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Geography and Early India

The Big Idea

Indian civilization first developed on the Indus River.

Main Ideas

• The geography of India includes high mountains, great rivers, and heavy seasonal rain.

• Harappan civilization developed along the Indus River.

• The Aryan invasion of India changed the region’s civilization.

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Mountains

• North: The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world.

• West: The Hindu Kush provide protection from enemies.

Plains and Plateaus

• Rivers and melting snow kept the plains fertile.

• Both sides of the river thrived.

Indian Geography

Water

• Monsoons

• Heavy rainfall

• Civilizations arose around seasonal rainfall.

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People

• Population grew in the Indus River Valley.

• Growth came as irrigation and farming techniques improved.

• Cities were built as surplus food was produced.

Cities

• Harrapa

• Mohenjo Daro

• Fortresses for defense against enemies

• Well-planned public areas

Harappan Civilization

Achievements

• Wells and indoor plumbing

• Pottery, cotton clothing, jewelry

• India’s first writing system

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Religion

Government

Language

Invaders from the West

When the Harappan civilization dissipated in 1700 BC, Central Asians called Aryans began taking over territory.

The Aryans left behind vast collections of poems, hymns, myths, and rituals. They also had religious writings known as Vedas.

No central government: small communities ruled by rajas

Sanskrit is the root of many modern South Asian languages.

Aryan Invasion

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Harappan Civilization

Aryan Invasion

• Two major cities: Harappa, Mohenjo Daro

• Advanced civilization that thrived between 2300 and 1700 BC

• Culture, artistry, city planning

• South Asian warriors pushed through the Hindu Kush mountains and settled in the Indus Valley

• Oral tradition in religion and mythology resulted in the most important language of ancient India: Sanskrit.

Summary

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Geography of Indian Subcontinent Harappan Civilization Aryan Civilization India is a very large and separated

from the continent of Asia by mountains

Subcontinent =smaller than a continent

Ganges delta in east Triangular shaped Bay of Bengal to the east Indian Ocean to the south Among the northern mountains of

which the Himalayas are the largest in the world

The Great Indian Desert is west of the Himalayas

Most of India is covered by fertile plains and rugged plateaus

Major rivers flow from the Himalayas

The Indus and Ganges, provide fertile farmland with water

Seasonal floods and Monsoons provide silt to farmland

Hot and humid climate Arabian Sea to the west

2300 BC to 1200 BC Harappan Civilization formed in the

Indus River Valley and the Sarasvati River southeast of the Indus River

An irrigation system was used for watering crops

Two large cities were formed 300 miles apart, Harappa and Mohenjo Daro (the mound of the dead)

Architecture was well planned Towering fortresses (citadels) Brick streets crossed at right angles Flat roofs Store houses, workshops, market

stalls and houses Public wells Indoor plumbing Weights to measure goods Artisans: pottery, jewelry, ivory,

cotton clothing First writing system in India Clay seals to stamp goods

2000 BC People came from Caspian Sea in Central

Asia People may have came through the

Khyber Pass in Northwest India’s Himalayas

Vedas-collection of poems, hymns, myths, and rituals written by Aryan Priest

They did not build homes They formed small communities based on

family ties No single ruling authority Group leaders were usually skilled

warriors A Raja was the leader of the village or

group Raja’s often fought each other They had farmland and pastures They raised cows, horses, sheep and goats Sanskrit was the Aryan Language Sanskrit Language is the root of many

Southeast Asian Languages Sanskrit is an Indo-European Language

formed around 10,000 to 6000 years ago

Chapter 5 Section 1 pages 124-129 Geography and Early India

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Origins of Hinduism

The Big IdeaHinduism, the largest religion in India today,

developed out of ancient Indian beliefs and practices.

Main Ideas

• Indian society divided into distinct groups under the Aryans.

• The Aryans practiced a religion known as Brahmanism.

• Hinduism developed out of Brahmanism and influences from other cultures.

• The Jains reacted to Hinduism by breaking away to form their own religion.

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Kshatriyas

Vaisyas

Sudras

Brahmins Priests

Rulers and warriors

Laborers and non-Aryans

Indian Society Divides

Varnas

Farmers, craftspeople, and traders

Social divisions in Aryan society

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Individuals

• Place in society based on birth, wealth, or occupation

• 3,000 castes once existed in India.

• Individuals could rarely change castes.

Caste Rules

• Sutras (guides) listed all the rules for the caste system.

• Breaking rules resulted in a transfer to a lower class.

Caste System

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Brahmanism

• Aryan priests were called Brahmins.

• Wrote Vedic texts, which were their thoughts about the Vedas

Evolving Beliefs

The Vedas, Upanishads, and other Vedic texts began blending with beliefs from different cultures, creating Hinduism.

Brahmanism develops into Hinduism

Hinduism

• Many gods

• Reincarnation: could be reborn into new forms and castes

• Men and women could both gain salvation, but women were inferior.

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Origins of Jainism

Four Principles of Jainism

• 599 BC, established as an alternative to Hindu ritualism

• Based on the teachings of Mahavira, who abandoned his life of luxury to become a monk

• Injure no life.

• Tell the truth.

• Do not steal.

• Own no property.

Jains React to Hinduism

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Origins of Buddhism

The Big IdeaBuddhism began in India

and became a major religion.

Main Ideas• Siddhartha Gautama searched for wisdom in many ways.• The teachings of Buddhism deal with finding peace.• Buddhism spread far from where it began in India.

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Quest for Answers

• Siddhartha was born a prince, but he questioned the meaning of life.

• Determined to find answers using:

• Meditation

• Fasting

• Learning from different teachers

Enlightenment

• Found it under the Tree of Wisdom while meditating

• Called the Buddha (Enlightened One)

• Spent the rest of his life traveling and teaching his ideas

Siddhartha

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1. Suffering and unhappiness are a part of human life. No one can escape sorrow.

Teachings of Buddhism

Four Noble Truths

2. Suffering comes from our desires for pleasure and material goods.

3.People can overcome desire and ignorance and reach nirvana, a state of perfect peace.

4.People can overcome ignorance and desire by following an eightfold path that leads to wisdom, enlightenment, and salvation.

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Chapter 5 Section 2 pages 130-135 Origins of Hinduism

Religion Origins Teachings GodsBrahmanismPolytheismPriest were called Brahmins

Based on the Rigveda, oldest of the Vedas, written before 1000 BC

Based also on a final group of Vedas text are Upanishads from 600 BC

Priest believed fire would carry a sacrifice to the gods

Brahma

HinduismHinduism believes in many gods, but they believe that all the gods are aspects of a single universal spirit called Brahman. Three aspects of Brahman are particularly important in Hinduism; Brahman, Siva, and VishnuPolytheism

Developed out of Brahmanism and influences from other cultures

Vedas Upanishads Ideas from Persia and other

Central Asian Kingdoms

A universal spirit named Brahman created the universe and everything in it. Everything in the world is just part of Brahman.

Every person has a soul or Atman that will eventually join with Brahman.

People’s souls are reincarnated many times before they can join Brahman.

A person’s karma affects how he or she will be reincarnated

Salvation is called moksha Dharma is a set of spiritual duties Karma is the effects that good

and bad actions have on a person’s soul

Brahma Siva Vishnu

Jainism/Jains(Atheist)

Mahavira 559 BC

Ahimsa – practice of nonviolence Every soul is the architect of their own life

Sikhism/Sikhs (Monotheistic)

Guru Nanak 1400 AD Blend of Hinduism, Islam and

other religions

Reunite with god after death Wear 5 items; long hair, small comb,

steel bracelet, a sword, and a special undergarment

Gurus

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Ancient Ways

• The Buddha taught that following the Vedic texts was unnecessary.

• Challenged the authority of Hindu priests

Changing Society

• A more individualistic approach to enlightenment

• Rebirth as a means to evolve

Challenging Hindu Ideas

Caste System

• Opposed caste system

• The Eightfold Path could lead any individual to nirvana.

• The Buddha’s teachings reached all classes.

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Buddhism branches out

Buddhism splits

• Asoka, one of the most powerful kings in India, became a Buddhist and spread Buddhism in India and foreign lands.

• Buddhist missionaries traveled the world to teach enlightenment.

• Buddhism split into two main sects: Theravada and Mahayana.

• Members of the Theravada followed the Buddha’s teachings exactly.

• Members of the Mahayana believed that individual interpretation was important.

Buddhism began in India and then became a major religion.

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Chapter 5 Section 3 pages 136-141 Origins of Buddhism

Spread Beyond India Spread in India Basic Ideas Powerful kings in India,

Asoka became Buddhist in 200 BC and began to work on spreading Buddhism to areas outside India

Buddhist missionaries spread the religion to other kingdoms in Asia

Eventually Buddhism spread via the Silk Road into China, Korea, and Japan

South east Asia near Himalayas

Other Areas: Sir Lanka, Myanmar, Persia, Syria, and Egypt

After Buddha’s death around 483 BC, 500 followers gathered together. They wanted to make sure Buddha’s teachings were remembered

Buddha’s followers spread his teachings throughout India

Within 200 years of Buddha’s death, his teachings had spread through most of India

Largest Buddhist population was around the city of Bodh Gava in Northeast India near the Ganges River Delta

Basic ideas came from the Vedas

Rituals were necessary for enlightenment

Fasting Meditation Reincarnation Nivarna – state of perfect peace Opposed Caste System (The

Varnas) Buddhism made people feel

they had the power to change their lives

The Noble Truths page 138 The Eightfold Path page 139

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Indian Empires

The Big Idea

The Mauryas and the Guptas built great empires in India.

Main Ideas

• The Mauryan Empire unified most of India.

• Gupta rulers promoted Hinduism in their empire.

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Candragupta Maurya

• Candragupta seized control of northern India and created a society dominated by war.

• Candragupta became a Jainist monk and gave up his throne.

Asoka

• The grandson of Candragupt extended Mauryan rule over most of India.

• Asoka converted to Buddhism and stopped waging war, choosing instead to rebuild cities and spread Buddhist teachings.

Mauryan Rule

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Gupta Empire

• After the decline of the Mauryan Empire, India remained primarily Buddhist for 500 years.

• Under the rule of Candra Gupta I, India became unified and prosperous again.

• Gupta rulers spread Hinduism in their empire through the building of temples and the promotion of Hindu writings and rituals.

• Widespread religious tolerance was encouraged for Buddhists and Jainists.

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Economy and Culture

The Caste System

Social Ramifications

GrowthUnder Candra Gupta II, the Gupta Empire reached the height of its power. It spread across northern India and prospered.

The economy boomed, allowing citizens the time and money to create great works of art and literature.

It was believed that keeping citizens under strict caste rule would stabilize the empire.

Women in the caste system were not seen as equals and had few basic rights.

Candra Gupta II

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Time Line

• 320 BC Candragupta Maurya becomes the first Mauryan emperor.

• 301 BC Candragupta Maurya relinquishes the throne to become a Jainist monk.

• 270 BC Asoka becomes the second Mauryan emperor.

• 261 BC Asoka’s empire gains great power, and he leaves to become a Buddhist.

• AD 375 Candra Gupta I invades and conquers northern India and brings Hinduism, prosperity, and a strict caste system back into popular culture.

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Chapter 5 Section 4 pages 142-145 Indian Empires

Empire Ruler Achievement

Mauryan 1.Candragupta2.Asoka

Founded the Mauryan Empire Ruled through a network of spies and an army

of more than 600,000 soldiers Expanded the empire across most of India Converted to Buddhism and abandoned war Had wells dug and roads built throughout the

empire Helped spread Buddhism

Gupta 1.Candra I2.Samudra 3.Candra II

Founded the Gupta Empire and conquered much of Northern IndiaExpanded the empire to the Ganges River Valley through wars of conquestExpanded the Gupta Empire throughout much of IndiaHelped the empire prosper economicallyOversaw a period of great productivity in arts and literature

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Indian Achievements

The Big Idea

The people of ancient India made great contributions to the arts and sciences.

Main Ideas

• Indian artists created great works of religious art.

• Sanskrit literature flourished during the Gupta period.

• The Indians made scientific advances in metalworking, medicine, and other sciences.

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• Both Hindu and Buddhist temples began flourishing under Gupta rule.

• Once simply constructed meeting places, Hindu temples became complex towers covered with intricate carvings.

• Buddhist temples were large and impressive, some carved out of mountainsides.

• Buddhist stupas were built to house sacred objects from the life of the Buddha. They were covered with detailed carvings.

Religious Art: Temples

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• Great artists were commissioned by rich and powerful members of society.

• Paintings offered a perspective on the daily life and religious belief of the ancient Indians; many of these paintings could be found on the walls of temples.

• Indian sculptors carved columns, statues, and entire temples in the likenesses of the Buddha and Hindu gods.

Religious Art: Paintings and Sculpture

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Mahabharata

• One of the world’s longest literary works

• The story of two Indian families struggling for control of a kingdom

• Many long passages of Hindu beliefs and practices

Ramayana

• The story of a god, Vishnu, who has taken human form

• Written long after the Mahabharata; contains models for the ideal ruler (Rama) and the ideal mate (Sita)

Sanskrit Literature

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Sanskrit Literature

• Chadra Gupta II hired a famous writer named Kalidasa to write plays for the royal court.

• The Panchatantra, a book of stories intended to teach moral lessons and quick thinking, was translated into many languages.

Other Works

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Mathematics

Medicine

Astronomy

MetalworkingPioneers of metallurgy, the Indians created tools and weapons by mixing iron and other metals together.

The Indians invented the concept of zero and developed a sophisticated number system, the Hindu-Arabic numerals.

Using plants and minerals, Indian doctors made advances in medicinal science. They were among the first to practice inoculation and perform surgery.

Indian astronomers knew of seven about the nine planets in the solar system and could predict eclipses of the sun and moon.

Scientific Advances

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Chapter 5 Section 5 pages 147-151 Indian AchievementsDetails About Achievements

Religious Art Hindu and Buddhist temples Ajanta temple Stupas Carvings and sculptures of gods Monumental statues Wall and ceiling paintings of life in India and god

Sanskrit Literature MahabharataRamayanaBhagavad GitaKalidsaa’s playsPanchatantra

Scientific Advances MetallurgyAlloysIron PillarHindu-Arabic numeralsZeroMedical textbooksInoculation Astronomical knowledge

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