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Ancient India: Trade, Technology, War, and Social Structures

Explore India's classical era achievements in trade, technology, warfare, and social hierarchy. Learn about cultural diffusion, gender roles, and significant historical events. Discover Gupta's scientific advancements and Asoka's ethical pursuits.

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Ancient India: Trade, Technology, War, and Social Structures

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  1. Classical India • AP Information

  2. Topics • Trade • Technology/Achievements • War/Invasions • Cultural Diffusion • Social Hierarchy • Gender

  3. Trade • Jains turned to commerce to avoid farming • Traded for gold with the Roman Empire; w/Persians • Asoka’s successors taxed goods sold by merchants • Traded gems, spices, cotton, teak, & ebony for horses from Arabia & Central Asia; silk from China • Emphasized trade more than China • Traded w/China, but had little impact; more with Middle East & Mediterranean • Indian merchants traded cotton textiles and bronze statuaries via Indian Ocean

  4. Technology/Achievements • Maurya: Asoka built roads, hospitals, veterinary clinics • Gupta: arts & sciences flourished • Gupta: developed principle of algebra, infinity, and concept of zero; “Arabic numerals”, negative numbers, square roots • Astronomy: earth’s rotation around sun, circumference of earth & planets; gravity • Stupas built by Ashoka • Panchatantra with “Sinbad the Sailor” and “Jack the Giant Killer” • Medicine: set bones, performed operations, invented medical instruments; ethics, cleanliness • Epic poems: Mahabharata (100,000 verses) & Ramayana (24,000 verses) • Upanishads

  5. Social Hierarchy • Caste system made up of varnas: Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras, & Pariah • Only priests and warriors could recite the Vedas • Priests replaced warriors at the top of the caste system • Castes/varnas divided into jatis based on occupation • Castes promoted tolerance; goes hand in hand with Hinduism

  6. War/Invasions • 1500 B.C. - Aryan invasion (Indo-European hunter-herder migrants) • 500 B.C. – Persians under Darius I conquer Indus River valley • 327. B.C. – Alexander the Great’s armies make it to the Indus River • Asoka builds empire through war; renounces violence after much bloodshed • Kushans invade from northwest • Gupta – invasion of the Huns brings end to empire

  7. Cultural Diffusion • Buddhism spreads to other parts of Asia especially China, Japan, Korea, Middle East, & Sri Lanka • Indian art influenced China • Symbols for 1-9 adopted by traders from Middle East; became Arabic numerals that we use today • Hinduism influence spreads to surrounding areas (Angkor Wat in Cambodia is dedicated to Vishnu) • Hellenistic culture transferred to India through Alex the Great’s armies • Stoicism stimulated by Buddhist emissaries to Middle East

  8. Gender • Men dominated the Aryan world (patriarchal) - • Aryan women had choice of choosing husband; • Indian women could remarry if widowed; took part on social affairs; high ranking boys and girls could attend school; were educated in household tasks • Status of women declines after Aryans arrive • Gupta- women & mothers highly respected, but had little independence

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