Indus Valley Civilization
When did the Vedic Period/Vedic Age occur?
1500 BCE to 500 BCE in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age
When did the Indus Valley Civilization develop?
3300 BCE - 1300 BCE
What are the social hierarchy orders in the Caste System?
Brahmins Kshatriyas Vaishyas Shudras Dalits
Explain Political Theory
Brahmins invented the caste system to place themselves at the top of the social hierarchy
What are the purpose of monsoons?
Brought rain needed for crops Led to flooding of rivers and creation of fertile silt
Give evidence as to why Mohenjo-daro was a planned city
Built on a plateau to deal with unpredictable river flooding city streets were divided into squares to allow easy movement Houses and shops were built within these squares
What combination of changes contributed to the end of the Harappan Civilization?
Climate shift: monsoon patterns Flooding Destruction of the forests Migrations of new people: the Aryans
What were the three phases of the Harappan Civilization?
Early Harappan Phase (3300 - 2600 BCE) Mature Harappan Phase (2600 - 1900 BCE) Late Harappan Phase (1900 - 1300 BCE)
Which two cities were the largest settlements of the Harappan Civilization?
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
What were the three mountain ranges that separated the Indian Subcontinent from Asia?
Himalayas, Hindu Kush, Karakoram
What are the 2 types of Endogamy?
Hypergamy and Hypogamy
Which modern-day nations are included in the Indian Subcontinent?
India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh
Explain Racial Theory
Indo-Aryans established a caste system and placed themselves in higher classes
What were the civilizations that emerged on the Indus?
Indus Valley Civilization and Harappan Civilization
What form of writing did the Indus Valley Civilization use?
Indus Valley Script
Explain Indus Valley Civilization
Influenced an area larger than Mesopotamia or Egypt
What are the possible origins of the Caste System?
Racial Theory, Political Theory, and that the caste system was already established by tribes
What is the principal feature of the Caste System in India?
Segmental Division of Society, Endogamy, Hereditary Status and occupation, Restriction on Food and Drink, Concept of Purity and Pollution
Enumerate the evidences that suggests a structured social system in the Indus Valley Civilization.
The well-planned layout of the cities suggests a centralized authority a class-based society with different types of housing the presence of public buildings and granaries
What is the significance of the Vedic Period/Vedic Age?
Vedic literature, including the Vedas (1300 - 900 BCE), was composed in the northern Indian subcontinent
What is the Manusmriti?
an important book on Hindu law dating back to at least 1000 BCE
What are the rules of the caste system?
an individual belongs to the caste of their parents and cannot move from one caste to another
Give example of the importance of culture
animals were important to the culture; toys suggest prosperity
What is a hydraulic civilization?
any culture having an agricultural system that is dependent upon large-scale government-managed waterworks for irrigation and flood control
Did the Harappan cities have a uniform culture or social divisions?
appeared to have a uniform culture with no great social divisions
What is known about the writing system of the Indus Valley Civilization?
associated with a script that remains undeciphered found on seals and other artifacts, suggesting a sophisticated level of communication
Enumerate the technological and engineering skills the people of the Indus Valley Civilization demonstrate.
construction of structures use of standardized bricks and a complex system of weights and measures employed advanced metallurgy techniques in the production of copper and bronze artifacts
When did the Harappan Civilization end>
early 1700s BC
Enumerate the evidence suggests extensive trade and commerce in the Indus Valley Civilization.
engaged in trade with regions as far away as Mesopotamia archaeological findings suggest a well-established trade network
What are some criticisms of the Caste System?
form of racial discrimination system of exploitation
Explain Harappan Civilization
had contact with people far from India Controlled large area on both sides of the Indus River Traded with people as far away as southern India and Mesopotamia
What were the distinctive seals used for in the Indus Valley Civilization?
identification of property and to stamp clay on trade goods
What evidence suggests a well-organized government in the Indus Valley Civilization?
leaders made sure all had steady supply of food Buildings suggest government status
Explain Hypogamy
marriage with a person of lower social status
Explain Endogamy
members of a caste or subcaste marrying within their own caste or subcaste
What evidence of religion has been found in the Indus Valley Civilization?
no temples or religious writings have been found, but there are animal images and some evidence of a mother goddess of fertility.
What is another writing method that doesn't have any evidence?
palm leaves or cloth
Explain Planned Cities
people built cities of brick laid out on a grid system Engineers create plumbing and sewage systems
Explain Hypergamy
practice of women marrying someone who is wealthier or of higher caste or social status
What religious and symbolic aspects are associated with the Indus Valley Civilization?
presence of various artifacts, including figurines and seals depicting animals and possibly deities
The "Great Bath" at Mohenjo-daro is believed to have had what?
ritual significance, possibly related to religious practices
What is the Caste System of India?
social hierarchy that divides Hindus into rigid hierarchical groups based on their karma and dharma
Explain the Segmental Division of Society
society is divided into various small social groups called castes, and membership is determined by birth
Explain the Concept of Purity and Pollution
the higher castes claim to have ritual, spiritual, and racial purity, which they maintain by keeping the lower castes away through the notion of pollution
What were the environmental challenges faced by the Indus Valley Civilization?
unpredictable floods the unpredictable cycle of wet and dry seasons brought by monsoon winds.
Enumerate the contributions of the Indus Valley Civilization in terms of urban planning.
well-organized streets and drainage systems Streets were laid out in a grid pattern houses were equipped with sophisticated drainage systems
What crops did the Harappan Civilization grow?
wheat, barley, dates, and vegetables
What were the two types of monsoons that affected the Indus Valley Civilization?
winter monsoons (Oct - Feb) summer monsoons (mid June - Oct)
Explain the Restriction on Foods and Drinks
would not accept food from any other caste that stands lower than itself
