World History Name: Addie Schlegel

Evidence to Inference Exercise Period: 1st

HARAPPAN SOCIETY
Around the same time that Mesopotamia and Egypt developed civilizations, another
civilization grew up in the Indus River valley region. Archaeologists have discovered that
they had a written language consisting of at least 400 symbols, the longest stretch of
symbols discovered so far is only 25. Unfortunately, no one has been able to decode this
language and no Rosetta Stone has been unearthed to help them crack the code.
Therefore, we must speculate about what the culture may have been like based on
material evidence. The following are some of the pieces of evidence that historians have
to go on. Using this limited bit of evidence, make inferences about what the Harappan
culture must have been like and what might have happened to them.

EVIDENCE INFERENCES
1. Bricks found at three of the major sites This suggests that they had an organizational
of cities are all uniform in their size and building method and they have building
shape standards.
2. They created thousands of seals with Animals were powerful symbols in their society
animals and writing many of these seals and animals were very important to them, thus
have been found in Mesopotamia including animals in their seals.
3. At Mohenjo-Daro, an artificial mound
was discovered 50 feet high, surrounded They had a reliable food surplus and specialized
by a brick wall. Some of the rooms were workers. They have advanced construction
used for ammunition. A large bath was technology. They may have hostile relationships
connected, as well as storage space for with their neighbors.
grain.
4. Cities reflect urban planning. They are
They were very modern/advanced in their ways of
all laid out with major roads running north
designing buildings, roads, and cities.
and south.
5. No palaces for royalty have been Everyone lives equally and there still may have
discovered. been wealthier people but not more powerful.
6. No large religious temples or statues
have been discovered. However, a number Women were seen in society as child-bearers
of small figures have been found, of whose jobs were primarily to raise children. The
female figures who appear pregnant and men were higher in power because they had
often have children with them. There are animals around them and I assume that since
also nude male figures with horns, seated animals were important to their society they were
in yoga position and surrounded by a sign of wealth and significance.
animals
In the animals kingdom, bulls are powerful and
7. Many of the government seals have
travel in groups sometimes. It may be a sign of
pictures of bulls on them
wealth and dominance.
8. Houses are often 30 feet square and They were very modern and updated in their
may have been more than one story. They housing and sewage systems. They probably have
had indoor toilets and showers with fairly good hygiene.
underground sewer systems.
Similar to today, children enjoyed playing with
toys and people of all ages needed some form of
9. Many toys and games have been found
entertainment so games could have provided that
for them.
10. Some pots, weapons and a few They believed when people died that they would
sacrificed animals have been found in go to an afterlife where food, supplies, animals,
graves. significant belongings, etc were important.
Catching fish and marine animals was one
11. At one of the major cities, Lothal,
important way to provide food for themselves and
docks were constructed that could adjust
they needed to be able to go out at any time of
with the tides
day to get necessary food.
Beads were a form of money to trade with and
12. A bead factory was discovered over
they needed factories and places to create enough
5,000 square feet of building space
beads to trade and sustain life.
They were smart and resourceful and discovered
13. They were the first to grow cotton and
that you could weave cotton to make tougher
weave it into clothing
clothing.
14. Later excavation shows that cities Their society was beginning to crumble and they
started to allow garbage to build up in just let their lives fall apart a little. It became less
the streets (Turning point) apparent that they were steady and stable.
15. Some skeletons were found in dead
end streets in Mohenjo-Daro, in positions Their cities were attacked and they died trying to
that suggest that they were running or flee.
hiding
16. Some city walls were 40 feet thick They were trying to defend themselves by
and 35 feet tall protecting themselves with tall walls.
They had either stolen a lot of jewelry or they
17. Hordes of jewelry were found
were trying to hide it.
18. Some later houses were not built as Their society was beginning to crumble and they
sturdily as the original houses. They just let their lives fall apart a little. It became less
appeared to be built up on platforms apparent that they were steady and stable.
19. Lots of silt has been deposited on the The cities had not been touched for many, many
sites of some of the cities. years.
20. Mesopotamian literature refers to a
They traded with Mesopotamia for supplies and
land to the east, where they traded wool,
resources.
leather, and olive oil.
21. Some fire altars have been discovered. They kept warm by burning fires.

World History Name: Addie

Harappa: Making an Argument Period: 1st
 Making an Argument: The Basics

An argument consists of evidence used to support a statement or thesis. Using the Evidence to
Inference Exercise on the Harappan Society, you will make an argument about how this
civilization collapsed.

Your two arguments will follow this basic format:

Assertion (general statement of fact)

Evidence (concrete details supporting the assertion)
Analysis (an explanation of WHY something happened or is the way it is based on the evidence)

Here is an example of an argument about the economy of Harappa and the Indus Civilization:

Assertion: The cities of the Indus River Valley Civilization were able to produce large surpluses
of agriculture.
Evidence: At Harappa, archaeologists have found a large number of toys. They have also
unearthed a 5000 square foot bead factory.
Analysis: To devote so many craftsmen to items unnecessary for survival indicates that the basic
needs of the people were met. There was a division of labor into several areas of craftsmanship.
Only large agricultural surpluses can free workers from food production and allow them to take
on crafts such as bead and toy production.

And here is how this would look in an essay:

The cities of the Indus River Valley Civilization were able to produce large surpluses of
agriculture. At Harappa, archaeologists have found a large number of toys. They have also
unearthed a 5000 square foot bead factory. To devote so many craftsmen to items unnecessary
for survival indicates that the basic needs of the people were met. There was a division of labor
into several areas of craftsmanship. Only large agricultural surpluses can free workers from food
production and allow them to take on crafts such as bead and toy production.

Now, using the evidence from the exercise, your will build two arguments about why the Indus
River Valley Civilization collapsed.

Assertion: Harappa collapsed because they were invaded.

Evidence: There were skeletons found in the middle of streets in running/hiding positions.

Analysis: Harappa was invaded quickly and they were not prepared for it. The civilization died
because of it. The buildings were destroyed and the people all died. It is clear that there was an
invasion because the entire city was layered in silt and there was destruction when it was first
discovered.
Assertion: They needed to devote too many people to war and construction of wars that they
had no people left to keep the city tidy which led to diseases.

Evidence: There were 50 foot walls discovered and they began to let tons of trash pile up.

Analysis: People became overworked and sick and if people are living together disease will
spread quickly especially if they are already getting injured in battle.