IndiaA Mad Dash Through History

GeographyGeography

SOUTH Asia – The “Indian Subcontinent”

3 Topographical Regions Northern India: Mountain

Zone & Indus/Ganges Basins

Southern Peninsula: Flatlands & Sri Lanka Separated from the

north by Deccan plateau

The Vedic Age (The Vedic Age (1500-1500-500500 BCEBCE))

Aryan Control in Aryan Control in IndiaIndia

Politics: Individual city-states with local rulers Aryan language (Sanskrit) in the North – Dravidic languages continue in the South

Economy: Small, self-sufficient communities Introduction of iron technology

Religion: Local Indian gods continue to be worshipped Aryan scriptures = Vedas (thus “Vedic Age”) Combined elements create Hinduism

Aryan Social Aryan Social StructureStructure

Varna = Color (came to mean class) Brahmins – scholars & priests (classes occupied by Aryans)

Kshatriyas – government officials & warriors

Vaishyas – merchants, artisans, & farmers Shudra – peasants & laborers Dalits (untouchables) – not part of the class structure, did most demeaning work

Strict segregation; little/no mobility

Reincarnation/karma beliefs helped justify/explain the class structure

Challenges to Brahmin Challenges to Brahmin PowerPower

Aryan religion/social structure placed Brahmin priests on top

2 challenges to this structure: Jainism & Buddhism Jainists – ascetics, practiced non-violence Buddhists – followers of Siddhartha Gautama

Focused on the individual, less emphasis on the gods

Brahmin response: codified religious traditions into Hinduism

Vedic Age Ends With Vedic Age Ends With Darius & AlexanderDarius & Alexander

The Mauryan EmpireThe Mauryan Empire Greek control of India ended with Alexander’s death in 324 BCE

Power vacuum filled in N. India filled by Chandragupta Centralized government control over regional kingdoms

Territory expanded by grandson Ashoka

AshokaAshoka Major figure in classical Indian history: Early career: brutal military commander, extended the empire into S. India

Battle of Kalinga – 260 BCE 100,000 Kalingans died; 150,000 driven from home More died from disease/starvation in the aftermath

Ashoka was overwhelmed by brutality, converted to Buddhism & preached non-violence, morality, moderation, religious tolerance Published this program on rock pillars spread throughout empire

Trade & EconomyTrade & Economy Economy based on agriculture United India increased trade

Roads were renovated, towns built textile industries

Uniform system of currency, weights & measures

Provinces ruled by governors who collected taxes and enforced laws Taxes rose to pay for Ashoka’s projects

Trade: silk cotton and spices to Mesopotamia, China, Egypt, and Rome

Social StructureSocial Structure Varna (caste) system still in place – limited social opportunities and controlled who people could marry

Patriarchal society – eldest male controlled family Laws limited women’s opportunities

Sati was practiced: widows burned themselves on their husband’s funeral pyre

Buddhist women had more rights Single women could become nuns

Political Political FragmentationFragmentation

After Ashoka’s death, Mauryan Empire declines

Trade network/roads allow small kingdoms to maintain contact Merchants become politically powerful

Small kingdoms rose in Central/Southern India Deccan Plateau: Andhra dynasty Southern India: Tamil Kingdoms

Reunification Under Reunification Under Gupta (320-550 Gupta (320-550 CECE))

Gupta PoliticsGupta Politics Grew out of kingdom of Magadha, capital at Pataliputra (former home of the Mauryans) Modeled after Mauryan Emperors:

Chandra Gupta, Samudra Gupta, Chandra Gupta II Never had the military might of Mauryans

“persuaded” territories to join the empire Married neighboring princess Splendor, beauty, orderliness of life at the capital

Rituals and ceremonies meant to impress “Theater-state”

Gupta EconomyGupta Economy Government owned mines (metals & salt), collected rent money from farmers

Trade along the Silk Roads went through Gupta territory Indians: ivory, jewels, textiles, salt, iron

Romans: glass, jewels, clothes China: silk, spices, tea, porcelain

Additional profits from religious trade & religious pilgrims

Gupta Social Gupta Social StructureStructure

Gupta returned Hinduism to primary religion Change in architecture as Hindu styles became more prominent

Loss of status for women Could not own property Could not study sacred texts or participate in rituals

Women expected to obey father husband sons Child marriage became common (sometimes as young as 6 years old)

Sati became more common

Gupta Math/ScienceGupta Math/Science Astronomers, mathematicians, scientists received government support Developed concept of zero; “Arabic” numerals

Charted star movements; earth is round

Developments in medicine