JAI GURU DEV
Maharishi Vidya Mandir
LESSON : 4 THE FIRST CITIES
D . Answer the following questions:
Q1. Name the animals which the Harappan people domesticated.
Ans : Animals like humped bull, the buffalo , sheep , elephant, camel and dogs were
domesticated.
Q2. Where have the horse terracotta figurines been discovered?
Ans : The horse terracotta figurines been discovered in Mohenjodaro and Lothal.
Q3. How do we know that the people of the Indus valley civilization were involved in
trade ?
Ans : The ornaments made by the Indus people have found in Mesopotamia which
makes it clear that they had trade relationship with Mesopotamia. The dockyard found
in Lothal also gives the idea that Indus people had a thriving trade and foreign trade
relations not only with the rest of India but with other countries also.
E. Answer the following question :
Q1.Describe the cities of Indus Valley civilization .
Ans: The most important feature of the Indus valley civilization is that it was an urban
or city civilization . The civilization was well acquainted of towns and cities. The city
of Harappa is quite big . It has many houses from a small building to a palatial
structure. The big houses have two or more storeys. Almost every house has wells ,
drains and bathrooms. The streets of the city are straight, wide and cut each other at
rectangles. These streets also have proper drainage systems with soak -pits. The city
has a huge platform made of baked bricks. This area is known as citadel or acropolis.
Q2. Write a note on the Great Bath .
Ans : The Great Bath is the most prominent feature found within the citadel at
Mohenjodaro. It is a large quadrangle with rooms on all sides . The Great Bath was
made of bricks which were well -burnt and of good quality.The tanks were filled
from a well nearby and the water was taken off by a large drain. The Great Bath was
so well constructed that it exists even after 5000 years.
Q3. What kind of food the people of Indus civilization had ?
Ans : Wheat was the staple food besides barley and palm -date . Mutton , pork ,
fish and eggs were also used by them .
Q4. Is Indus civilization a city civilization ? If yes , justify your answer.
Ans :Yes, the Indus valley civilization was an urban or city civilization.
The excavations tell us that the people of this civilization were well acquainted of
towns and cities.
Q5. How did the Indus civilization come to an end ?
Ans : Indus valley civilization declined around 2000 BC. The reason of its decline is
still unknown. Historians have different theories about the decline of this great
civilization. Some believe that the cities might have been destroyed by some natural
calamities like flood or earthquake. Others think that the civilization might have been
destroyed by the invasion of Aryans which seems baseless .
Q6. What is Civilization?
Ans : The word civilization means an advanced state of social development and has
features like a) emergence of town and cities b )Government c) Division of labour
d) political, religious and economic organisation e)strong social structure
f) knowledge of art and writing and g) a progressive system of agriculture.
Q7. What is Indus Valley Civilization ?
Ans: The civilization which prospered in the Indus valley around 3000BC is called
Indus Valley Civilization.
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