Five Fast Facts
• India has the second largest population in the world, with over 1.2 billion people.
• The major religions of India include Hinduism 80.5%, Islam 13.4%, Christianity 2.3%, Sikhism 1.9%
• The highest mountain in India—and the 3rd highest in the world-- is Kanchenjunga, standing at 28,209 ft).
• Many different languages are spoken in India. The main ones are Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu. English is spoken widely because India was a British colony
• The most populated city is Mumbai—20.5 million people in metropolitan area-3 times the population of Washington State
The Vedas 1200 BCE-600 BCE.
written in SANSKRIT.
Hindu core of beliefs:
hymns and poems.
religious prayers.
magical spells.
lists of the gods and goddesses.
Rig Veda oldest work.Rig Veda oldest work.
Varna (Social Hierarchy)
Shudras(laborers)
Vaishyas(Landowners and
merchants)
Kshatriyas (warriors)
Brahmins(priests)
Pariahs [Harijan]
• also called “Untouchables”, people considered impure because of their work (gravediggers, trash collectors, butchers)
• They were called untouchables since even their touch was impure
The Caste System
The mouth?
The arms?
The legs?
The feet?
WHO IS…
JATI?
BrahminsBrahmins
KshatriyasKshatriyas
VaishyasVaishyas
ShudrasShudras
Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCE
Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCE
Unified northern India.
Defeated the Persian general Seleucus.
Divided his empire into provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law enforcement.
He feared assassination [like Saddam Hussein] food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc.
301 BCE gave up his throne & became a Jain.
Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)
Asoka (304 – 232 BCE) Religious conversion
after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in 262 BCE.
Dedicated his life to Buddhism.
Built extensive roads.
Conflict how to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless person?
Asoka’s law code
Asoka’s law code Edicts scattered in
more than 30 places in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan.
Written mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic.
10 rock edicts.
Each pillar [stupa] is 40’-50’ high.
Buddhist principles dominate his laws.
Turmoil & a power Vacuum:
220 BCE – 320 CE
Turmoil & a power Vacuum:
220 BCE – 320 CE
Tamils
The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.
Extensive Trade:4c
Extensive Trade:4c
spices
spices
gold &
ivory
gold & ivory
rice & wheathorses
cotton goods
cotton goodssilks
Medicine Literature
MathematicsAstronomy
Printedmedicinal
guides
1000 diseasesclassified
PlasticSurgery
C-sectionsperforme
d
Inoculations
500 healingplants
identified
DecimalSystem
Conceptof Zero
PI = 3.1416
Kalidasa
SolarCalendar
The earth
is round
GuptaIndia
Gupta Achieveme
nts
Gupta Achieveme
nts
The Decline of the Guptas
The Decline of the Guptas Invasion of the White Huns in the 4th century CE
signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age.
After the decline of the Gupta empire, north India broke into a number of separate Hindu kingdoms and was not really unified again until the coming of the Muslims in the 7 century CE.