The standardization of city layouts, weights, and measures in the Indus Valley Civilization suggests which political structure?

💡 Explanation:

The remarkable consistency in urban planning (grid systems), standardized brick size, and uniform weights and measures across the vast geographical area of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) is the strongest archaeological evidence suggesting a highly centralized, single authority or a powerful federation was in control. This level of standardization and administrative control across multiple major sites (like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro) contrasts sharply with the often-competing city-state models of contemporaneous civilizations like Mesopotamia. The question asks for the best-fit political structure implied by this specific evidence (application of concept).