PPTs-The Beginning of Indian Civilization-Class 6-SST

What is civilization?

Civilization is an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached.

Features of Civilization

• Civilisations have large organised communities or cities where people live and work together.

• Civilizations have rich traditions, art and beliefs that are shared among their people. 

• They use advanced tools and techniques to make life easier and more productive.

• Civilisations often have writing systems to record important information and communicate. 

• They have systems of leadership and rules to help manage and organise the society.

Beginning of the Civilization

• Civilisation began at different times in different parts of the world. 
• In the region known as Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and Syria), that happened about 6,000 years ago.
• The civilisation in ancient Egypt followed a few centuries later.

From Village to City

• From about 3500 BCE, villages grew into towns.

• With increasing trade and other exchanges, those towns further grew into cities. 

• This transition happened around 2600 BCE.

• Archaeologists gave this civilisation several names — ‘Indus’, ‘Harappan’, ‘Indus-Sarasvatī’ or ‘Sindhu-Sarasvatī’ civilisation. 

• Its inhabitants are called ‘Harappans’.

• It is one of the oldest civilisations in the world.

Town Planning

• Town planning is important part of civilization.

• Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were the first two cities discovered in town civilization. 

• It was identify in 1924.

• Several sites followed in the Indus plains.

• This is the reason, it is called ‘Indus Valley Civilization’.

• Later on, major cities were discovered:

• Dholavira (in Gujarat).

• Rakhigarhi (in Haryana).

• Ganweriwala (in the Cholistan desert in Pakistan).

• Hundred of smaller cities (such as Lothal in Gujarat).

Harappan Cities:

• The larger Harappan cities were built according to precise plans. 

• They had wide streets which were often oriented to the cardinal directions. 

• Most cities seem to have been surrounded by fortifications and

had two distinct parts —

•  the ‘upper town’, where the local elite probably lived,

•  the ‘lower town’, where common people lived.

• Some large buildings seem to have been used for collective purposes — 

• Warehouses where goods to be transported were stored. 

• Individual houses of various sizes lined the streets and smaller lanes.

• All those buildings were generally made of bricks.