called it the Caste System.

Caste- A social class