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

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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. Geography • Indus & Ganges Rivers • Drained into the Indo-Gangetic Plain • Deccan • Plateau with mild summer

5. Peak at 29,029 ft above sea level International border between China and Nepal runs across the precise summit point Mount Everest"Head of the World"

6. Southwest Monsoon provides much of the rain fall inIndia Timing of Monsoon Late=crops fail Too Much rain=floods countryside Temperatures Along Coast and Deccan=mild summer Indo Gangetic Plain=up to 120° Climate

7. 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 fortresscitadel, built on a brick platform • Farming • Grew cotton, wheat, barley, and rice • Produced cotton cloth, pottery, bronze, gold and silver items

8. 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?

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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 calledJati

17. 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

18. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

33. 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