ICSE · Grade 6

Ch. 1: Indus Valley Civilization

India's first known urban Bronze Age civilization (2500–1500 BCE), also called Harappan Civilization, famous for planned cities, drainage, the Great Bath, trade, and seals.

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1.1 Origin 1.2 Location 1.3 Main Characteristics of the Indus Valley Civilization 1.4 Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization
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# Indus Valley Civilization — Super Simple Imagine a time **more than 4000 years ago**, when people in India built **beautiful planned cities** with clean streets, bathrooms, and drains — just like modern cities! This is called the **Indus Valley Civilization** (also **Harappan Civilization**). ### What was it? - The **first big city culture** of the Indian subcontinent - People lived in brick houses, farmed cotton, traded with far-away lands, and made beautiful jewellery and seals ### Why is it special? For a long time, people thought Indian history started only with the Aryans. Then archaeologists found **Harappa (1921)** and **Mohenjo-daro (1922–23)** — and the myth was broken! ### Remember the 5 big ideas 1. **When?** About 2500–1500 BCE (Bronze Age) 2. **Where?** Along the Indus and other rivers — from Pakistan to Gujarat 3. **Cities?** Super planned — citadel, lower town, straight roads 4. **Cool building?** The **Great Bath** (like a big swimming pool for ceremonies) 5. **Mystery?** Their writing on seals is still not fully read! > **Goal:** Don't just memorize dates. Picture yourself walking on a Harappan street with drains under your feet!
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Topics in this chapter

  • 1.1 Origin
    Bronze Age civilization 2500–1500 BCE. One of three early civilizations with Egypt and Mesopotamia. …
  • 1.2 Location
    From Baluchistan to Gujarat. First city excavated: Harappa (Montgomery, Punjab). Mohenjo-daro in Lar…
  • 1.3 Characteristics
    Rivers, society, food, dress, ornaments, family life, town planning, architecture, occupations, seal…
  • 1.3.7 Town Planning
    Citadel + Lower town. Streets at right angles. Scientific covered drainage with manholes.…
  • 1.3.8 Architecture
    Baked bricks, Great Bath, Great Granary, Assembly Hall, dwelling houses with wells and bathrooms.…
  • 1.3.9 Occupation
    Agriculture (first cotton cultivators), animal domestication, trade (Lothal dockyard), art & craft.…
  • 1.3.10 Seals
    2000+ seals of clay, soapstone, copper. Animals and script. Script still undeciphered.…
  • 1.3.11 Religious Beliefs
    Mother Goddess, yogic figure, pipal tree, amulets, burial with goods, life after death. No temples f…
  • 1.4 Decline
    Around 3900 years ago. Theories: floods/earthquakes/epidemics, Aryan invasion, river course change.…

Philosophy check

  • What is this civilization?
  • Why was it advanced?
  • How did cities work?
  • Where do we still see these ideas?
  • Exams — what will be asked?