India

Aryans, Hinduism, Buddhism, Empires

Indo-Europeans

• Came from north of the Caucasus Mountains• Lived in tribes• Herders of cattle, sheep, goats• Tamed horses & had chariots• Spoke Indo-European languages: influenced

English, Sanskrit, Persian, Spanish, German

Origins: Pre-Historic India 3000-1000 BCE

Aryan Migration to India

Hittites(2000- 1190 BCE)

• One of the earliest Indo-Europeans to migrate – Moved into the Anatolia Region

(Turkey)• Dominated Southwest Asia for 450

years– Occupied Babylon– Formed alliance with Egypt

• Spoke Indo-European language amongst themselves, used Akkadian for general purposes

• Less advanced overall– Had superior war technology

• Chariots• Iron

Aryans• Migrated to India• Vedas, sacred piece literature

– Four collections of prayers, magical spells and instruction for performing rituals

• Developed Caste system• Polytheistic• Magadha

– Major kingdom that expanded by taking over surrounding kingdoms

– By 2nd Century BCE, occupied almost all of subcontinent

Caste System

Brahmins

Kshatriyas

Vaishyas

Sudras

Pariahs

Rigid class system where people were locked in to their class

Partially based on varnas, or skin color

• Purpose is to help people of other castes fulfill their dharma

• Perform rituals and observe vows for the sake of others

• Responsible for leadership of the people• Often rely on

advice from Brahmins

• Shopkeepers who sell products (unlike the Shudra who sell services)

• Each subgroup of this caste performs a specific service.

• Jobs include gardeners, potters, and clothes washers

• Belong to no caste• Expected to do the

“dirty” jobs• Come in contact with

animal skins, dead bodies and human feces

• Avoid contact with “caste” Indians for fear of “pollution”