Goyal Brothers Solutions for ICSE Class 6 History Civics Chapter 3 The River Valley Civilisations Indus Valley Civilisation

Exercise

I. Fill in the blanks:

1. The Indus Valley Civilisation was the Earliest civilisation of India.
Answer: Earliest
This civilization is one of the oldest in the world and marks the beginning of India's organized history. It flourished long before other major cultures established themselves in the Indian subcontinent.
Teacher's Tip: Remember "I" for Indus and "I" for India's first civilization.
Exam Tip: Use the word "Bronze Age" if asked what period this earliest civilization belonged to.

2. Harappa is situated in Sahiwal district in Pakistan.
Answer: Sahiwal
Harappa was the first city to be excavated, which is why the entire civilization is often called the Harappan culture. Today, this important archaeological site is located across the border in Punjab, Pakistan.
Teacher's Tip: Think of Harappa as the "Founding Father" city of this civilization.
Exam Tip: Be precise with the location; mentioning "Pakistan" is essential for full marks.

3. The Indus Valley Civilisation stood on the bank of river Indus
Answer: Indus
The river provided fresh water and fertile silt which allowed the people to grow plenty of food. Most ancient cities were built near rivers for easy transport and farming.
Teacher's Tip: The name of the civilization itself tells you the name of the river!
Exam Tip: Mention the five tributaries of the Indus if you want to show extra knowledge.

4. The largest building discovered at Mohenjodaro is Great Granary.
Answer: Great Granary.
This massive building was used to store surplus grain like wheat and barley to be used during times of food shortage. It shows that the Indus people were very organized and planned for the future.
Teacher's Tip: Think of the Great Granary as the city's giant "Food Bank."
Exam Tip: Don't confuse the "Great Bath" (for cleaning) with the "Great Granary" (for food storage).

5. Bronze metal was used by the people of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Answer: Bronze
Bronze is an alloy made by mixing copper and tin, which made it stronger than pure copper. This allowed the craftsmen to make better tools, weapons, and beautiful statues.
Teacher's Tip: Bronze = Copper + Tin. It's the "Super-Metal" of ancient times.
Exam Tip: Always describe this civilization as a "Bronze Age" civilization.

6. Indus people used Burnt bricks for constructing buildings.
Answer: Burnt
Using baked bricks made their houses much stronger and waterproof compared to the sun-dried bricks used by other cultures. This is why many of their ruins are still standing after thousands of years.
Teacher's Tip: Burnt bricks are like the "Lego blocks" that survived history.
Exam Tip: Mention that these bricks were made in a standard ratio (4:2:1) for extra points.

7. The Harappan culture came to an end by 1500 BC.
Answer: 1500 BC.
Historians believe the decline happened slowly due to climate changes, floods, or perhaps invasions. By this date, the once-great cities were mostly abandoned.
Teacher's Tip: Use "BCE" (Before Common Era) if your textbook uses that instead of BC.
Exam Tip: Remember the timeline: it flourished around 2500 BC and ended around 1500 BC.

II. Match Column A with Column B
Column A
1. Great Bath
2. Harappan Civilisation
3. Humped bull
4. Trade
5. Male god

Column B
(a) Most sacred animal
(b) Barter system
(c) Pashupati
(d) Mohenjodaro
(e) Bronze Age

Answer:
1. Great Bath - (d) Mohenjodaro
2. Harappan Civilisation - (e) Bronze Age
3. Humped bull - (a) Most sacred animal
4. Trade - (b) Barter system
5. Male god - (c) Pashupati
This matching shows the cultural and religious highlights of the Indus people. We see their engineering in the Bath, their technology in the Bronze Age, and their beliefs in the sacred animals and gods.
Teacher's Tip: Pashupati is considered an early form of the Hindu God, Lord Shiva.
Exam Tip: Draw neat lines or write the letters clearly to avoid confusion during correction.

III. Answer the following questions?

Question 1: Who discovered the Indus Valley Civilisation and when?
Answer: Mr. Daya Ram Sahni discovered the ruins of Harappa in 1921. Next year, in 1922 Dr. Rakhal Das Bannerjee discovered the ruins of Mohenjodaro.
These two archaeologists changed Indian history by proving that civilization existed here 5,000 years ago. Their work led to the discovery of many more sites across India and Pakistan.
Teacher's Tip: Sahni = Harappa (H comes before M); Bannerjee = Mohenjodaro.
Exam Tip: Be sure to write the full years 1921 and 1922 to show accuracy.

Question 2: What does civilisation mean? Give four characteristics of a civilisation.
Answer: The stage of development when man looks for more than just fulfillment of his basic needs, is called civilisation.
Characteristics of a civilisation:
1. Surplus food production
2. Flourishing of many arts and crafts
3. Law and order exists
4. Presence of a government.
Civilization means a society is so organized that people have time for things like writing, building, and trade. It is the transition from simple village life to complex city life.
Teacher's Tip: Civilization is when "Survival" turns into "Success."
Exam Tip: List the points exactly as given to ensure you hit all the marks on the rubric.

Question 3: Why did the earliest civilisations grow up near rivers?
Answer: The earliest civilisations grew up on the banks of rivers because of the following reasons.
1. The rivers provided abundant supply of water for various purposes all through the year.
2. The lands near the rivers were very fertile, hence good for growing crops.
3. Rivers provided means of transport and communication.
Rivers were the highways of ancient times, allowing people to travel and trade goods easily. The constant water supply also meant they could grow two or more crops in a year.
Teacher's Tip: Think of Rivers as the "Life-line" for food, water, and travel.
Exam Tip: Use keywords like "fertile silt" and "alluvial soil" when talking about riverbanks.

Question 4: Name the different sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Answer: Various sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation were - The river valleys had warm and pleasant climate which favoured permanent settlement of population. Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Lothal, Kalibangan, Ropar, Alamgirpur, Banwali, Sutkagendor and others.
These sites were spread across a huge area, from current-day Afghanistan to Gujarat. Each site has provided unique artifacts that tell us about the local variations of this culture.
Teacher's Tip: Lothal is special because it was a "Port City" by the sea.
Exam Tip: Memorize at least five sites to provide a strong list in a long answer.

Question 5: Describe the town planning and the drainage system of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Answer: The cities were divided into two parts. The upper part called ‘citadel’ was built on a raised ground. It was inhabited by the upper class and had public buildings such as granaries. The lower part was inhabited by the common people. Each house had a courtyard, several rooms around it, a toilet and a well. All the buildings were built of burnt bricks. Large blocks of houses were built along both the sides of streets.The roads were wide and straight and cut each other at right angles. Smaller streets led to bigger streets. The streets had lamp posts. The drainage system was of the highest order ; even many of our present towns do not have such excellent drainage system. House drains were connected to the street drains which joined the main drains which emptied outside the city limits. The drains were covered with stone slabs and had manholes at regular intervals. They were cleaned regularly.The Indus people were veiy conscious of hygiene and sanitation.
The Indus people were masters of urban design, using a grid system just like modern New York. Their focus on sanitation shows they understood how to prevent diseases in crowded cities.
Teacher's Tip: Imagine the city like a "Chessboard" - everything was in straight lines and right angles.
Exam Tip: Use the word "Grid Pattern" to describe the street layout for extra marks.

Question 6: Describe the Great Bath. Where has it been found? What was it used for?
Answer:
1. The Great Bath was a sort of modem swimming pool, discovered at Mohenjodaro. It is an example of excellent engineering’work. It was built of burnt brick. It measures 11 .-88 x 7.01 metres
2. The lands near the rivers were very fertile, hence good for growing crops.
3. Rivers provided means of transport and communication.
4. The river valleys had warm and pleasant climate which favoured permanent settlement of population.
(Note: Based on the textbook text, the Great Bath description is found in point 1). The Great Bath was lined with bitumen to prevent water from leaking out. Historians believe it was used for religious rituals where people would take a holy dip together.
Teacher's Tip: Think of the Great Bath as a massive ancient community pool for holy ceremonies.
Exam Tip: Always mention "Mohenjodaro" as the location for the Great Bath.

Question 7: Describe the Great Granary. Where has it been found?
Answer: The Great Granary was found at Mohenjodaro and it was the largest building discovered there. It was used for storing grains in huge quantities for lean periods. Brick platforms have been found near the granaries which were used for threshing grain. Many two-room shelters have also been found nearby which were perhaps used by labourers. Granaries were built close to river banks to facilitate easier transportation of grains during emergencies.
Having such a large storage system meant that the government could collect taxes in the form of grain. This food could then be used to pay workers or feed people during a famine.
Teacher's Tip: Granary = Storage for Grain. Lean periods = When food is scarce.
Exam Tip: Mention the threshing platforms to show you understand the processing done near granaries.

Question 8: Describe the religion of Indus Valley Civilisation
Answer: The Harappans worshiped the pipal tree and humped bull which have been found on hundreds of seals. They also worshiped Mother Goddess which were beautifully depicted as terracotta figurines. The Harappans also worshiped ‘Shiva’ or ‘Pashupati’. A three-faced figure with horns has been found sitting in the posture of a yogi. He is surrounded by a tiger, a rhinoceros, a buffalo, and an elephant. But no temple or any other religious building has been found so far. The Harappans believed in life after death and buried the dead with his belongings.
Since there are no temples, archaeologists have to guess their beliefs based on seals and small clay statues. Their religion seems deeply connected to nature and animals.
Teacher's Tip: "Yogi" posture on seals suggests they practiced meditation or yoga even back then!
Exam Tip: Make sure to state that "no temples were found" as this is a key archaeological fact.

Question 9: Name the three social classes of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Answer: The three social classes were:
1. Rich merchants and priests e. the ruling class.
2. Small merchants, artisans and craftsmen.
3. Peasants and labourers.
This social structure shows that the civilization had a clear hierarchy based on wealth and occupation. The "Citadel" was likely where the top class lived, while the commoners lived in the "Lower Town."
Teacher's Tip: Class 1 = Leaders, Class 2 = Makers, Class 3 = Workers.
Exam Tip: Categorize them numerically to show the order of the social hierarchy.

Question 10: What were the probable causes which could have brought about an abrupt end to the Indus Valley Civilisation?
Answer: There are many reasons attributed to the fall of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
1. The Harappan cities were destroyed by invaders who were probably the Aryans.
2. Natural calamities such as floods, earthquakes and epidemics might have destroyed the civilisation.
3. River Indus might have changed its course and turned the region into a desert.
Scientists today lean towards climate change and drying rivers as the most likely cause. When the water vanished, the people had to move to other fertile regions like the Ganges valley.
Teacher's Tip: Think of it as "The triple threat": Invaders, Nature, and Drought.
Exam Tip: Always use the word "probable" because historians are not 100% certain of the cause.

IV. Give reasons why we say that the people of the Indus Valley Civilisation -
1. Had a good sense of cleanliness
2. Carried on trade with Mesopotamia
3. Produced surplus grains
4. Had an idea of metallurgy
Answer:
1. The arrangement of drains, wide roads and houses with toilets and drains attest to their sense of cleanliness.
2. Mesopotamian seals have been found in Harappan cities and Harappan seals have been discovered in cities of ancient Mesopotamia.
3. Big granaries and existence of towns prove the fact that they produced surplus food grains.
4. A bronze figure of a dancing girl has been found. Several other images, weapons, utensils and tools of copper and bronze have also been found. Jewellery made of gold and silver has been found at various sites.
These reasons are based on "evidence," which is how history is written. Every object found in the ground tells a story about how advanced these people were.
Teacher's Tip: Evidence + Logic = Historical Fact.
Exam Tip: When asked for "reasons," always link a discovery (e.g., seals) to a behavior (e.g., trade).

Textbook Keywords

1. Dwelling houses are buildings, that people live in and but do not use as offices, trading places, etc.
These houses were private homes where families ate, slept, and lived their daily lives. They were separate from the public buildings used for administration or religion.
Teacher's Tip: Dwelling house = Residential home.

2. Public building These buildings are used by all the people and are not privately owned.
These include places like the Great Bath and the Granaries which served the entire community. They were usually located in the Citadel part of the city.
Teacher's Tip: Public building = Shared community space.

3. Granaries were the store houses where the people of Indus valley civilization stored their extra grain. The Great Granary was discovered at Harappa.
Granaries acted as a safeguard against bad harvests or droughts. They were the most important buildings for ensuring the city's survival.
Teacher's Tip: Granary comes from the word "Grain."

4. Great Bath was a big tank at Mohanjodaro that was probably used by the general public during religious ceremonies. Drainage system It is a process by which water or liquid waste is drained out from an area.
These engineering marvels show that the Indus people valued health and ritual purity. The drainage system kept the streets dry and the houses clean from waste.
Teacher's Tip: The Great Bath was waterproofed with a layer of natural tar (bitumen).

5. Terracotta It is a reddish-brown clay that has been baked. Seals are the clay tablets used by Harappan merchants to stamp their goods.
Terracotta was used to make cheap toys and religious figurines for common people. Seals acted like modern-day trademarks or signatures for business deals.
Teacher's Tip: Seals were like ancient "rubber stamps."

6. Mother Goddess was the female deity worshiped by the people of the Indus Valley civilization. Many smoke-stained clay figures of the Mother Goddess have been found.
The "smoke-stains" suggest that people burned incense or oil lamps in front of these statues. This Goddess probably represented fertility and the power of nature.
Teacher's Tip: Mother Goddess = Symbol of Life and Earth.

Additional Questions

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. The main river of the Harappan civilization was Ravi.
Answer: Ravi
While the whole civilization is named after the Indus, the specific city of Harappa sits on the banks of the Ravi River. This river is one of the five major rivers of the Punjab region.
Teacher's Tip: Indus is the "Grandfather" river, Ravi is the "Father" river of Harappa.
Exam Tip: Be careful! If asked for the *civilization* say Indus; if asked for *Harappa city* say Ravi.

2. The Great Bath is located in Mohenjodaro.
Answer: Mohenjodaro.
This site contains the most impressive evidence of water engineering from the ancient world. Mohenjodaro means "Mound of the Dead" in the local language.
Teacher's Tip: Mohenjodaro = M = Mound. The Great Bath is in the Mound city.
Exam Tip: This is a very common 1-mark map-pointing or fill-in-the-blank question.

3. The main occupation of the Harappan were farming.
Answer: farming.
Without a steady food supply from farming, they could not have built such large cities. They were among the first people in the world to grow cotton and use it for cloth.
Teacher's Tip: Farming is the foundation of every "River Valley" civilization.
Exam Tip: Always list "Farming" as the primary occupation before trade or crafts.

4. The rich wore ornaments made of gold, silver and ivory.
Answer: gold, silver and ivory.
These expensive materials had to be imported from distant places, showing how wealthy the upper class was. Skilled craftsmen carved ivory with great detail to make bangles and beads.
Teacher's Tip: Rich = Shiny and rare things (Gold/Ivory).
Exam Tip: List all three materials if the blank is long enough for full credit.

5. The Harappan seals are made of clay, soapstone and copper.
Answer: clay, soapstone and copper.
Soapstone (steatite) was favored because it is soft and easy to carve but becomes hard when heated. These seals are our main source of information about their writing and religion.
Teacher's Tip: Soapstone is the technical name; "steatite" is the scientific name.
Exam Tip: Mention "Soapstone" as it was the most common material for seals.

B. Match the following:
Column A
1. Kalibangan
2. Houses
3. Toys
4. Dancing girl
5. Lothal

Column B
(a) terracotta
(b) Rajasthan
(c) bronze
(d) dockyard
(e) baked bricks

Answer:
1. Kalibangan - (b) Rajasthan
2. Houses - (e) baked bricks
3. Toys - (a) terracotta
4. Dancing girl - (c) bronze
5. Lothal - (d) dockyard
This matching connects the sites to their modern locations and the famous objects found there. For instance, the bronze dancing girl is one of the most famous pieces of ancient art in the world.
Teacher's Tip: Lothal = L = Landing of ships (Dockyard).
Exam Tip: Practice these pairs as they often appear in multiple-choice questions.

C. Choose the correct answer:

1. The Harappan civilization belongs to the Mesolithic/ Neolithic/Bronze Age
Answer: The Harappan civilization belongs to the Bronze Age.
It is named after the most advanced material they used to make tools and art. While they still used stone, bronze represented their highest level of technology.
Teacher's Tip: Stone Age -> Copper Age -> Bronze Age. Harappa is the "top tier" Bronze Age.
Exam Tip: Do not choose Neolithic; Harappa was much more advanced than Neolithic villages.

2.Lothal/Ropar/Harappa was the first city to be discovered in the Indus Valley region.
Answer: Harappa was the first city to be discovered in the Indus Valley region.
Discovered in 1921, this city gave its name to the entire culture because archaeologists found it first. Even today, the culture is frequently called the "Harappan Culture."
Teacher's Tip: Think of Harappa as the "First Chapter" of the story.
Exam Tip: Remember the date 1921 to go with the discovery of Harappa.

3. The Assembly Hall is in Mohanjodaro/Lothal/Harappa.
Answer: The Assembly Hall is in Mohanjodaro.
This large, pillared hall was likely a place where the city's leaders met to make important decisions. It is one of the major "Public Buildings" found in the Citadel area.
Teacher's Tip: Mohanjodaro had the "Great" things: Great Bath and Great Hall.
Exam Tip: If the question asks about a "pillared hall," the answer is always Mohenjodaro.

4. Wheat/Fish/Barley was the staple food of the Harappans.
Answer: Wheat was the staple food of the Harappans.
They grew different varieties of wheat in the fertile plains of the Indus and its tributaries. Along with barley, wheat provided the energy needed for their growing population.
Teacher's Tip: Staple food means the main food they ate every single day.
Exam Tip: If you have to choose only one, wheat is the most important, but they ate barley too.

5. The neem/banyan/pipal tree was probably regarded as sacred by the Harappans.
Answer: The pipal tree was probably regarded as sacred by the Harappans.
Images of the pipal leaf and the tree itself are very common on Indus seals. This tradition continues in India today, where the pipal is still considered a holy tree.
Teacher's Tip: Pipal trees have heart-shaped leaves often seen on ancient pottery.
Exam Tip: Connect "nature worship" to the "pipal tree" in your religious descriptions.

D. State whether the following are true or false.

1. The Harappan cities had an elaborate drainage system.
Answer: False. Correct: The Harappan cities had well planned system.
(Note: Based on the textbook correction, the phrasing "elaborate" was replaced with "well-planned"). Their drainage was truly advanced, featuring covered drains and manholes for maintenance. It ensured that wastewater from houses was carried away from living areas.
Teacher's Tip: The drains were actually better than many modern Indian villages today!
Exam Tip: If you write "True" here, you're logically right, but follow your textbook's specific wording.

2. Domestication of animals was the main occupation of the Harappans.
Answer: False. Correct: Farming was the main occupation of the Flarappans.
While they did keep animals like goats and bulls, their main source of food and wealth was growing crops in the fields. Farming provided the surplus that allowed other people to become traders or artists.
Teacher's Tip: Farming = Number 1; Animals = Number 2.
Exam Tip: If a question asks for the "primary" or "main" occupation, always say Farming.

3.The Harappans decorated their pottery with various designs.
Answer: True.
They used black paint to create beautiful geometric patterns, animals, and plant designs on red clay pottery. This red-and-black pottery is a signature style of the Indus Valley people.
Teacher's Tip: Their favorite patterns were circles, squares, and the pipal leaf.
Exam Tip: Mention the "glossy finish" of their pottery to show detailed study.

4.The Harappans built strong boats.
Answer: True.
Evidence of boat-building comes from the dockyard at Lothal and boat drawings on seals. These boats were necessary for trading goods with distant civilizations across the Arabian Sea.
Teacher's Tip: Strong boats allowed them to be the first "Global Traders" of India.
Exam Tip: Link "Lothal" and "Boats" together in any question about transport.

5. The Indus Valley civilization was governed by kings and queens.
Answer: False. Correct: The Indus Valley civilization was not governed by kings and queens
Archaeologists have found no palaces or statues of kings, suggesting they were ruled by a council of merchants or priests. This makes them very different from ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia.
Teacher's Tip: No Royal Statues = No Kings. They were likely a business-run society.
Exam Tip: Say "governed by a merchant council" as the possible alternative to kings.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1: What discoveries proved that India had a 4,500-year old urban civilization?
Answer: The excavations carried out at various sites prove that around 4,500 years ago highly civilized people lived in this region and gave to the world its earliest cities, its first town planning, its first architecture in stone and clay and its first example of sanitary engineering and drainage system.
Finding perfectly straight roads and underground drains was the biggest proof of their advanced lifestyle. Before these digs, no one knew that Indians were living in planned cities so long ago.
Teacher's Tip: Excavation = Digging up the past to find the truth.
Exam Tip: Focus on "Town Planning" and "Drainage" as the main proofs of an urban civilization.

Question 2: Why is the Indus Valley Civilization also called the Harappan civilization?
Answer: The Indus Valley civilization is also called the Flarappan civilizations because the things found in all the sites were very much like the articles found at Harappa.
Harappa was the "model" site that set the standard for what this culture looked like. Since it was discovered first, its name was used to group all similar sites found later.
Teacher's Tip: In archaeology, the first site discovered usually gives its name to the whole culture.
Exam Tip: Use the phrase "type-site" if you want to sound like a professional historian.

Question 3: Why did the Indus Valley people build granaries close to the river bank?
Answer: All the granaries were built close to the river bank so that the grains could be easily transported with the help of boats.
Moving heavy bags of grain is much easier on water than on land over long distances. This location allowed them to quickly ship food to other cities or trade it with foreign lands.
Teacher's Tip: Riverbanks were like the "Loading Docks" of the ancient world.
Exam Tip: Mention "Boats" and "Transportation" as the key reasons for the location.

Question 4: Give one example to prove that the Indus Valley bronzesmiths were skilled craftspeople.
Answer: The bronzesmiths made tools, weapons and metal sculptures such as the famous figure of the ‘dancing girl’. They were also engaged in other crafts like brick laying, boat making, stone cutting, masonry and carpentry.
The "Dancing Girl" statue was made using the complicated 'lost wax' technique, which requires high precision. This proves they had a deep understanding of metal chemistry and artistic design.
Teacher's Tip: The Dancing Girl is a tiny statue with "big" historical importance!
Exam Tip: Mention the "Lost Wax Technique" to show you know how they made the bronze figures.

Question 5: How do we know that the Harappans had trade relations with the Mesopotamians?
Answer: Trade relations with Mesopotamia have been proved with the discovery of Mesopotamian seals in the cities of the Indus Valley Civilization and Harappan seals in the ancient cities of Mesopotamia.
Finding these seals so far from home is like finding a foreign passport in someone's house. It proves that people were traveling and exchanging goods over thousands of miles by sea and land.
Teacher's Tip: Seals were like "Ancient Signatures" for business contracts.
Exam Tip: Mesopotamian records mention a land called "Meluha," which historians believe was the Indus Valley.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1: How were the Harappan cities planned? Explain briefly the main features of their dwelling houses.
Answer: The Harappan cities were well-planned. The main streets ran parallel to each other, cut at right angles by smaller, streets, dividing the cities into rectangular blocks. The main roads were straight and very wide. The streets were often paved with baked bricks.Dwelling houses were building that people live in. They were in different sizes. They were made of baked bricks of very good quality. But they not used as office, trading place etc.
Every house was built with privacy in mind, as windows rarely faced the main street. The use of a central courtyard allowed for light and air to reach every room in the home.
Teacher's Tip: Courtyards were the "Living Rooms" of the Harappan people.
Exam Tip: Use the term "Rectangular blocks" to describe the city layout.

Question 2: With reference to the engineering skills of the Indus Valley people, explain briefly the features of (1)The Great Bath and (2) the drainage system
Answer:
1. The Great Bath: It was important building at Mohenjodero. This building resembled a large swimming pool, It had six entrances,central bathing pool, galleries and dressing rooms. It was probably used by the general public during religious ceremonies.
2. The drainage system: The people of the Indus valley had an excellent, well-planned drainage system. The Kitchens and the bathrooms had drains connected to the street drains. The street drains ran along the side of the streets and were usually covered. They had manholes at regular intervals. The drainage system proves that the Indus Valley people paid great attention to sanitation and cleanliness.
Their engineering was so precise that the drains had a gentle slope to help the water flow away by itself. This shows they had advanced knowledge of geometry and hydraulics.
Teacher's Tip: Manholes were for "Cleaning and Checking" the pipes - just like today!
Exam Tip: Differentiate between "Domestic drains" (from houses) and "Street drains" (under roads).

Question 3: Give a brief account of (1) Great Granary (2) Assembly Hall
Answer:
1. Great Granary: The Great Granary at Harappa was a large building. Historians believe that it was used to store surplus food grains. There were two rows of granaries. Each row had six granaries.
2. Assembly Hall: The Assembly Hall was another striking building found in Mohenjodaro. It was a pillared hall with thick walls and 20 pillars made of burnt or baked bricks. This may have been and assembly hall, a prayer hall or a palace.
These large public structures show that the Indus cities had a powerful central authority to manage resources and meetings. The Granary's design allowed air to circulate to keep the grain dry and fresh.
Teacher's Tip: Harappa had 12 granaries in total (2 rows of 6).
Exam Tip: Identify the "Citadel" as the location for both these impressive structures.

Question 4: Describe (1) The dress and (2) Ornaments of the Indus Valley people.
Answer:
1. Dress: People wore cotton and woolen garments. Two- piece dresses were worn by both men and women. The men wore a garment similar to the dhoti while the women wore skirts. The upper garments was a shawl worn around the shoulder.
2. Ornaments: Both men and women wore ornaments. They wore necklaces, amulets and finger rings. The women also wore a headdress, earrings, bangles, girdles, bracelets and anklets. The rich wore ornaments made of gold, silver and ivory. The poor wore shell, bone and copper jewellery.
Their fashion was quite colorful and varied, with different materials used to show social status. Since they knew how to spin and weave cotton, most of their clothes were probably very comfortable in the hot climate.
Teacher's Tip: Shawls were usually worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm.
Exam Tip: Differentiate what the "Rich" vs the "Poor" wore to show a complete understanding.

Question 5: Describe the occupation and crafts of the Harappan people.
Answer: The main occupation of the people of the Indus Valley was farming. Farmers gr«w wheat, barley, fruits and vegetables. They also cultivated cotton. The land was fertile. The second occupation of the people of the Indus Valley was domestication of animals like goat, sheep, buffaloes, elephants, bulls, dogs and cats.The Indus Valley people were excellent potters and skilled crafts people. They made pottery of various shapes and sizes. They also made terracotta. The goldsmiths made gold and silver jewellery, copper smiths made utensils and the bronze smith made tools, weapons and metal sculptures. The people were also engaged in other crafts like brick laying, boat making, stone cutting, masonry and carpentry. Spinning and weaving were important occupations.
This diversity of jobs shows that the civilization was very advanced and not everyone had to farm to survive. Artisans were highly respected and their products were sold both locally and to foreign lands.
Teacher's Tip: Diversity of occupations is a sign of a "Healthy Economy."
Exam Tip: List at least four different crafts (pottery, jewelry, masonry, weaving) in your answer.

Question 6: Write short notes on the following: (1) Trade (2) Seals of the Indus Valley
Answer:
1. Trade: The Indus Valley people carried on flourishing trade both within and outside India. They traded with countries like Mesopotamia, (Iraq), Persia (Iran) and Afghanistan. Trade was carried on both by land and sea routes. Bullock carts, boats and ships were probably used for transport. A dockyard has been discovered at Lothal.
2. Seals of the Indus Valley: More than 2,000 seals have been unearthed from various sites. They are generally small, flat, rectangular or square in shape and made of clay, soapstone and copper. They are skillfully carved with figures of humans and animals such as the unicorn, humped bull, goat, tiger, elephant, etc. These seals were probably used by merchants and traders to stamp goods.
Seals are like a window into their world, showing us the animals they saw and the script they used. Trade made them one of the wealthiest civilizations of the ancient world, as they exchanged cotton and beads for metals and stones.
Teacher's Tip: Most seals have a animal figure and a line of writing on top.
Exam Tip: Mention the "Unicorn" seal as it is the most unique and famous animal found on them.

Question 7: The study of objects and artifacts found in the ruins of the Indus Valley cities help us us to form an idea of Harrapan religion. Explain.
Answer: Some of the objects found in the ruins help us to form an idea of the religion of the Harappans. No temples have been found. Numerous smoke-stained clay figures of a female deity have been found. This was probably the Mother Goddess. A three faced figure, seated in a yogic posture and surrounded by various animals is engraved on some seals. The pipal tree was probably regarded as sacred and worshiped. The discovery of a large number of amulets suggests that people probably wore them as lucky charms to ward off evil spirits.
Their religion was practical and natural, without the need for massive temples like the pyramids of Egypt. Believing in amulets shows they were a bit superstitious and looked for spiritual protection in their daily lives.
Teacher's Tip: Amulets are small jewelry pieces thought to give magical protection.
Exam Tip: Identify the "three-faced figure" as Pashupati (Lord of Animals).

Question 8: How did the Harappan civilization end?
Answer: These are some causes of the decay of the Harappan civilization.
1. The Harappan might have been destroyed by natural calamities like earthquakes, floods.
2. The climate also began to change and the region became more and more dry like a desert.
3. Perhaps the Aryans attacked their cities and destroyed them.
4. An epidemic or some terrible disease might have killed the people.
Modern research shows that a long drought lasting 200 years might have been the final blow. When the rivers moved or dried up, the massive city populations simply couldn't find enough water to drink.
Teacher's Tip: There is no single answer; it was likely a combination of these "Theory" points.
Exam Tip: List at least three different theories to show you understand the historical debate.

G Picture study.

This picture on the right-hand side shows a well-planned ancient city located on the banks of a river.

Question 1: Identify the civilization from the ruins in the picture.
Answer: This picture is about Harappa Civilization.
The ruins show the characteristic brick walls and organized street patterns of the Indus Valley people. These structures have survived for millennia due to the high quality of the burnt bricks used.
Teacher's Tip: Look for the "stepped" walls and straight lines in ancient ruins to identify Harappa.
Exam Tip: Use the term "Harappan Civilization" or "Indus Valley Civilization" interchangeably.

Question 2: When and by whom were these these ruins discovered?
Answer: These ruins were discovered by Dayaram Sahni in 1921.
This discovery pushed India's history back by nearly 2,000 years overnight. It proved that India had an urban civilization that was just as old and advanced as those in Egypt or Mesopotamia.
Teacher's Tip: Harappa = 1921 (the year India "found" its ancient self).
Exam Tip: Make sure you link Dayaram Sahni specifically to Harappa, not Mohenjodaro.

Question 3: These ruins are an important source of information about the (a) town planning and (b) drainage system of this period. Explain.
Answer:
(a) Town planning - The Indus Valley cities were very well- planned. The streets were quite broad varying from a feet to 30 feet in breadth. The streets and roads were straight and they cut one another at right angles. The streets had rounded comers to enable the heavy carts to take a turn easily. Every street had a lighting system. Such a system of town-planning was not to be found at that time anywhere in the world.
(b) Drainage system - The people of the Indus valley had an excellent, well-planned drainage system. The kitchens and the bathrooms had drains connected to the street drains. The street drains ran along the side of the streets and were usually covered. They had manholes at regular intervals. The drainage system proves that the Indus Valley people paid great attention to sanitation and cleanliness.
Their focus on engineering made city life comfortable and extremely hygienic for its time. Even the simple detail of "rounded corners" shows they thought about the traffic flow of bullock carts through the city.
Teacher's Tip: The "rounded corners" are a great example of ancient traffic engineering!
Exam Tip: Use the words "Sanitation" and "Urban Design" when summarizing their town features.