Historia

Name: YOOLERN

Date: FEB 4, 2013

Block: Block F

Video Discussion Questions: The Story of India (BBC)

Directions: Please read each question very carefully and refer back to your in class documentary notes in order to answer the questions below. You can also refer to the PBS Website for further resources and help for answering the following questions. All questions must be submittedthrough Canvas. Be sure to check the due dates and times closely since NO LATE assignments will be accepted.

The, First Indians

1. What was significant about the first settlers of India?

They came from Africa and they settled in India around 70,000 or 80,000 years ago because they realized how fertile the Indus Valley was. All non-Africans can trace their early ancestors into India. Theworld’s population was sort of generated from India.

2. Where is it believed the sounds of the Brahmin ceremonies originate? What is the importance of this finding?

The sounds of Brahmin ceremonies are believed to have originated from the songs of birds. They can only be transmitted by oral tradition and cannot be written down.

3. How is some knowledge of ancient Indians passed downthrough Brahmans?

The knowledge of ancient Indians is passed down through Brahmans by oral tradition. From father to son, it is being taught and this is how generations after generations learn from their early past.

4. Why are scientists testing the DNA of Indian tribal groups? What is being learned?

Scientists are testing DNA so they can get clues about the migrational history of humansand it is proved that Indians all come from Africa. By breeding with first cousins Indians still maintain genes from early people and its gene pool remains constant.

The Origins of Indian Civilization

5. When did the earliest villages in the Indus Valley appear?

They started to appear around 7000 BC, far before the Ancient Egyptians.

6. What factors led to the development of cities inIndia?

People settled in to the Indus River and as technology grew, so did society. They began to farm and found no need to move so they stayed.

7. What did archaeologists find at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro?

They found in Harappa evidence of industry, trade, writing, high level of organization and a great population. Harappa began in 3,500 BC and the high period of civilization was from2900 – 1900 BC. Around 200,00 people lived at the height of the civilization in Harappa. Mohenjo-Daro was a “bronze age Manhattan” and they were traders with the Persian Gulf and Iraq. It was the capital of the empire and had 2,000 cities and villages with around 5 million people. The city died so sudden and it is still not known what happened to it.

8. What is one of theories about why theIndus Valley civilization disappeared?

Around the time of the downfall of these cities there was a major decrease it the monsoons, this suggests that maybe people moved because the fertility of the land wasn’t the same as before and living became harder.

9. Are the characteristics found in the Indus Valley civilization similar to other ancient civilizations?

No, civilizations are not verysimilar to the ones in the Indus Valley simply because their costumes and origins are different as well as their believes. Other civilizations depended on the rainfall, like the Indus Valley does, but they didn’t know when it was going to happen, unlike the Egyptians.

The First Indian Literature

10. What is the importance of the monsoons?

The monsoons brought rain that helped keep thesoil in the Indian lands fertile for farming. Also, when the monsoon season happens it relives the Indians because of the refreshing end of the summer heat. Monsoons are also big topics for literature and have inspired authors for many years.

11. Describe the importance of the Vedas to Hindus and historians.

The Vedas have been recited over the generations very accurately and they have been...