India Indus Valley Civilization Mikenzie Crowther Period 2

India Indus Valley Civilization Mikenzie Crowther Period 2

Political • • • Religion was the basis for their government o All laws came from religious beliefs Dominated by priests who out from citrad to govern the capital cities Cities were managed in a strict political system

Economic • • • Agricultural civilization Grew wheat, beans, barley, sesame, rice, peas, bananas, black pepper, and cotton crops Extensive trading occurred between the merchant class

Religion • • Polytheistic and animals were important symbols Harappans obeyed the priests because the priests were intermediaries between the Harappans and the gods They believed the gods controlled fertility of crops o if the gods were mad they would punish the Harappans by unsuccessful crops Believed in the Mother Goddess and worshipped clay figures of her

Social • • • Consisted of four classes o Warriors, priests, merchant, then peasant class Made bronze, copper, and stone tools Beads and shells were used as jewelry Pottery was very common Very detailed work

Intellectual • • Very elaborately planned cities Writing system used symbols Used standardized weights and measurements Sewage systems

Area • Cities were layed out in distinctive gridiron pattern

Rise • • • Peak was during the period of the Harappans Extensive trading occurred Flourished between 2600 and 1800 BC

Fall • • It is not known for sure, but several predictions can be made It was a gradual decline Most of the cities were abandoned due to infertility of crops o climate change Continuous flooding