All documents are listed her for honors and non-honors

Ms. Cannistraci   Name _________________________________   Date___________

 

River Valley Civilization Project

To the students of:

Ms. Cannistraci’s Global Year 1 Classes,

This year the freshman students will participate in a museum walk.  All participants will recreate artifacts that represent the River Valley Civilizations we are investigating in class.  The result will be a museum quality event where you share your knowledge and insights to attendees at the exhibit.  You will be able to design the direction your project takes.  This is your chance to investigate the part of history you find most exciting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Cannistraci     Name:______________________________  Date:_______

You are going to recreate a series of two artifacts (three for the honors classes) that reflects the River Valley Civilization you choose.   We have already studied Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt and we are about to embark on our learning journey to India and China.  You may choose any of these civilizations to complete the project.

 

You may select the type of artifacts you will recreate from the list below.  Select any two activities to complete the project.  (Honors Classes will select three)  The selection of artifacts is up you.

 

 

Types of artifacts to choose from:

1. A three dimensional model made from the material you chose with caption stating the significance; for example you can reproduce ancient weapons, tools, the layout of the city
2. A journal entry: you may write as a historical person expressing their contribution to history or retelling a significant event in history
3. Artwork: you must include a caption stating the significance of the artifact
4. A map with a title and a key. You need to express why the geographic location was significant.
5. A live video clipped simulation interviewing a historical person or historical event
6. A reproduction of a historical document and the impact the document had on the history of the world.
7. A poem that reflect a value of the civilization you are investigating

 

 

Feel free to come to me with your own ideas about a type of artifact you would like to recreate.I am available every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30 if you need support.

 

 

Each artifact needs to be accompanied by a reflection writing that connects to why you feel this artifact is an important indicator of the civilization you chose.

 

The recreated artifacts must connect to an indicator of the Civilization you chose:

INDICATORS OF CIVILIZATION

Development of Cities

Written Language

Highly Organized and Structured Government.

Systematic Agriculture

Rise of Specialists

Religion

Public Works

Art and Architecture

Social Classes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rubric You’re Guide to Success:

Standard	Below the Standard 1	Approaching the Standard 2	At the Standard 3	Above the Standard 4
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.	I was not able to express in writing about how the artifacts I recreated connected to an indicator of civilization.  I also was not able to convey to my audience the inferences (conclusions) I made about the civilization based on the artifacts I recreated.	I attempted to inform my audience about how the artifacts I recreated connected to an indicator of civilization.  I also was able to convey to my audience the inferences (conclusions) I made about the civilization based on the artifacts I recreated.	I clearly informed my audience about how the artifacts I recreated connected to an indicator of civilization.  I also was able to convey to my audience the inferences (conclusions) I made about the civilization based on the artifacts I recreated.	In addition to the standard…My artifacts chart and reflections on my artifacts were well written and clearly established my reason for recreating the artifacts I chose.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.	I did not present my claims expressing why the artifacts I chose to recreate connected to an indicator of civilization. My presentation did not address the inferences I concluded.  I was not very organized or I did not present.	I attempted to present my claims expressing why the artifacts I chose to recreate connected to an indicator of civilization, but at times I was disorganized.  My audience was at times receptive to the inferences I expressed.  I was not very organized.	I presented my claims expressing why the artifacts I chose to recreate connected to an indicator of civilization and my audience was receptive to the inferences I expressed.  My presentation was logical and organized.	In addition to the standard…My voice was audible enough so all could hear.  I made eye contact with my audience.  I was prepared to answer questions the audience may have.
Recreated Artifact	My recreated artifacts were not accurate and consistent with the history we investigated in class.  The fact I did not take the time, care and effort to recreate my artifacts is evident in my work.	My recreated artifacts were somewhat accurate and consistent with the history we investigated in class.  The fact I did not take enough time, care and effort into recreating my artifacts is evident in my work.	My recreated artifacts were accurate and consistent with the history we investigated in class.  The fact I took time, care and effort into recreating my artifacts is evident in my work.	In addition to the standard…my recreated artifact was original, sophisticated and really captured the eye of the viewers.
Work Ethic	I was not on task.  My artifact chart, reflection writing  and my project was not handed in.	I did not fully co complete my artifact chart, reflection writing and my project was handed in late.	I completed my artifact chart, reflection writing and my project on time.	I met with my teacher at her after school workshops to insure my project was going to be successful/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Cannistraci   Name:_____________________________  Date:________

You must complete an artifact chart for the artifacts you will recreate:

 

Civilization

List the type of Artifact

How does this artifact reflect an indicator of civilization? (Your Claim)

What inferences (conclusions) can we make about the values of the civilization based on the artifact you created? (Your claim)

 

1st RecreatedArtifact
2nd Recreated Artifact

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HONORS

Ms. Cannistraci   Name:_____________________________  Date:________

You must complete an artifact chart for the artifacts you will create:

 

Civilization

List the type of Artifact

How does this artifact reflect an indicator of civilization? (Your Claim)

What inferences (conclusions) can we make about the values of the civilization based on the artifact you created? (Your claim)

 

1st RecreatedArtifact
2nd Recreated Artifact
3rd Recreated Artifact

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Cannistraci Name:_________________________ Date:__________

 

Each artifact needs to be accompanied by a reflection writing that connects to why you feel this artifact is an important element of the civilization you chose.

 

Reflection Writing for 1st Artifact:________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

Reflection Writing for 2nd Artifact:________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Cannistraci Name:_________________________ Date:__________

HONORS

Each artifact needs to be accompanied by a reflection writing that connects to why you feel this artifact is an important element of the civilization you chose.

 

Reflection Writing for 1st Artifact:________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
Reflection Writing for 2nd Artifact:________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
Reflection Writing for 3rd Artifact:________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Cannistraci  Name:_______________________ Date:________

Project Reflection: River Valley Civilizations

 

Name:______________________

 

Civilization Chosen    Describe the assignment in detail: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Describe in detail your work and the process you used to complete it:   __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

How would you evaluate your work?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   What did you do well in this project? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   What could you do better next time? Provide details? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

TASK

Use your research to argue whether or not the values and beliefs of Hinduism would benefit life in New York City. Use class documents, your notes, as well as the link I provided for you on the blog to complete your assignment.  Some beliefs or values you can discuss are the caste system, atman, moksha, reincarnation, dharma and karma.  You may also use the passage from the Bhagavad-Gita, Caste: The Code of Manu and Atman: the Hindu Concept of an unchanging soul. You will argue that these beliefs and values would improve life in New York City or you will argue that they will not improve life.  For your argument to be successful you must cite evidence from the class documents or the link I provided on the blog.

Your argument must be at least 200 words. (300 WORDS FOR THE HONORS CLASS)

Remember the rubric is in the rubric section of the blog if you need to review it.

Guided Question:

Will Hindu values and beliefs improve life in New York City?

Hinduism

his task addresses the following COMMON CORE STANDARDS:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

Documents For Research

HINDUISM

Hinduism is the major religion of India.  It developed over thousands of years from the beliefs and practices of many different peoples.

Hinduism teaches that each person is born into a caste, or social class.  The idea of caste began about 1500B.C. At that time a dark-skinned people called Dravidians, who were living in northern India, were conquered by the Aryans.  The Aryans set up a caste system to limit contact between themselves and the Dravidians.

The caste system divided people into four main groups, from the highest caste to the lowest caste.

HIGHEST- Priests and Teachers

                                                    Rulers and Warriors

    Merchants and Artisans

    Unskilled workers

______________________________________

LOWEST Untouchables

The untouchables were so low they were outside the casts or outcasts of society.  They had the dirtiest jobs, such as handling dead animals and sweeping the streets.  Because they worked with dirt and blood they were thought to be impure.  They were forbidden to touch other caste members or drink from the well.

The caste system included strict rules about every part of daily life.  Each person’s job was determined by his or her caste.  Members of one caste could not marry, eat or work with members of another caste.

Hindus were willing to follow the rules of their caste because of their belief in reincarnation, or rebirth of the soul into another living thing.  They believed that each person would be reborn again and again until that person reached spiritual perfection.  This perfection is called moksha; the person achieves perfect understanding and a release from life in this world. Their atman (godlike soul) becomes part of the world soul.

The Hindus thought that a person’s caste was a reward or punishment for the way he or she lived in a past life.  The Hindus believed in karma.  They believed what actions you take will ultimately come back to you.  Those who led a good life, put forth good karma might be reborn into a higher caste.  Those who lived a bad life, put forth bad karma might be reborn into a lower caste, or even into the body of an animal.

The way a Hindu insures they have good karma is by following their dharma.  Dharma is ones purpose in life; it is when someone is their true self and doesn’t do or act differently from who they are.

The Hindus worshipped many gods.  The three main gods were Brahma, the Creator; Vishnu, the Preserver; and Shiva, the Destroyer.  Together the three gods could be thought of as one god, called Brahman. Their spiritual writings were the Upanishads, the Vedas and the Bhagavad-Gita.

 

DOCUMENT 1:

PASSAGE FROM THE BHAGAVAD-GITA

The Bhagavad -Gita is an ancient text of Hinduism whose title means “The Song of God”.  Part of the epic poem the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad-Gita takes the form of a dialogue about the meaning of life between the warrior Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna, who is really the god Vishnu in disguise.  This excerpt occurs before a battle between forces loyal to Arjuna’s older brother and those loyal to his cousin.  As you read, think about Arjuna’s response to war.

Ajuna saw them standing there:

Fathers grandfathers, teachers,

Uncles, brothers, sons,

Grandsons, and friends.

He surveyed his elders

and his companions in both armies,

all his kinsmen

assembled together.

Dejected, filled with strange pity,

He said this:

“Krishna, I see my kinsmen gathered here, wanting war.

My limbs sink, my mouth is parched, my body trembles, he hair bristles on my flesh…

I see omens of chaos, Krishna; I see no good in killing my kinsmen in battle….

They are teachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers, uncles, grandsons, fathers and brothers of wives, and other men of our family.

I do not want to kill them even if I am killed, Krishna: not for kingship of all three worlds, much less for earth!……

Saying this in the time of war, Arjuna slumped into the chariot and laid down his bow and arrows, his mind tormented by grief.

DOCUMENT 2:

CASTE: THE CODE OF MANU

“…But in order to protect the universe He (Brahma), the most resplendent one, assigned separate duties and occupations to those who sprung from his mouth, arms, thighs and feet…As the Brahma (priests and teachers) sprang from Brahma’s mouth, as he was the first-born, and he possesses the Veda [holy Hindu text], he is by right the lord of this whole creation….The very birth of a Brahma is an external incarnation of the sacred law, for he is first born to fulfill the sacred law, and become one with Brahma (for he is highest in the caste therefore closer to god).

DOCUMENT 3:

ATMAN: THE HINDU CONCEPT OF AN UNCHANGING HUMAN SOUL

 

“…Knowing is birth less.

Knowing is deathless.

Knowing is endless.

Forever unchanging.

Worn-out garments [clothes]

Are shed by the body:

Worn-out bodies

Are shed by the dweller

Within the body.

New bodies are donned [put on]

By the dweller, like garments

Not wounded by weapons,

Not burned by fire,

Not dried by wind,…

Such is the Atman,…

Changeless, eternal,

Forever and ever…

 

Honors HW#2 TEXTBOOK Rad pages 44-49 answer all nine questions on page 49.  You must write questions.

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document: 1 Technology and Jobs

1. 1.      Making bricks

Most Indus Valley cities were made from mud bricks. First the brick-makers mixed soil, clay and water to make squishy mud. Next they squashed the mud into a wooden mold which was the shape of a brick. And then they turned out the mud-brick, like you would turn out a sand-castle.

Mud-bricks could dry in the hot sun. But it was better to put them inside a kiln. The fire in the kiln heated or ‘fired’ the bricks at a high temperature to make them very hard.

All Indus Valley bricks were the same ratio of 1 : 2 : 4 but came in different sizes. A common size was 7 cm high x 14 cm wide x 28 cm long. Bricks were laid in rows or ‘courses’, end to end and crossways, using wet mud as cement to stick the bricks together. Indus Valley walls were so strong that many have stood for over 4,000 years!

1. 2.      City plans

Indus Valley cities were neatly planned. They had straight roads making a grid pattern, dividing the city into blocks. Main streets were almost 10 meters wide, so two bullock carts could pass by each other. Drains were laid along the streets and wells were dug for water.

Mohenjo-Daro stood on a mound and had a wall with gateways to go in and out. Some city districts inside were raised on mounds too. On the highest mound was a citadel, which was perhaps where priests and rulers lived.

People built new houses on top of old ones, as the mud-bricks crumbled. So, over hundreds of years the cities grew higher. In time some new houses were seven meters above the level of the old houses at the bottom!

1. 3.      Mohenjo-Daro’s Great Bath

The Great Bath in the city of Mohenjo-Daro looks like a swimming pool. It was over 14 meters long and seven meters wide. It had a brick-paved courtyard and columns on three sides.

Water (probably from a well) filled the Bath to about 2.4 meters deep (a tall man is about 1.8 meters). Two sets of steps led down to the bottom. Water drained out through one corner into a drain. Tar and gypsum mortar between the bricks made sure no water leaked out.

Water was very important to the Indus Valley people. The Great Bath may have been a temple, where priests and rulers bathed in religious ceremonies.

1. 4.      Tools and jobs

Indus Valley people used some tools like the ones we use today – hammers, knives, needles, fish-hooks, axes, razors and saws. But many Indus tools were made of stone called flint. The metal Indus Valley people used most was copper. They made sharp copper tools. They mixed copper and tin to make bronze.

Workers did different jobs. For example, some workers made stone querns (for grinding grain to make flour). Others spun and wove cotton into clothes and cotton bags. City workers made beads, fishing nets, pots, baskets…everything people needed. Children learned work- skills from their families.

1. 5.      Keeping clean

Indus Valley people had clean water and excellent drains – better than any other ancient civilization. Most city homes had a bathroom and toilet, connected to the city drains. Some people had private wells, for clean water. Others went to public wells, to fetch water in jars or animal- skin bags.

Waste water flowed out of the house through pipes into the street-drains. ‘Poo-cleaners’ cleaned the drains and emptied the pits where sewage from toilets collected.

 

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 2: Trade and Travel

1. 1.      What did Indus Valley people trade?

Indus Valley cities lived by trade. Farmers brought food into the cities. City workers made such things as pots, beads and cotton cloth. Traders brought the materials workers needed, and took away finished goods to trade in other cities.

Trade goods included terracotta pots, beads, gold and silver, colored gem stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli, metals, flints (for making stone tools), seashells and pearls.

Minerals came from Iran and Afghanistan. Lead and copper came from India. Jade came from China and cedar tree wood was floated down the rivers from Kashmir and the Himalayas

1. 2.      Checking the weight

Indus Valley traders did not use money. So they probably exchanged goods – say, swapping two sacks of wheat for one basket of minerals.

The traders weighed their goods on balance scales, using stone cubes as weights.

The weights were made from cubes of a flinty rock called grey chert. The smallest cube was very light, weighing less than 1 gram! The heaviest was over 11 kilograms – a bit more than 4 bags of supermarket potato.

1. 3.      What were seals?

In 1872, archaeologist Alexander Cunningham was puzzled by a flat piece of stone from Harappa which had writing on it. It was a seal. Another archaeologist, Rakhal Banerji found more seals in 1919.

Over 3,500 seals have now been found. Most are square or oblong, and small, about 25 mm across. They are made from steatite or faience, usually baked hard. Each seal has a picture and writing on it, carved with a copper tool.

Pressed into soft clay, a seal left an impression (a copy of the picture and writing). When the clay dried hard, it could be used as a tag which could then be tied to a pot or basket.

Indus Valley traders probably used seals like labels, to show who owned a sack of grain, or that the correct city tax had been paid.

1. 4.      Traders’ travels

Indus Valley traders crossed mountains and forests. They followed rivers walking along the river bank. They also used boats. In a boat, it was easier and quicker going downstream (the same direction as the river was flowing).

Some traders carried goods on their backs. Others drove wooden carts pulled by bullocks. Archaeologists have found clay models of carts, which look like the bullock-carts still seen in India and Pakistan today.

Traders probably journeyed in groups. At night they made camp, or slept in roadside hotels. Sometimes it was safer to travel in groups, for protection against robbers or hungry tigers.

Some traders settled in other lands. Traders from another civilization called Mesopotamia made their homes in Indus cities, and people from the Indus Valley went to live in cities in Mesopotamia.

1. 5.      Indus Valley boats

A picture on one seal shows an Indus Valley boat with raised ends (prow and stern), a rolled-up sail, and a square cabin. A man at the stern (back) has a long oar, possibly to steer. A flat-bottomed boat could travel in shallow water. It could be pushed by a pole, by paddles, or by the wind in its sail. Bigger boats went out to sea.

Boats in ancient times were made of wood, or bundles of reeds. Modern experiments have proved that even reed boats could cross oceans. Boats like ancient Indus Valley craft are still used in India, Pakistan and in the Arabian Gulf.

1. 6.      Trade with Mesopotamia

Sargon of Akkad (2334 to 2279 BC) was a king in Mesopotamia. This was one of the first ancient civilizations. We know Indus Valley traders went there, because Indus seals have been found in Mesopotamia.

Sargon’s scribes kept written records of ships from other lands. So we learn that the Mesopotamians bought gold, copper and jewelry from ‘Meluhha’. Was Meluhha the Mesopotamian name for the Indus civilization? Or was it the Indus Valley people’s own name for their land?

To reach Mesopotamia, Indus ships sailed west. They probably kept close to land. Bits of old Indus pottery found on beaches in Oman, in the Gulf, came from storage jars left behind by traders.

 

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 3: Art and Writing

1. 1.      Indus Valley sculpture

The Indus Valley civilization left no temples or tombs like the Pyramids of Egypt, and no great statues of kings or gods. Indus Valley people made small figures of people and animals using metal and clay.

Only a few small statues survive. One is the Priest-King, with his beard, and his patterned robe.

Another figure is a ‘dancing girl’ in bronze, only 11 cm high. This shows that Indus Valley people liked to dance. The dancing girl wears very little, but has lots of bangles on her arms. Her hair is in a plait.

Small clay figures were thrown into rubbish pits. Perhaps they were good luck charms, or used in once and then thrown away?

1. 2.      Making pots

At home, Indus Valley people used bowls, dishes, cups, and vases made of terracotta. They had metal dishes made from copper, silver and bronze.

Most Indus Valley pots are plain, but some pots were decorated, usually in red and black. Potters added bands, patterns of leaves and flowers, and shapes like fish scales. A few pots were colored blue, red, green and yellow.

Clay pots were shaped on a potter’s wheel. The potter put a lump of wet clay on a wooden disc (the wheel), and made the wheel spin. As the clay spun on the wheel, the potter shaped the pot by hand. The finished pot went into a hot oven to ‘fire ‘or harden it. A cheap pot might be left in the hot sun to dry

1. 3.      Indus Valley writing

Writing was done using a pointed stick in soft clay, or with a sharp tool to scratch marks on stone or metal. It is likely that only a few people could read and write, like scribes. But perhaps traders could read enough to tell what was written on seals.

Most Indus Valley writing was probably to do with trade, government or religion. People wrote the first line from right to left, the second line from left to right, and so on.

In modern English, we start each new line on the left. Can you find any other modern writing that is done differently?

1. 4.      What does Indus Valley writing tell us?

Not very much, Indus Valley writing used at least 400 picture-signs (they were not letters, as in our alphabet). But the longest bit of writing found has only 26 characters. No one knows what language the Indus people spoke, and no one has yet been able to read their writing. There are no Indus Valley books, no laws carved in stone, no stories about kings and battles.

It seems that Indus writing changed little over hundreds of years. Unlike English, English writing has changed so much that it’s not easy to read something that was written in 1066!

Some experts think the Indus language may have been similar to Tamil, which is spoken today by people in southern India and Sri Lanka.

 

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 4: Food and Farming

1. 1.      What did people eat?

Archaeologists can tell what Indus Valley people ate by examining the teeth and bones of skeletons they discover. They also examine rubbish pits for animal bones, seafood shells, fruit seeds and other food remains for clues to their diet.

Indus people kept cattle, pigs, sheep and goats for food. Cows provided milk and meat. Farmers grew fruit such as dates, grapes and melons, and field crops such as wheat and peas.

Indus Valley people ate a healthy diet. Most people probably ate more fruit and vegetables than meat. From the evidence of teeth in skeletons, it seems men were better-fed than women. Most people’s teeth were healthy too.

1. 2.      Mystery of the Great Granary

The Great Granary is a ‘mystery-building’ at Harappa. It is over 60 meters long, with six large halls, raised above the ground on walls. Close by were a number of circular brick platforms.

At first archaeologists thought the building was a grain-store or ‘granary’, and it was built above ground level so air could flow underneath to keep wheat dry. They thought the platforms were for carts to load and unload.

But there is no evidence of any grain! Also, the platforms and the main building were built at different times. Perhaps it was a palace, or maybe a temple? It’s a mystery which has yet to be solved!

1. 3.      Indus Valley farmers

To feed people in the cities, Indus Valley farmers had to grow lots of food. They cultivated big fields using their wooden ploughs pulled by oxen. Model ploughs, possibly toys, have been found by archaeologists.

Farmers made good use of water from the rivers. They sowed seeds after the rivers had flooded the fields, as flood water made the soil rich. They planted different crops for winter (which was mild and wet) and summer (which was hot and dry). They were probably the first farmers to take water from underground wells. They may have used river water to irrigate their fields.

1. 4.      Crops and farm animals

Indus Valley farmers planted winter crops, such as wheat, barley, peas, lentils, linseed and mustard. In summer, they grew millet, sesame and probably cotton. Experts are not sure if rice was grown.

At Harappa, evidence shows that about half the animal bones came from cattle. An Indus farmer kept cows for milk and meat, and also used their skins for making leather. He used a bullock to pull his cart to market, and to pull his plough.

Farmers kept sheep, goats and pigs, and possibly donkeys and camels. They had chickens too.

1. 5.      Hunting and Fishing

Rhinoceroses and elephants lived in the Indus Valley. Hunters may have caught such big animals in traps. There were deer and other animals that people hunted for food. Indus people hunted with spears, bows and arrows, and slingshots (stone-throwers).

Along the rivers and seashore, people hunted wild birds such as ducks. They used nets to catch carp and other fish, and they collected mollusks (shellfish).

A hunter had to take care. There were dangerous predators about, such as crocodiles and tigers. There were poisonous snakes too.

 

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 5: City, Government and Culture

1. 1.      What were Indus cities like?

An Indus city was made of mud-brick buildings. It had walls and roads. Water was very important to Indus people, so the builders started by digging wells, and laying drains. Main streets were up to 10 meters wide, wide enough for carts to pass. Side streets were narrow, more like alleys.

Some cities had a citadel high on a mound. In the citadel were bigger buildings. Perhaps the city’s rulers lived there. Most people lived and worked in the lower part of town.

Most Indus people did not live in cities at all. Perhaps 9 out of 10 people were farmers and traders who lived in small villages.

1. 2.      Was there an Indus Empire?

An empire is a large country or group of countries, with different peoples ruled by a king or emperor.

The Indus Valley civilization was very large, but we do not know if it had kings. It seems that nothing much changed there for hundreds of years. New houses were built on top of old ones, and city street plans stayed the same. Life went on in the same way for generations. This might mean the Indus rulers controlled everything. Or it might just mean they were happy the way things were.

What look like crowns were found at a site called Kunal. Did they belong to an Indus king? Perhaps each city had its own ruler.

1. 3.      Did Indus cities have soldiers?

An Indus city had strong walls, and in history, walls usually mean people want to keep out enemies. Think of a medieval castle.

Like a castle, an Indus city had towers and gateways, but we do not know if there were soldiers. At the city gates city officials could check traders coming in and out. There were probably guards too, in case of trouble.

Other ancient civilizations, such as Egypt, had large armies. Kings fought battles with enemies. But the Indus people seem to have lived in peace for most of their history. Other ancient writings tell us about wars. Since we can’t yet read the Indus writing, we just don’t know

1. 4.      Indus gods

Pictures on seals and other artifacts show what look like figures of gods. One looks like a Mother Goddess. People probably believed this goddess gave health and fertility to people, animals and plants.

Another seal picture shows a male god with horns and three faces. Around him are animals, including an elephant, tiger, rhino and buffalo. This god is a bit like the Hindu god Shiva (who also has three faces). Plants, trees and animals were probably important to Indus people. The pipal or fig tree is shown in Indus seals, and is still a sacred tree for many Buddhists and Hindus.

Some people think that the Indus religion shaped early Hindu beliefs.

1. 5.      The Priest-King

A small stone statue found at Mohenjo-Daro in 1927 shows the head of a man with a beard and headband. He is wearing a robe with a three-leaf pattern on it. He looks important, and people have called him the ‘Priest-King’.

A priest is someone who leads people in religious worship. It’s possible the cities of the Indus Valley were ruled by priests. But no one knows.

If this man was a ruler, he probably lived in the citadel. He and other rulers may have made the laws to run the city, and collected taxes from traders.

1. 6.      Burying the dead

In ancient times dead people were often buried with belongings, to use in a world after death.

Graves were filled with food, pots, weapons, jewels, clothes even furniture. Small model people and houses were also found in graves too. Most Indus people were buried in coffins. In the grave, people put pottery jars, probably with food and drink for the dead person.

At Harappa, archaeologists found a woman’s body in a wood coffin lined with reed mats. This was how people from Sumer were buried. Perhaps she was a Sumerian who had come to live in the Indus city.

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 6: Home Life

1. 1.      An Indus city house

An Indus Valley house was cool inside. Thick walls kept people cool in the heat of summer. Some houses had just one room. Big houses had lots of rooms arranged around a central courtyard.

There were no windows onto the main street. This kept out dust and noise. Side windows let in light and air. From a model house found at Harappa, we can see that windows may have had wooden shutters with grilles (barred openings) to let in air and light.

All that is left today are the ground floors of houses that once had two or three floors. Stairs led to the upper floors and roof. Walls were covered with mud plaster. It is not clear if people painted the walls.

1. 2.      Clothes and hairstyles

Pictures on seals and other artifact show us how some Indus people dressed. It was hot all year round, so people did not need thick clothes to keep warm.

Many workmen probably just wore a loincloth, which looked a bit like baggy shorts. Rich men wore tunics. Women wore dresses that probably covered much of the body though some might have been topless.

Both men and women wore jewelry, especially beads and arm-bangles. Some women had elegant hairstyles, with braids and beads. Some arranged their hair in headdresses shaped like fans.

1. 3.      Why did homes have courtyards?

Most people living in an Indus city had small homes which were also used as workshops. There was not much space to relax.

For richer families, the courtyard was a pleasant, airy space, open to the sky. Children could play there, with toys and with pets such as monkeys, dogs and birds. People could tend plants in pots, and enjoy the air. In the courtyard, a rich family had its own private well, for water. The very rich lived in grand houses with more than one courtyard, and 30 to 40 rooms.

1. 4.      Up on the roof

Indus houses had flat roofs. The roof was made from wooden beams, filled in with reed mats covered with wet mud-plaster. When the plaster dried hard, the roof was firm enough to walk on.

Families used the roof as an extra room. It was a cool place to sleep on a hot night. People could sit out, chatting with friends and gazing up at the stars. By day, children could climb the stairs to the roof, and play happily, calling across the rooftops to their friends.

The roof was a handy place to store things, like a loft in a modern house. People could work there too, or just be alone.

1. 5.      Cooking and keeping clean

Indus people cooked food on a fire made from wood, charcoal or dried animal dung. They baked bread on hot stones or in ovens.

In the bathroom, people stood on a brick ‘shower tray’ and tipped water over themselves from a jar. The clean water came from a well. Dirty water drained through a pipe out through the wall into the drain in the street.

Toilets had brick seats. The toilet was flushed with water from jars. The waste flowed out through clay pipes into a drain in the street. Waste was carried away along the drains to ‘soak pits’ (cesspits), Cleaners dug out the pit and took the waste away. They also took away rubbish from bins on the side of houses.

1. 6.      Rich and poor

Most people were poor, and had to work hard, farming, fishing or making things. The richest people in an Indus city were probably people who owned a lot of land, or traders who controlled the buying and selling of luxury goods, such as rugs, jewels, minerals and metals.

Poor traders went to market to sell fish, fruit (such as melons) or a few clay pots. Rich traders loaded their goods on ships sailing off across the sea. They wore fine clothes, and lived in big houses with servants and perhaps slaves.

Indus people did not use money. It’s likely that wealth was measured by how much land a person had – or how many cattle, or how many sacks of grain.

 

 

1. Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document: 1 Technology and Jobs

1. 1.      Making bricks

Most Indus Valley cities were made from mud bricks. First the brick-makers mixed soil, clay and water to make squishy mud. Next they squashed the mud into a wooden mold which was the shape of a brick. And then they turned out the mud-brick, like you would turn out a sand-castle.

Mud-bricks could dry in the hot sun. But it was better to put them inside a kiln. The fire in the kiln heated or ‘fired’ the bricks at a high temperature to make them very hard.

All Indus Valley bricks were the same ratio of 1 : 2 : 4 but came in different sizes. A common size was 7 cm high x 14 cm wide x 28 cm long. Bricks were laid in rows or ‘courses’, end to end and crossways, using wet mud as cement to stick the bricks together. Indus Valley walls were so strong that many have stood for over 4,000 years!

1. 2.      City plans

Indus Valley cities were neatly planned. They had straight roads making a grid pattern, dividing the city into blocks. Main streets were almost 10 meters wide, so two bullock carts could pass by each other. Drains were laid along the streets and wells were dug for water.

Mohenjo-Daro stood on a mound and had a wall with gateways to go in and out. Some city districts inside were raised on mounds too. On the highest mound was a citadel, which was perhaps where priests and rulers lived.

People built new houses on top of old ones, as the mud-bricks crumbled. So, over hundreds of years the cities grew higher. In time some new houses were seven meters above the level of the old houses at the bottom!

1. 3.      Mohenjo-Daro’s Great Bath

The Great Bath in the city of Mohenjo-Daro looks like a swimming pool. It was over 14 meters long and seven meters wide. It had a brick-paved courtyard and columns on three sides.

Water (probably from a well) filled the Bath to about 2.4 meters deep (a tall man is about 1.8 meters). Two sets of steps led down to the bottom. Water drained out through one corner into a drain. Tar and gypsum mortar between the bricks made sure no water leaked out.

Water was very important to the Indus Valley people. The Great Bath may have been a temple, where priests and rulers bathed in religious ceremonies.

1. 4.      Tools and jobs

Indus Valley people used some tools like the ones we use today – hammers, knives, needles, fish-hooks, axes, razors and saws. But many Indus tools were made of stone called flint. The metal Indus Valley people used most was copper. They made sharp copper tools. They mixed copper and tin to make bronze.

Workers did different jobs. For example, some workers made stone querns (for grinding grain to make flour). Others spun and wove cotton into clothes and cotton bags. City workers made beads, fishing nets, pots, baskets…everything people needed. Children learned work- skills from their families.

1. 5.      Keeping clean

Indus Valley people had clean water and excellent drains – better than any other ancient civilization. Most city homes had a bathroom and toilet, connected to the city drains. Some people had private wells, for clean water. Others went to public wells, to fetch water in jars or animal- skin bags.

Waste water flowed out of the house through pipes into the street-drains. ‘Poo-cleaners’ cleaned the drains and emptied the pits where sewage from toilets collectedMs. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 2: Trade and Travel

1. 1.      What did Indus Valley people trade?

Indus Valley cities lived by trade. Farmers brought food into the cities. City workers made such things as pots, beads and cotton cloth. Traders brought the materials workers needed, and took away finished goods to trade in other cities.

Trade goods included terracotta pots, beads, gold and silver, colored gem stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli, metals, flints (for making stone tools), seashells and pearls.

Minerals came from Iran and Afghanistan. Lead and copper came from India. Jade came from China and cedar tree wood was floated down the rivers from Kashmir and the Himalayas

1. 2.      Checking the weight

Indus Valley traders did not use money. So they probably exchanged goods – say, swapping two sacks of wheat for one basket of minerals.

The traders weighed their goods on balance scales, using stone cubes as weights.

The weights were made from cubes of a flinty rock called grey chert. The smallest cube was very light, weighing less than 1 gram! The heaviest was over 11 kilograms – a bit more than 4 bags of supermarket potato.

1. 3.      What were seals?

In 1872, archaeologist Alexander Cunningham was puzzled by a flat piece of stone from Harappa which had writing on it. It was a seal. Another archaeologist, Rakhal Banerji found more seals in 1919.

Over 3,500 seals have now been found. Most are square or oblong, and small, about 25 mm across. They are made from steatite or faience, usually baked hard. Each seal has a picture and writing on it, carved with a copper tool.

Pressed into soft clay, a seal left an impression (a copy of the picture and writing). When the clay dried hard, it could be used as a tag which could then be tied to a pot or basket.

Indus Valley traders probably used seals like labels, to show who owned a sack of grain, or that the correct city tax had been paid.

1. 4.      Traders’ travels

Indus Valley traders crossed mountains and forests. They followed rivers walking along the river bank. They also used boats. In a boat, it was easier and quicker going downstream (the same direction as the river was flowing).

Some traders carried goods on their backs. Others drove wooden carts pulled by bullocks. Archaeologists have found clay models of carts, which look like the bullock-carts still seen in India and Pakistan today.

Traders probably journeyed in groups. At night they made camp, or slept in roadside hotels. Sometimes it was safer to travel in groups, for protection against robbers or hungry tigers.

Some traders settled in other lands. Traders from another civilization called Mesopotamia made their homes in Indus cities, and people from the Indus Valley went to live in cities in Mesopotamia.

1. 5.      Indus Valley boats

A picture on one seal shows an Indus Valley boat with raised ends (prow and stern), a rolled-up sail, and a square cabin. A man at the stern (back) has a long oar, possibly to steer. A flat-bottomed boat could travel in shallow water. It could be pushed by a pole, by paddles, or by the wind in its sail. Bigger boats went out to sea.

Boats in ancient times were made of wood, or bundles of reeds. Modern experiments have proved that even reed boats could cross oceans. Boats like ancient Indus Valley craft are still used in India, Pakistan and in the Arabian Gulf.

1. 6.      Trade with Mesopotamia

Sargon of Akkad (2334 to 2279 BC) was a king in Mesopotamia. This was one of the first ancient civilizations. We know Indus Valley traders went there, because Indus seals have been found in Mesopotamia.

Sargon’s scribes kept written records of ships from other lands. So we learn that the Mesopotamians bought gold, copper and jewelry from ‘Meluhha’. Was Meluhha the Mesopotamian name for the Indus civilization? Or was it the Indus Valley people’s own name for their land?

To reach Mesopotamia, Indus ships sailed west. They probably kept close to land. Bits of old Indus pottery found on beaches in Oman, in the Gulf, came from storage jars left behind by traders.

 

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 3: Art and Writing

1. 1.      Indus Valley sculpture

The Indus Valley civilization left no temples or tombs like the Pyramids of Egypt, and no great statues of kings or gods. Indus Valley people made small figures of people and animals using metal and clay.

Only a few small statues survive. One is the Priest-King, with his beard, and his patterned robe.

Another figure is a ‘dancing girl’ in bronze, only 11 cm high. This shows that Indus Valley people liked to dance. The dancing girl wears very little, but has lots of bangles on her arms. Her hair is in a plait.

Small clay figures were thrown into rubbish pits. Perhaps they were good luck charms, or used in once and then thrown away?

1. 2.      Making pots

At home, Indus Valley people used bowls, dishes, cups, and vases made of terracotta. They had metal dishes made from copper, silver and bronze.

Most Indus Valley pots are plain, but some pots were decorated, usually in red and black. Potters added bands, patterns of leaves and flowers, and shapes like fish scales. A few pots were colored blue, red, green and yellow.

Clay pots were shaped on a potter’s wheel. The potter put a lump of wet clay on a wooden disc (the wheel), and made the wheel spin. As the clay spun on the wheel, the potter shaped the pot by hand. The finished pot went into a hot oven to ‘fire ‘or harden it. A cheap pot might be left in the hot sun to dry

1. 3.      Indus Valley writing

Writing was done using a pointed stick in soft clay, or with a sharp tool to scratch marks on stone or metal. It is likely that only a few people could read and write, like scribes. But perhaps traders could read enough to tell what was written on seals.

Most Indus Valley writing was probably to do with trade, government or religion. People wrote the first line from right to left, the second line from left to right, and so on.

In modern English, we start each new line on the left. Can you find any other modern writing that is done differently?

1. 4.      What does Indus Valley writing tell us?

Not very much, Indus Valley writing used at least 400 picture-signs (they were not letters, as in our alphabet). But the longest bit of writing found has only 26 characters. No one knows what language the Indus people spoke, and no one has yet been able to read their writing. There are no Indus Valley books, no laws carved in stone, no stories about kings and battles.

It seems that Indus writing changed little over hundreds of years. Unlike English, English writing has changed so much that it’s not easy to read something that was written in 1066!

Some experts think the Indus language may have been similar to Tamil, which is spoken today by people in southern India and Sri Lanka.

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 4: Food and Farming

1. 1.      What did people eat?

Archaeologists can tell what Indus Valley people ate by examining the teeth and bones of skeletons they discover. They also examine rubbish pits for animal bones, seafood shells, fruit seeds and other food remains for clues to their diet.

Indus people kept cattle, pigs, sheep and goats for food. Cows provided milk and meat. Farmers grew fruit such as dates, grapes and melons, and field crops such as wheat and peas.

Indus Valley people ate a healthy diet. Most people probably ate more fruit and vegetables than meat. From the evidence of teeth in skeletons, it seems men were better-fed than women. Most people’s teeth were healthy too.

1. 2.      Mystery of the Great Granary

The Great Granary is a ‘mystery-building’ at Harappa. It is over 60 meters long, with six large halls, raised above the ground on walls. Close by were a number of circular brick platforms.

At first archaeologists thought the building was a grain-store or ‘granary’, and it was built above ground level so air could flow underneath to keep wheat dry. They thought the platforms were for carts to load and unload.

But there is no evidence of any grain! Also, the platforms and the main building were built at different times. Perhaps it was a palace, or maybe a temple? It’s a mystery which has yet to be solved!

1. 3.      Indus Valley farmers

To feed people in the cities, Indus Valley farmers had to grow lots of food. They cultivated big fields using their wooden ploughs pulled by oxen. Model ploughs, possibly toys, have been found by archaeologists.

Farmers made good use of water from the rivers. They sowed seeds after the rivers had flooded the fields, as flood water made the soil rich. They planted different crops for winter (which was mild and wet) and summer (which was hot and dry). They were probably the first farmers to take water from underground wells. They may have used river water to irrigate their fields.

1. 4.      Crops and farm animals

Indus Valley farmers planted winter crops, such as wheat, barley, peas, lentils, linseed and mustard. In summer, they grew millet, sesame and probably cotton. Experts are not sure if rice was grown.

At Harappa, evidence shows that about half the animal bones came from cattle. An Indus farmer kept cows for milk and meat, and also used their skins for making leather. He used a bullock to pull his cart to market, and to pull his plough.

Farmers kept sheep, goats and pigs, and possibly donkeys and camels. They had chickens too.

1. 5.      Hunting and Fishing

Rhinoceroses and elephants lived in the Indus Valley. Hunters may have caught such big animals in traps. There were deer and other animals that people hunted for food. Indus people hunted with spears, bows and arrows, and slingshots (stone-throwers).

Along the rivers and seashore, people hunted wild birds such as ducks. They used nets to catch carp and other fish, and they collected mollusks (shellfish).

A hunter had to take care. There were dangerous predators about, such as crocodiles and tigers. There were poisonous snakes too. 

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 5: City, Government and Culture

1. 1.      What were Indus cities like?

An Indus city was made of mud-brick buildings. It had walls and roads. Water was very important to Indus people, so the builders started by digging wells, and laying drains. Main streets were up to 10 meters wide, wide enough for carts to pass. Side streets were narrow, more like alleys.

Some cities had a citadel high on a mound. In the citadel were bigger buildings. Perhaps the city’s rulers lived there. Most people lived and worked in the lower part of town.

Most Indus people did not live in cities at all. Perhaps 9 out of 10 people were farmers and traders who lived in small villages.

1. 2.      Was there an Indus Empire?

An empire is a large country or group of countries, with different peoples ruled by a king or emperor.

The Indus Valley civilization was very large, but we do not know if it had kings. It seems that nothing much changed there for hundreds of years. New houses were built on top of old ones, and city street plans stayed the same. Life went on in the same way for generations. This might mean the Indus rulers controlled everything. Or it might just mean they were happy the way things were.

What look like crowns were found at a site called Kunal. Did they belong to an Indus king? Perhaps each city had its own ruler.

1. 3.      Did Indus cities have soldiers?

An Indus city had strong walls, and in history, walls usually mean people want to keep out enemies. Think of a medieval castle.

Like a castle, an Indus city had towers and gateways, but we do not know if there were soldiers. At the city gates city officials could check traders coming in and out. There were probably guards too, in case of trouble.

Other ancient civilizations, such as Egypt, had large armies. Kings fought battles with enemies. But the Indus people seem to have lived in peace for most of their history. Other ancient writings tell us about wars. Since we can’t yet read the Indus writing, we just don’t know

1. 4.      Indus gods

Pictures on seals and other artifacts show what look like figures of gods. One looks like a Mother Goddess. People probably believed this goddess gave health and fertility to people, animals and plants.

Another seal picture shows a male god with horns and three faces. Around him are animals, including an elephant, tiger, rhino and buffalo. This god is a bit like the Hindu god Shiva (who also has three faces). Plants, trees and animals were probably important to Indus people. The pipal or fig tree is shown in Indus seals, and is still a sacred tree for many Buddhists and Hindus.

Some people think that the Indus religion shaped early Hindu beliefs.

1. 5.      The Priest-King

A small stone statue found at Mohenjo-Daro in 1927 shows the head of a man with a beard and headband. He is wearing a robe with a three-leaf pattern on it. He looks important, and people have called him the ‘Priest-King’.

A priest is someone who leads people in religious worship. It’s possible the cities of the Indus Valley were ruled by priests. But no one knows.

If this man was a ruler, he probably lived in the citadel. He and other rulers may have made the laws to run the city, and collected taxes from traders.

1. 6.      Burying the dead

In ancient times dead people were often buried with belongings, to use in a world after death.

Graves were filled with food, pots, weapons, jewels, clothes even furniture. Small model people and houses were also found in graves too. Most Indus people were buried in coffins. In the grave, people put pottery jars, probably with food and drink for the dead person.

At Harappa, archaeologists found a woman’s body in a wood coffin lined with reed mats. This was how people from Sumer were buried. Perhaps she was a Sumerian who had come to live in the Indus city.

Ms. Cannistraci                                                        Date:________ Name:_______________________

All documents are from the BBC History web site

Document 6: Home Life

1. 1.      An Indus city house

An Indus Valley house was cool inside. Thick walls kept people cool in the heat of summer. Some houses had just one room. Big houses had lots of rooms arranged around a central courtyard.

There were no windows onto the main street. This kept out dust and noise. Side windows let in light and air. From a model house found at Harappa, we can see that windows may have had wooden shutters with grilles (barred openings) to let in air and light.

All that is left today are the ground floors of houses that once had two or three floors. Stairs led to the upper floors and roof. Walls were covered with mud plaster. It is not clear if people painted the walls.

1. 2.      Clothes and hairstyles

Pictures on seals and other artifact show us how some Indus people dressed. It was hot all year round, so people did not need thick clothes to keep warm.

Many workmen probably just wore a loincloth, which looked a bit like baggy shorts. Rich men wore tunics. Women wore dresses that probably covered much of the body though some might have been topless.

Both men and women wore jewelry, especially beads and arm-bangles. Some women had elegant hairstyles, with braids and beads. Some arranged their hair in headdresses shaped like fans.

1. 3.      Why did homes have courtyards?

Most people living in an Indus city had small homes which were also used as workshops. There was not much space to relax.

For richer families, the courtyard was a pleasant, airy space, open to the sky. Children could play there, with toys and with pets such as monkeys, dogs and birds. People could tend plants in pots, and enjoy the air. In the courtyard, a rich family had its own private well, for water. The very rich lived in grand houses with more than one courtyard, and 30 to 40 rooms.

1. 4.      Up on the roof

Indus houses had flat roofs. The roof was made from wooden beams, filled in with reed mats covered with wet mud-plaster. When the plaster dried hard, the roof was firm enough to walk on.

Families used the roof as an extra room. It was a cool place to sleep on a hot night. People could sit out, chatting with friends and gazing up at the stars. By day, children could climb the stairs to the roof, and play happily, calling across the rooftops to their friends.

The roof was a handy place to store things, like a loft in a modern house. People could work there too, or just be alone.

1. 5.      Cooking and keeping clean

Indus people cooked food on a fire made from wood, charcoal or dried animal dung. They baked bread on hot stones or in ovens.

In the bathroom, people stood on a brick ‘shower tray’ and tipped water over themselves from a jar. The clean water came from a well. Dirty water drained through a pipe out through the wall into the drain in the street.

Toilets had brick seats. The toilet was flushed with water from jars. The waste flowed out through clay pipes into a drain in the street. Waste was carried away along the drains to ‘soak pits’ (cesspits), Cleaners dug out the pit and took the waste away. They also took away rubbish from bins on the side of houses.

1. 6.      Rich and poor

Most people were poor, and had to work hard, farming, fishing or making things. The richest people in an Indus city were probably people who owned a lot of land, or traders who controlled the buying and selling of luxury goods, such as rugs, jewels, minerals and metals.

Poor traders went to market to sell fish, fruit (such as melons) or a few clay pots. Rich traders loaded their goods on ships sailing off across the sea. They wore fine clothes, and lived in big houses with servants and perhaps slaves.

Indus people did not use money. It’s likely that wealth was measured by how much land a person had – or how many cattle, or how many sacks of grain.

 

 

Rubric and Task Below

New Academic Language India

1. Himalaya Mountains

2. Monsoon Cycle

3. Indus River valley Civilization: Discuss at least three characteristics

4. Hinduism:

Define all of the following words

Caste System

Reincarnation

Moksha

Atman

Karma

5. Buddhism

Siddhartha Guatama

Four Noble Truths

Eightfold Path

New Academic Language Project:

Every new unit includes New Academic Language terms, concepts and important individuals.  The academic language helps to build your vocabulary and a deeper understanding of the history we discuss.  Each week as a class we will compile a list of the New Academic Language, terms, concept and important individuals we are exposed to.  Each week you will be responsible for creating your own definitions for these words.  The more focused you are in class the easier this project will be.  You will have three choices for completing this project.

 

Choice A: You can create digital flash cards in the quizlet program I will teach you.  You can set up your own account at quizlet.com.

Choice B: You can post your definitions on the blog in the New Academic Language post I will place on the blog.

Choice C: You will complete a handout with the New Academic Language words.

Compiling the New Academic Language for our class will make studying for the final exam and the regents next year easier because so much information will already be archived.

Each time a New Academic Language activity is due it will count as a culminating project grade.  For every new unit you will have to archive the New Academic Language that we learn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Cannistraci     Name:___________________ Date:_____

New Academic Language Rubric

Below the standard 0-6 points   I created simplified definitions that were copied word for word from the dictionary.  My definitions were not set in the context of the history we are learning.   Or I completed the task correctly but for very few of the New Academic Language we learned.

Approaching the standard 7-8 points   I created a definition for most of all the New Academic Language learned for the unit.  The definitions are based on class lessons, documents, peer discussions, homework or internet sources that reflects clearly on the history we are discussing in class.  Most of the definitions are placed in the context of the history we are studying, not simply copied from the dictionary.

At the standard 8-10 points   I created a definition for all the New Academic Language learned for the unit.  The definitions are based on class lessons, documents, peer discussions, homework or internet sources that reflects clearly on the history we are discussing in class.  The definition is placed in the context of the history we are studying. These definitions are not simply copied from the dictionary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dharma