SOUTH ASIA

1. SOUTH ASIA

2. Land & Climate • Himalayas • Northern edge of the Indian subcontinent • World’s highest mountains • Asia’s longest and highest system • Crosses most of Nepal and Bhutan as well as the northern portions of India and Pakistan • In Nepali, Himalaya means “home of the snows.” • Mt. Everest is the world’s highest peak at 29,028 ft. • Himalayas are the source of South Asia’s major rivers

3. Indo-Gangetic Plain • Formed by sediment carried by rivers and streams coming from the Himalayas • Flooding rivers deposit rich alluvial soil eroded from the mountains • River plains are densely populated despite terrible floods once in a while that kill thousands of people. • 3 major rivers cut through the region • Brahmaputra River • Major inland waterway • Provides hydroelectricity

4. Indus River • Provides means of transportation • Ganges River • Most important river in South Asia • Named for the Hindu goddess, Ganga • River believed to be sacred by Hindus

5. Deccan Plateau • Covers much of the southern 2/3 of the Indian subcontinent • Western Ghats are steep, rugged eroded mountains that face the Arabian Sea. • Eastern Ghats are eroded mountains that face the Bay of Bengal. • Part of the plateau is a shield of granite formed 600 years ago • Younger portion of the plateau is volcanic layers of lava

6. Monsoons strongly influence climates of South Asia • Seasonal winds blow from oceans in the summer and the interior of Asian continent in the winter • Wet summer monsoon usually begins around mid-June. • Some areas receive as much as 400 inches of rain. • Winter monsoons are dry and bitterly cold. • Timing of the monsoon is critical to farmers and economy of South Asia. • Tropical Cyclone: hurricane-like storm that produces winds above 100 miles an hour and cause dangerously high seas and take many lives.

7. Monsoon Season

8. History • Early History • Indus civilization • One of the world’s first advanced civilizations • Developed in the Indus River valley around 2500 B.C. • Declined around 1750 B.C. for reasons not clear • 1500 B.C. – Aryan nomads from Central Asia conquered Indus area

9. Indus Valley Civilization

10. Modern History • Europeans arrived in India during the 1500s. • Portuguese were first then the Dutch, French, and British. • In time, the Dutch came to monopolize the East Indies spice trade. • The French and British took more of an interest in India for its own resources.

11. After many conflicts, the British gained total control of the region. • 1858 was the year the region came under the British empire. • British India included present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. • As a result of British control, and to ensure an efficient flow of goods for trade, many railroads, roads, and ports were built in the region.

12. Scenes from British India

13. Demands for independence increased in the early 1900s. • Massacre at Amritsar in 1919 in which British troops fired on a large crowd of people protesting British policies killing 400 and wounding 1,200 increased desire for independence. • The leader of the independence movement was Mohandas K. Gandhi. • He believed “nonviolent noncooperation” was the best way to bring about political and social change, including independence. • Gandhi’s methods included boycotts, marches, and fasts.

14. Mohandas Gandhi

15. Independence was granted in 1947. • First, the British divided the region due to fear of conflict between the Hindus and Muslims. • The division was traumatic for millions of people. • Hundreds of thousands of people died in riots and massacres in the war between the Muslims and Hindus. • Gandhi was shot in 1948 by a Hindu extremist. • East Pakistan broke away from West Pakistan in 1971 and became Bangladesh.

16. Gandhi working with Muslim leaders

17. Hinduism • Hinduism is the largest religion in India. • Hindus have about 33 million gods, but all are collectively one god who has millions of faces called Brahma. • Brahma- The Creator • Vishnu - The Preserver • Shiva - The Destroyer

18. Shiva Brahma Vishnu

19. The 3 Main Ideas of Hinduism: • Reincarnation – The soul never dies, but moves into the body of another human or animal. Therefore, ALL LIFE IS SACRED. • Karma – Belief that current actions determine the next rebirth; for every good and/or bad action, there is a result. Karma is built up over generations and is passed down. • Dharma – A set of rules that each person must follow; the rules are determined by caste, birth, and age. FOLLOWING YOUR DHARMA, CREATES GOOD KARMA.

20. All of these ideas defend the CASTE SYSTEM. • A very rigid system of hereditary social classes. • You can only reach a higher caste by following your dharma perfectly, dying and being reincarnated. • Castes: • Brahmins: Hindu priest caste • Kshatriyas: Warrior/ruler caste • Vaishya: Merchant/farmer caste • Sudra: Laborer/servant caste

21. Untouchables or outcastes are the lowest level of humans who are considered unclean because they deal with death and dirt. • Today, it is illegal to discriminate against castes, but it still exists especially in rural areas.

23. Sikhism • Founded in the 1500s by a guru (teacher) named Nanak • Believe there is no God and that good deeds and meditation bring release from the cycle of reincarnation • Live in northwest India and want independence

25. Issues in South Asia • Religious and Ethnic Tensions • Hindus & Muslims • 18 official languages in India • Pakistan has 5 different ethnic groups • Overpopulation • 1.1 billion people • 15% of the world’s population live in India • 70% rural

27. Sites in India

28. Taj Mahal Brihadisvara Temple Golden Temple