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Extends south from central Asia to the Indian Ocean.
Separated from the rest of Asia the Himalaya mountains.Made it difficult for
immigrants & invaders to enter.
Two rivers IndusGanges
ClimateHigh temperaturesMonsoons – heavy rain
Physical Geography & Climate
Harappan Civilization2 Ancient Cities
HarappaMohenjo Daro
Both cities were carefully plannedHad intersecting streetsHad a water system
Homes were made of brick, 2 stories high, and had indoor bathrooms.
Each city had a strong central fortress called a citadel.
Rich farmland – raised wheat, barley, and rice.Developed a written language made of
pictographsEventually disappeared – possibly due to
floods, or other natural disaster.
Early Indus River Valley Civilizations
Came across the Hindu Kush mountains into northwest India around 1750 B.C.
Sheep & cattle herdersSkilled warriorsMost information about these people comes from the Vedas.Contained religious beliefs and
stories that were passed down from generation to generation.
Indo-Aryan Migrants
Early gods mentioned in the Vedas were drawn from nature.Earth, fire, light, rain, sky, storms,
sun, and water.Sky = the father; Earth = the
motherBelieve in many gods, but have one
that is above all the rest.Ceremonies performed outdoors.Special priests called Brahmins
knew the rules of the ceremonies and were very important in Indo-Aryan society.
Indo-Aryan Religion
Originally a nomadic groupAs they settled in villages they planted crops
& herded animals so they did not need to move to find food.
Settlements combined to form small, independent states.
States were ruled by a raja – or chief.Raja was the military leader, lawmaker, and
judge. Assisted by a royal council.
Complex social order – class system.Marriage important – usually arranged by
parents. Not allowed to marry outside the social order.
Strongly believed in making sacrifices to the gods.
Early Indo-Aryan Society
Grew many cropsWheat, rice, barley, sugarcane, peas, beans,
leafy vegetables.Traded these crops with surrounding villages,
but could not trade with other civilizations because of poor transportation and limitations of their location.
Indo-Aryan Economy
Established by Chandragupta Maurya at the end of the Magadha empire.
Empire lasted almost 150 years
Chandragupta built a palace on the Ganges River
Raised an army of 600,000 soldiers.
Expanded his territory by uniting out to the Hindu Kush mountains and the Ganges River.
Mauryan Empire
The greatest emperor of the Mauryan Empire was Aśoka.
Chandragupta’s grandson.Made the empire even
bigger by using the army to conquer other people.Eventually included all of
India except the very southern tip of the country.
Later converted to Buddhism and sent missionaries to convert people to the Buddhist faith.
Mauryan Empire
After the Asoka died and the Maurya Empire declined, a new family of rulers took over India.
Chandra Gupta I was the founder of the Gupta Empire.DO NOT confuse him with
Chandragupta Maurya – remember their names sound the same, but represent different people!!!
Caused a decline in Buddhism and a rise in Hinduism.
Early years of the Gupta dynasty is called the “golden age” of Indian civilization great achievements in the arts extreme prosperity for the people.
The Gupta Empire
EconomyMost people were extremely poor
Very few people were in the highest social class
Most people were farmers, except in southern India where people traded with foreign countries.
SocietyMen held social power and standing.Women did not have the same rights as men.
The law required girls to obey their fathers.
Also must obey their husbands once they were married.
If their husband died they obeyed their sons.
Not allowed to own property.Were not allowed to study the Vedas.
Economy & Society
Men were allowed to practice polygymy – having more than one wife.
Widows practiced suttee – committing suicide by throwing themselves on top of the husband’s funeral pyre.
Arts & ArchitectureMural painting in caves to tell stories.Sculpture of the Buddha showed the
importance of religion.Built many stupas – dome-shaped shrines for
Buddha.Education
Children in the higher classes received a formal educationStudied the Vedas, astronomy, math, warfare, and
government.Children in the lower classes only received
training for certain crafts or trades.Nalanda – famous Buddhist university.
Cultural Achievements
MathUnderstood abstract & negative
numbersHad a concept of zero & infinityAryabhata – famous mathematician –
first known user of algebra & quadratic equations.
MedicineIndian doctors were very advanced.Understood the importance of the spinal
cord.Had surgical procedures to mend
broken bones.Performed types of plastic surgery.Earliest forms of vaccinations.
Cultural Achievements