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History 8 India Ancient India Workbook

1. Throughout its early history, the Himalayas helped protect India from outside invaders. How does this image especially make that dramatically clear?

The image of Mount Everest features a tall, steep, snowy peak that is difficult to traverse. By having a dangerous boundary in the north, India was protected from northern invaders. Since the boundary was a mountain range, cattle and other steed, along with soldiers and war equipment, would have been hard to transport over the mountains, thus greatly lowering the chances of a dangerous invader from the north. Plus, the harsh climate, demonstrated by the snow, is hard to travel in. The Himalayas provide a steep, dangerous barrier to the northeastern invaders of India.

More information on the Himalayas: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/266037/Himalayas

Sources: CF Manual pp. 148, 166

Jonathan Bloom

2. How does this photo help to show why such river systems were so important in the rise of the earliest civilizations?

In this photo there is a group of animals that appear to be tired and struggling, as many of them are laying down. They are standing in front of a dry river bed so it can be assumed that they used to go there for water but now that it is dried up it can no longer give them what they need. The animals could potentially die if they do not get water, so river systems were extremely important to animals. People use these animals, so if the animals are weak or dead, the people can not use them to their full abilities or even at all, so the people depended on river systems because the animals depended on them (among other reasons). Civilizations need an abundance of food to be considered a civilization, but without animals there would most likely not be an abundance of food, which means the civilization would have a harder time building itself up. Irrigation, as well as flooding, was a major way to bring water to dryer areas. Many cities and towns were built along flood planes and irrigation systems, contributing to the rise of the Indus civilization and the location of towns and villages. In addition, in the background of this picture, you can see a small water source, most likely brought to the land through irrigation, and the grass around it is bright green. This healthy lush land, which stands out against the barren dry grass, proves that water really is a game-changer in India, then and now, as well as around the world, and that it can completely change the abilities and potential abilities of the land and those that live off of it.

Sources: CF Manual pp. 148, 149, 166

Gwendelyn Butler