Opening

In your notebooks answer the following questions:

What two inventions did the Sumerians create?

What present day country is in the Fertile Crescent?

Define cultural diffusion? What do all the Ancient River Valley

Civilizations have in common?

Planned Cities on the Indus

Geography

The Indus area includes India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

It is often called a subcontinent (a large landmass that forms a distinct part of a continent).

The world’s tallest mountains to the north and desert to the east protect the Indus Valley from invasion.

Indus Valley civilization

G:What modern day countries was the Indus Valley civ in?

What Rivers????

Indus River Ganges River These rivers carry not only water for

irrigation but also silt which produces rich land for farming.

Monsoons

Are seasonal winds Winter monsoons(Oct-Feb) dry air Summer monsoons (June-Oct) wet

air=rain and flooding. BUT no rain= drought

Problems faced in the Indus Valley Unpredictable flooding but this

brings the rich soil Rivers change course The cycles of the monsoon season

are unpredictable. Little rain=drought or Too much rain= flooding

Don’t Know Much

Compared to Mesopotamia and Egypt very little is know about the Indus Civilization.

Why??? Historians have yet

to decipherer their writing system .

The writing has not been translated.

Do Now

Please answer the following questions:

Define the term subcontinent What are monsoons? What two rivers made up the Indus

River Valley?

Indus River civilization

We do know the cities were sophisticated enough to have brick walls surrounding them for protection against flooding from the Indus River.

Harappan Civilization

Indus Valley civilization is often called this

These people had sophisticated city planning

Examples:----Created walls or islands to avoid floods----Streets in a grid system----Had special protection for important

buildings----Had plumbing and sewer systems

Culture

Had a written language—impossible to translate.

Few weapons were found=little fighting

Religion= were a theocracy (religious leaders in charge). Link to Hindu

Trade with others (near the sea) including those in Mesopotamia.

Decline---Why?

Shifts in tectonic plates created earthquakes and floods which change the course of the Indus River.

Remember the importance of water to these civilization.

No water= harder to create and maintain civilization.