Chapter 3 Early Civilizations in India and China

Chapter 3 Early Civilizations in India and China Global History I Mr. Schoff

Write any features of India that you see here…you have 30 seconds…

Write any features of China that you see here…you have 30 seconds…

OA How has geography influenced India? Chapter 3 Section 1

Introduction 2500 B. C. – 1 st civilization in India arose in Indus River Valley – Carefully planned cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro Mountains protected them, but Aryans overran them anyway – Formed new Indian civilization

Introduction continued 2000 B. C. – Chinese civilization emerged along river valleys and the east coast of China Desert and mountain barriers caused them to grow independently Made advances in astronomy and learned to make books and silk Both – religion was important, developed metalworking and system of writing

Regions Indian subcontinent divided into three major zones – Well-watered northern plain, dry triangular Deccan, and coastal plains on either side of the Deccan Mighty rivers – Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra – Carry melting snow from the mountains to the plains, making agriculture possible These rivers are sacred – Indian name for river – “lok-mata” – “mother of the people”

Monsoons In October, winds blow from the NW, bringing a flow of hot, dry air that withers crops May or June, wet summer monsoons blow from the SW – Pick up moisture over the Indian Ocean and drench land with daily downpours Shaped Indian life – welcome rains, but if they are late, famine and starvation may occur; if rains are too heavy, rushing rivers release deadly floods

Indus Valley Civilization Mystery – emerged in present-day Pakistan about 2500 B. C. Flourished for about 1, 000 years, then vanished without a trace – No names of kings, queens, no tax records, no literature, no accounts of famous victories Covered the largest area of any civilization until the rise of Persia more than 1, 000 years later Similar to Sumerian city-states

Two Main Cities Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro Large, 3 miles in circumference Hilltop structure, probably a fortress or temple Very well-planned – Grid pattern with rectangular blocks larger than modern city blocks, all houses were made of oven-fired clay bricks, modern plumbing systems with baths, drains, and water chutes that led into sewers beneath the streets, merchants used a uniform system of weights and measures

More on Indus Valley Well-organized gov’t Powerful leaders, perhaps priestkings, made sure that the tens of thousands of people in the city had a steady supply of grain from the villages Skills in math and surveying to lay out the cities so precisely

More… Most people were farmers – Wheat, barley, melons, dates 1 st people to cultivate cotton and weave fibers into cloth Some people were merchants and traders – Ships carried cargoes of cotton cloth, grain, copper, pearls, and ivory combs – Contact with Sumer…may have stimulated Indus Valley people to develop own writing system

Decline 1750 B. C. – quality of life was decreasing Suggestions for decline – Damage to local environment – Too many trees cut down to fuel the ovens of brick makers – Tons of river mud found in the streets suggest that a volcanic eruption blocked the Indus, which flooded the city – Devastating earthquake Aryans slowly migrated and eventually overran the Indus region Cities were abandoned and eventually forgotten