EARLY INDIAChapter 4 Section 1
INDIA’s Geography Subcontinent: A large landmass that is part of a
continent. Most of the Indian subcontinent is occupied by the
country of India. The Indus River, home of one of the ancient world’s
great river valley civilizations, flows across the northwest edge of the Indian Subcontinent.
Three major geographic zones1. Far North are the Himalaya and Hindu
Kush(separate India from the rest of Asia)2. South is Deccan Plateau, receives less rain
that other parts of the subcontinent3. Northern Plains- where society first
developed in India.
3 rivers
1. Indus2. Ganges3. Brahmaputra
Enrich the soil of the plains, making it very fertile.
Monsoons
Heavy rains added to the fertility of the northern plains
Much of the rain was brought by seasonal winds/storms called Monsoons.
Summer months: monsoons winds from the southwest bring WARM air and heavy rains from the Indian Ocean.
**most of India’s annual rainfall occurs at this time**
Winter months: northeast monsoons blow cool, dry air from Central Asia, resulting in drier months.
Monsoons & First Civilizations
India’s first civilization depended upon the monsoons
Rain flooded rivers, which deposited fertile silt
Threat of devastation- how?
Historians date the beginnings of this civilization to 2500 BC
Two large cities discovered• Harappa• Mohenjo Daro “Mound of the Dead.”
First Civilizations
Indus settlements were well planned and carefully laid out
Streets ran in a grid pattern: NorthSouth, EastWest
CITADEL--a walled, elevated, fortress enclosed buildings such as granaries (A building for storing threshed grain), warehouses and meeting halls.
This planning suggests that a central authority held power over the civilization.
Economy & Society & Decline Relied on agriculture
and trade Traded goods with
nearby communities and distant civilizations
Civilization was a single society rather than a collection of independent city-states. (remember, what is a city-state?)
Indus Valley civilization thrived from 2500 BC to 2000 BC.
No one knows what led to the decline.
Evidence from Mohenjo Daro suggests that the city suffered repeated flooding.
The Vedic Period
• Sometime after 2000 BC, new people took control of India.
• This group is referred to as the Aryans: “Nobles”
• Vedas: Sacred writings• Include Aryan History and society• This time became known as the Vedic Period
• RAJAs: Leader of a group of villages banded together.
• - Primarily a war leader who was responsible for protecting the people.
• - Received payment for food and money.
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Varnas- Social Classes--Society was divided into 4 varnas—
Brahmins High Ranking, smallest, priests/teachers
Kshatriyas warriors and rulers
Vaisyas common people, traders, farmers, herders.
Sudras servants
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
• Over centuries, the four varnas were divided into hundreds of smaller divisions called CASTES
• Membership in a caste determined what jobs one could hold and whom one could marry.
• Social hierarchy developed in which some castes had more privileges than others.
• A group referred to as the UNTOUCHABLES: No protections of caste law and could perform only jobs that other castes did not, such as handling dead animals.
CHINA’S FIRST DYNASTIES Two Rivers:
Huang He & Yangzi
Both flow east to the
Yellow Sea
South: Rainy, rice North: Cooler/dryer,
wheat
SHANG Combination of rivers for
irrigation and fertile soils for planting allowed china to thrive
Relative isolation helped early civilization develop and grow
Based on archaeological discoveries, historians believe that civilization started around 9,000 years ago
1766 BCE Centered on Huang He
Valley
Ruled by strong monarchy Kings were surrounded by
a COURT: GATHERING OF
WEALTHY NOBLES Appointed governors to
distant parts of kingdom Large army, prevented
rebellions Largely agricultural
SHANG BELIEFS What we know comes from royal
tombs Most contained valuable items made
of bronze and jade Hundreds of sacrificed prisoners of
war buried with rulerStill needs riches and servants
SHANG BELIEFS ANCESTOR WORSHIP: OFFERED GIFTS
TO DECEASED IN ORDER TO KEEP THEM HAPPY AND FULFILLED IN AFTERLIFE
ORACLE BONES: INSCRIBED BITS OF ANIMAL BONE USED TO ATTAIN ADVICE FROM ANCESTORS
ZHOU DYNASTYTook over around 1100 BCE 1st period generally
peaceful Later, conflict moved the
kingdom east
Zhou concerned the Shang would not accept them, introduced idea of
MANDATE OF HEAVEN: GODS WOULD SUPPORT A JUST RULER, BUT NOT ALLOW ANYONE CORRUPT TO HOLD POWER
Shang overthrown because they had “lost gods’ favor”
Mandate of Heaven explained
DYNASTIC CYCLE: RISE AND FALL OF DYNASTIES IN CHINA
Adopted Iron Cities grew Canals,
transportation
NEW PHILOSOPHIES CONFUCIANISM
Treat others humanelyExpress love and respectConfucius sought to restore respect for
traditionRulers should treat subjects fairlySubjects should reward their ruler with
respect/loyaltyLed to rulers appointing well-informed
advisors
DAOISM DAOISM
Encourages people to retreat from laws of society
Yield to laws of natureDAO=THE WAY
○ Limitless force, part of all creation○ All things in nature are connected○ Find your place in nature, find harmony with
universeYin & Yang: balance, perfect harmony with
nature
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