Ancient Indian Civilizations 2500 B.C. – A.D. 550

Indus River Valley Civilization

Objectives: Examine the role geography and climate

played in the settlement of the Indian subcontinent.

Investigate how people in the Indus River Valley civilization lived.

Geography

Indian Subcontinent Extends

southward from central Asia to Indian Ocean

Himalayas Mountains Slowed entry to

India Separates India

from Asia Khyber Pass

Permitted travel to India

Geography

Indus & Ganges Rivers Drained into the

Indo-Gangetic Plain

Deccan Plateau with mild

summer

Mount Everest"Head of the World"

Peak at 29,029 ft above sea level International border between China and Nepal runs

across the precise summit point

Climate Southwest Monsoon

provides much of the rain fall in India

Timing of Monsoon Late=crops fail Too Much rain=floods

countryside Temperatures

Along Coast and Deccan=mild summer

Indo Gangetic Plain=up to 120°

Early Civilizations2500 B.C – 1500 B.C.

Ancient Cities of Harappa and Mahenjo Daro Large and well planned Water system with public bath and brick sewers Strong central fortress citadel, built on a brick platform

Farming Grew cotton, wheat,

barley, and rice Produced cotton cloth,

pottery, bronze, gold and silver items

Harappans Religion

Believed to Worshiped a mother goddess of fertility

Used bulls, buffalo, and tigers in religious rituals

Held ceremonies in home or around sacred trees

What happen to the Harappans?????

Several unburied skeletons found at Mahenjo Daro

Violence? Earthquakes? Floods?

Indo-Aryan Migrates

Objectives Explain how live in northern India

changed with the coming of the Indo-Aryans

Identify the major contributions of the Indo-Aryans to the ancient Indian society

Nomadic Indo-Aryans

Came from North of the Black & Caspian Sea

Sheep & cattle herders and Skilled Warriors

Vedas- great works of religious literature

Sanskrit- Indo-Aryan language Vedic Age- 1500 B.C. to 1000 B.C

Indo- Aryan Religion Earliest Gods drawn from Nature

Earth, Fire, light, Rain, Sky, Storms, Sun, and Water Sky became the Father Earth became the mother

Vedic Gods Particular characteristics Example…”Varuna” was guardian of cosmic order

Brahmins Special priest that knew the proper forms and rules

for religious ceremonies

Indo Aryan Society

Settlements joined to form small independent states Governed by Raja Raja acted as military leader, judge, and

lawmaker Complex Social Orders Warriors and Priest were top of the social structure High value on marriage

Rules limited marriage among social orders Arranged marriages

Emphasized the value of sacrifices

Indo-Aryan Society Religious values changed as social classes

became rigid and identified with ritual purity Migrates impacted Northern India the most

Brought new social order and language (Sanskrit) Economy

Raised wheat and barley on the plains of the Indus and Ganges Rivers

Southern India Protected from invasion by mountains Terrain prevented unification

Hinduism and Buddhism

Objectives: Describe the

importance of religion in ancient Indian society

Identify the principle elements of Hinduism

Identify the basic beliefs of Buddhism

Upanishads and the Epics

Upanishads are written explanations of the Vedic religion

Epics- long poems based on historical or religious themes

Mahabharata and the Ramayana

Explained the idea of Vedanta

Changing Society

Caste System- complex form of social organization

Varnas – Indian society social classes 1st- Rulers and Warriors 2nd- Brahmins 3rd- Merchants, traders, and farmers 4th- Peasants who worked in fields 5th- Pariahs or untouchables

Pariahs ,”untouchables”, were viewed as being outside of the Varnas

Divided into 4 smaller groups called Jati

Hinduism

Developed through priests explanations of Vedas Devine essence of Brahman fills

everything in the world Monism is the belief that God and

creation are the same Hinduism Beliefs

Maya- world was an illusion If they accept maya, they cannot be saved

Reincarnation- rebirth of the souls

Hinduism Beliefs

Two Principles Dharma- do one’s moral duty where soul can

advance to next life Karma- good or bad force created by actions

Nirvana- perfect peace reincarnation is complete and the individual soul

units with Brahman Hindu God Brahma is represented as a

number of Gods

Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama

Founder of Buddhism

Known as Buddha or

“The Enlightened One”

Vowed to discover the

reason for human suffering

Became known as Buddha

at the age of 35

Buddha’s Teachings

Stressed the importance of selflessness

Any person can reach nirvana

All people practice honest conduct, non violence, and

poverty

Two Branches of Buddhism

Theravada- believed Buddha was a great teacher and

spiritual leader

Mahayana- regarded Buddha as a god and savior

Buddha’s Teachings

The Four Noble Truths

All human life involves suffering and sorrow

The desire for a life of pleasure and material gain

causes suffering and sorrow

Renouncing desire frees people from suffering and

helps their souls attain nirvana

The Eightfold Path leads to renunciation, or denial of

desire and attainment of nirvana

Buddha’s Teachings

The Eightfold Path

Right Views- seeing life as it really is

Right Intentions- living a life of good will

Right Speech- avoid lies and gossip

Right Action- trying to be law abiding and honest

Right Living- avoid work that harms others

Right Effort- Seeking to prevent evil

Right Mindfulness- constant awareness of one’s self

Right Concentration- Directing the mind in meditation

Ancient Indian Dynasties and Empires

Chandragupta Maurya Established the Mauryan Empire Established a rigid bureaucracy

to carry out demands United Northern India from Ganges

River to west of the Indus Standardized weights and

measurements Established standards for

physicians

Ancient Indian Dynasties and Empires

Asoka Enlarged the Mauryan Empire

until it included all of India, expect the southern tip

Became sick of the killings and became a Buddhist

Many Indian people became Buddhist during this time

Worked to improve the living conditions in India

Ancient Indian Dynasties and Empires

Gupta Rulers Empire reached from Bay of Bengal

to Arabian Sea Hinduism was the dominant religion

but also supported Buddhism Early years referred as “the golden

years” Later years, empire weakened

because of to much power to local leaders

Ancient Indian Life and Culture

Objectives Describe how women's rights

were limited in ancient Indian society

Identify the most important achievements of the Gupta Period

Economy and Society Peasants gave portions of their crops for

taxes Relied on international trade Hindu Laws of Manu

Girls required to obey their Fathers or Husbands

Prohibited from owning property and studying Vedas

Men allowed to practice polygyny Women practiced Suttee

Required in upper castes

Cultural Achievements

Drama The Panchatantra – fables that taught

adaptability, shrewdness, and determination Jataka Tales – Indian dramas during the Gupta

Period Art and Architecture

Cave Paintings, Sculpture, and temples Temples grew with Hinduism Stupa was a dome-shaped shrine

Held artifacts associated with Buddha

Cultural Achievements

Children of higher caste received formal education Lower caste learned crafts or trades

Mathematics and Astronomy Understood concept of zero and infinity, abstract

numbers, and negative numbers Arybhata- 1st known to use algebra and solve

quadratic formulas Identified 7 planets, rotation of earth, and predicted

eclipse Medicine

Procedures included bone setting, plastic surgery, and inoculation