4 early River Valley Civilizations

4 early River Valley Civilizations

• Ancient China - Huang He River

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

WARM-UP:Can you label the 4 early River Valley Civilizations on the map?

• Sumerian Civilization - Tigris & Euphrates Rivers (Mesopotamia)• Egyptian Civilization - Nile River

• Harappan Civilization - Indus River

“The Four Early River Valley Civilizations”• Sumerian Civilization - Tigris & Euphrates Rivers (Mesopotamia)

• Egypt (Nile River)

ENTER

• Harappan Civilization - Indus River

The ruins of Mohenjo-Daro; Indus Valley

I. GeographyA. Challenges1. Unpredictable rivers2. Strong

winds/monsoonsB. The Indus Valley

was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China.

II. Organized GovernmentA.Religion & Political power closely linked – major assumptionsB.Economy based on Farming & TradeC.Various Aryan kingdomsD.Kingdoms turned to an empire after unification: Mauryan Kushan Gupta

Below: The excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro.

III. CitiesA.Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

1. wide streets2. public baths & a sewer system for private homes3. brick homes4. each city had a citadel

B.Well organized government = well planned citiesC.Farmlands surrounded Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

This ancient civilization was not discovered until the 1920's. Most of its ruins, including major cities, remain to be excavated.

Left: The excavated ruins of Mohenjo-Daro – one of several planned cities laid out on a grid system in the Indus region.

Right: The citadel at

Mohenjo-Daro.

What happened to the Harappan civilization on the Indus River?

Above: The Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro. Surrounding pics: various Harappan artifacts.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

Name three theories about why the Indus Valley civilization ended around 1500 BCE?

Harappans abandoning their city.

•The river may have changed course, natural disaster•The people may have overworked the land•Invaders

Nomadic Agriculture small city-states ruled by a raja (prince or king)

Above: Terracota household statues such as this female goddess are found

frequently in the region. Is this religious icon an early Shiva? Does modern

Hinduism have its origins in Harappan civilization?

Did you know?

Hinduism is considered to be the world’s oldest

religion.

Yet it’s origins have long been a mystery.

IV. Organized ReligionA.Combination of indigenous Indus belief systems and Aryan belief systemsB.Beliefs preserved in the Vedas, compilation of textsC.Based on elements of nature and had a supreme god called “That One”D.Grew into the Hindu faith

Rig Veda Text

Indra

Varuna

V. Class Structure/Social StratificationA.Physical & social differences existed between Aryan

migrants and earlier inhabitants a complex system of social orders

B.Rigid “varnas” caste system based on occupation

C. Men were superior to women – suttee (sati)D. Children were essential to marriage

VI. WritingA.Indigenous writing changed to using SanskritB.Vedas = preserved Indus/Aryan culture

Indus Harappan script has not been deciphered. This means basic questions about the people who created this highly complex culture are still unanswered.

VII. Art/Architecture (Technology, too!)A.Literature

A.Mahabharata (Bhagavad Gita) & Ramayana shared religious & moral lessons

B.Religious building: pillar, stupa, the rock chamberC.Algebra, use of zero