Ancient India
Geography• The highest
mountains in the world, the Himalayas, are in the north.
• Two rivers:– Ganges– Indus
• The rest of India is the Deccan Plateau.– Hilly and Dry interior– Lush coastal plains
Climate• India’s climate is
dominated by the monsoon cycle.– Seasonal winds that
bring heavy rains.
• Farmers depend on the monsoons.– If they come too
early or late, or bring too much or too little rain, crops are destroyed and thousands starve.
Indus Valley Civilization• There were thousands of settlements
in the Indus Valley.– Two major cities:
• Harrapa• Mohenjo Daro
• Between 3000BC and 1500BC– Sumer?– Egypt?– China?
Harappa and Mohenjo Daro• Populations:
– Harappa – 35,000– Mohenjo Daro –
40,000
• Cities were highly organized:– Built in a grid pattern– Public wells supplied
water for all– Wastewater and
garbage systems took water and garbage out to the streets.
Public Well in Harappa
Sewer System in Harappa
Mohenjo Daro
Rendition of Mohejo Daro
Government• Theocracy
– Royal palace and holy temple were combined in the same fortress
• Economy was based on farming and trade.– Later, will trade
as far away as Mesopotamia.
Citadel in Mohenjo Daro
Disappearance and Immigration• Indus Valley cities
began to gradually decay around 1800BC.– Floods– An earthquake– Course of the Indus
River changes.• Final blow was an
influx of new people called Aryans.– Bring major
changes to India’s culture
A New Way of Life• Indus Valley had a
simple written language.– Aryans develop
Sanskrit in around 1000BC.
• Record all oral legends and traditions in the Vedas.– Holy text of Hinduism
• Indus Valley and Aryan religions blended together.
Aryan Government and Life• India was broken
into many small kingdoms.– Led by rajas
(maharajas).
• Society was centered around the family.– Extended family all
under the same roof.
• Patriarchal– Ritual of Suttee– Arranged marriage
Social Structure in India• The Social
Structure reflected the Aryan ideas of an ideal society.– Caste System
• Every Indian is born into a caste.
– Determines…• What job people
could have.• Whom they could
marry.• What groups they
could socialize with.
Social Structure in India• A persons caste is based
on beliefs about religious purity.– Greater religious purity =
higher caste.– Bottom castes = impure
• Connects to beliefs about reincarnation
• Lowest level – “untouchables”– So impure, they are outside
the caste system completely.– Were given degrading tasks
like collecting trash and handling dead bodies.
Social Structure in India
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BHS Caste SystemBIG QUESTION:Is there a “Caste
system” at BHS?– Things to think about:
• Who is where in the hierarchy?
• Can a student move from one “varna” to another?
• Can students interact/date with other “varnas?”
• Can students join clubs or sports viewed as being outside of their “varna?”
?????