City-States Essay Assignment

In what ways were the Indus Valley people an advanced civilization? In what ways did their civilization compare to an advanced modern civilization today?

The Indus people were always a step ahead in a lot of their achievements. They were very intelligent!
"One of the most remarkable achievements of the Indus Valley people was their sophisticated city planning". The Indus people had laid out all their cities on a grid system. While,the Egyptians were building pyramids, the Indus were already planning to build cities. Cities were built on mud-brick platforms to prevent them from flooding. They were able to build a wall that kept water out their cities.
The Indus engineers created plumbing and sewage systems. Houses had bathrooms and their wastewater lead to sewage pits outside the city. Since they were so good at planning and construction, They developed a strong government.

millaniels

To assess the advanced aspects of the Indus Valley civilization, one can examine their city planning, infrastructure, and governance.

Firstly, the Indus Valley people excelled in city planning. They implemented a grid system where streets were laid out in an organized pattern, showing an understanding of urban planning. This enabled them to create efficient and functional cities. Additionally, their cities were built on elevated mud-brick platforms, which not only protected them from flooding but also demonstrated an understanding of engineering and architecture.

Secondly, the Indus Valley civilization had a working plumbing and sewage system. This is a remarkable achievement considering the time period in which they existed. They built houses with bathrooms, and the wastewater from these houses was channeled into sewage pits located outside the city. This level of hygiene and sanitation infrastructure points to their advanced understanding of public health.

Furthermore, the Indus Valley civilization had a strong and organized government. This can be inferred from their ability to plan and implement their city structures. The existence of well-planned cities and the construction of intricate walls for water management implies the presence of an administrative authority capable of organizing and overseeing such large-scale projects.

Comparing the Indus Valley civilization to a modern advanced civilization today, there are both similarities and differences. While the Indus Valley people were advanced for their time, modern civilizations have made significant progress in technology, infrastructure, and governance.

In terms of technology, modern cities rely on advanced telecommunications, transportation networks, and energy systems. The Indus Valley civilization, on the other hand, did not possess such technologies. They may have excelled in plumbing and sewage systems for their time, but modern civilizations have far more advanced infrastructure in these areas.

In terms of governance, modern advanced civilizations have sophisticated systems of democratic institutions, bureaucracies, and laws. The Indus Valley civilization, though they had a strong government, did not have the same level of institutional complexity and political structures as modern civilizations.

In summary, the Indus Valley people were an advanced civilization for their time, particularly in terms of city planning, infrastructure, and governance. However, when compared to an advanced modern civilization today, there are significant differences in technological advancements and governance systems.