ancient india chapter 2. i. the emergence of civilization in india: harappan society a. a land of...
TRANSCRIPT
Ancient IndiaAncient India
Chapter 2Chapter 2
I. The Emergence of Civilization in India: Harappan Society
A. A Land of Diversity Reflected in Language, culture, &
Religion (Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism & Islam)
Earliest peoples Hill people Aryans – Pastoral peoples migrated 2 BCE Speakers of Dravidian Family Languages
Figure 2-1 p39
I. The Emergence of Civilization in India: Harappan Society
B. Harappan Civilization: A Fascinating Enigma 1. Political and Social Structures
Collection of 1,500 cities connected by trade and alliances
Ruled by a coalition of landlords & merchants Agricultural economy Trade with Sumer
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Mohenjo-Daro
2. Harrappan Culture Painted pottery Sculpture Writing – 3rd BCE
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Indus Script - undeciphered
Figure 2-2 p42
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Mother Goddess2600 – 1900 BCE
Women’s Status
No Decline in Economic power is evident Women & men made pottery No gender division
Female olive pressers in Mesopotamia made 50 ltrs of barley as opposed to the 300 ltrs that men made per month
A wage gap that developed with the decline in women’s status in Mesopotamia not evident in Mohenjo Daro
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Economy
Agriculture Wheat, barley, rice, peas, cotton
Today’s Bahrain was the meeting place of Sumerian and Indus civilizations Imported Textiles and foodstuffs Exported copper, lumber, precious stones,
luxury goods
3. The Collapse of Harappan Civilization
Gradual Decay & Sudden Destruction, C. 1500 BCE Skeletons, running & hiding Mohenjo-Daro – City of the Dead
Aryan Theory
Rise of Empire
From Harrapan and Aryan to the establishment of states:
Populated territories - Janapadas began to emerge became republics & monarchies by 300 BCE one of four large states, Magadha
was becoming an imperial power.
II. The Aryans in India
A. From Chieftans to Kings Raja – Chieftans/rule by merit Kshatriya – Warrior class Maharajas – Great Rajas /power not absolute Dharma - laws governing morals
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Greek Impact & India’s First Dynasty
Alexander the Great of Macedonia invaded in 330BCE
Chandragupta Maurya (324-301 BCE) Pataliputra Kautilya Arthasastra
Theory of Politics
Arthasastra or manual of politics and economics.
Danda niti – Policy of Scepter or of the big stick
Cut throat view of interstate competition “Justice of the Fish” Larger states swallowed smaller ones “The enemy of my enemy is my friend
4 Internal regulatory functionsof the State
Setting in which people had the opportunity to seek the four major goals of life (Hindu) Artha (wealth) Kama (sensual pleasure) dharma (fulfillment of social and religious
duties) moksha (the release from earthly existence
and union with the infinite power of the universe)
The Family Social Unit – extended family (3
generations) Patriarchal
State helped reinforce gender rules Men had power over women and
responsibility for protecting them Women expected to run the household in
accordance with the wishes of the men and to be available for the pleasure of men.
Sati Divorce prohibited/some polygamy
The Mauryan Empire
Racial Hierarchy – 5 Varna “colors” 3 twice-born classes
Brahmin – priestly class Kshatriya – Warriors Vaisya – Merchants/pastoralists
Sudras- peasants, artisans, manual laborers Pariahs – out castes or untouchables
Originated as a slave class Collect trash, handled the dead, butchers & tanners
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The Jati
Kin group System of extended families that
originated in ancient india Developed into a system in which each
jati is identified with a kinship group in a specific area carrying out a specific function Each jati identified with a particular Varna Governed by a council of elders
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Economy Agriculture
With Aryan rule and the invention of the iron plow, the center of Indian civilization shifted from the Indus to the Ganges
Individual farmers paid taxes Sharecroppers and landless laborers
Trade Expanded to include the pacific rim. Middle east
and the Mediterranean Sea 2BCE money economy developed along with
banking
4 regulated religious establishments
Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries developed considerable economic and political power
They also influenced a wide range of public and private decisions made by their devotees and the state attempted to regulate the use of this wealth and power
III. Escaping the Wheel of Life: The Religious World of Ancient India
Brahmansim Reincarnation Karma Dharma
Popular Religion Hindu Pantheon - 33, 000 deities Trinity of primary gods
Brahman – the Creator Vishnu – the Preserver Shiva – the Destroyer
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Buddhism: The Middle Path6th Century BCE
The Life of Siddhartha Gautama 2. Buddism and Brahmanism Nirvana Bodhi Middle Path Stupas
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Asoka – Indias Buddhist emperor
260 BCE He converted to Buddhism a religion
firmly committed to non violence Conversion was a result of the carnage
he had created 150,000 people were deported 100,000 killed and many times that
perished
Figure 2-3 p57
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Welfare programs
Founding of hospitals Planting of medicinal plants and trees Building of some 84,000 stupas or
Buddha burial mounds and monasteries Freedom of Religion
respect the beliefs and practices of other sects
Following his death, no emperor was strong enough to maintain centralized power
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V. The Exuberant World of Indian Culture
A. Literature Sanskrit Prakrit Vedas Upanishads Mahabharata Ramayana
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India after the Mauryas
183 BCE last Maurya ruler overthrown 1 CE Kushan Kingdom
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