Tendaiindia

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__**Geography:**__
 * India is a subcontinent that includes Pakistan and Bangladesh
 * The Hindu Kush, Karakorum, and Himalayan mountain ranges natural barriers that separate India from the rest of the subcontinent
 * Large desert and mountains help protect Indus Valley from invasion
 * Indus Valley formed from Indus and Ganges River
 * Rivers lead to sea
 * Thar desert occupies most of Indus Valley
 * Farming only in areas directly watered by Indus River
 * Indus and Ganges and lands they support make up a 1,700 mile area that is called the Indo-Gangetic Plain (northen India)
 * Rivers produce rich land and silt for agriculture
 * Deccan Plateau is in the center of the peninsula in southern India that thrusts into the ocean. It is cut by curving rivers in a high plateau. Plateau is framed by Eastern and Western Mts. which keep moist air from reaching plateau making it dry

__** Climate **__
 * monsoons were strong seasonal winds
 * Oct.-Feb. winter monsoons blow dry air from the northeast to the west of India
 * June-Oct. winds blow eastward from the southeast carrying moisture from the ocean in rain
 * much flooding from monsoon rains [[image:http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:_6Xin2Vo5facpM:http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/maps/india.new.delhi.jpg width="129" height="207" align="right" link="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/maps/india.new.delhi.jpg&imgrefurl=http://dukeengage2007india.blogspot.com/&usg=__BlIFtp6LX2hrBO-XHKJHYok58dM=&h=509&w=463&sz=32&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=_6Xin2Vo5facpM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=119&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dindia%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den"]]
 * causes drought if no summer monsoons


 * __ Environmental Challenges __**
 * unpredictable floods along the Indus R iver
 * rivers sometimes changeg course
 * cycle of wet and dry seasons brought by monsoon winds was unpredictable.
 * too little rain causes drought and starvation, too much rain caused flooding and sweeping away of homes
 * earthquakes may have declined pop.
 * soil was overused

**__ How They Began __**
 * people from africa settled in the south of India
 * northern people may have come through the Khyber Pass in the Hindu Kush Mts.
 * evidence of civilization from 7000 B.C.
 * 3200 B.C. farming along Indus River
 * 2500 B.C. planned cities
 * Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, and Kalibangan were largest civilizations
 * Indus Valley called Harappan civilization because the most artifacts w ere found there

**__Religion__**
 * link to Hindu Culture
 * gods
 * figures of goddesses, fertility images, and bull worship
 * prayed for good harvests and safety from floods
 * polytheism

**__Writing__**
 * written language
 * symbols stood for phonetic sounds and objects
 * seal that may have represented clan, or used to trade
 * language impossible to figure out because they were not bilingual
 * 400 symbols in language
 * found on stamps and seals

**__Economy/Agriculture__**
 * shipped copper, lumber, precious stones, and luxury goods to sumer
 * gold and silver
 * Indus river trade route
 * bright cotton was popular
 * seals to identify goods
 * 2600-1800 B.C.
 * rich soil

**__Technology__**
 * plumbing system
 * maps to plan trade routes
 * levees
 * city streets
 * toilets

**__Architecture__**
 * levees to keep water out of city
 * human made islands
 * citadel-to keep royal family safe, temple
 * planned cities

**__Caste__** 2. kshatriyas-warriors and kings 3. vaishyas-traders and farmers 4. shudras-laborors and artisans
 * caste system
 * 1. brahmins-priests
 * since 1500 BCE
 * karma-effect of past deeds
 * dharma-personal duty
 * figure that represented caste
 * high prejudice
 * only able to move down

**__Social Class__**
 * wealthier society-kids had time to play with toys
 * royal family
 * social divisions not great

**__Government__**
 * theocracy
 * royal family

**__War/Military__**
 * were spared from warfare
 * found few weapons
 * natural barriers

**__Culture__**
 * children played with toys
 * animals important
 * not very violent