1. Ancient India

2. Let’s practice note taking using the 40/60 note taking method.
Fold your paper with 40/60%. Write the keywords down on the 40% side of the paper, leaving enough space between to add notes.
On the 60% side of the paper, go back and add notes.

3. Keywords Indus River Civilization Harappan Civilization Area today
Major cities
Mohenjo-Daro

4. Look at the physical map of Southern Asia
Look at the physical map of Southern Asia. Where do you think ancient civilizations may have been located? Why?

5. If you said river valleys you are correct
If you said river valleys you are correct. Why would ancient civilizations settle along these river banks?

6. Developed in the Indus River Valley
Indus River Civilization
also called Harappan Civilization
Developed in the Indus River Valley
Area of what is today Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

7. 3000 BCE to 1500 BCE
It existed at about the same time as the Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations.
Review …
Where was the Sumerian civilization located?
What does BCE stand for?

8. Two major cities – Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa Mohenjo-Daro –
Means “Mound of the dead”
biggest settlement found in valley
More than 35,000 people lived there

9. Keywords
Mohenjo-Daro
Script
Destroyed and rebuilt
End

10. Mohenjo-Daro Pictographic type script Destroyed and rebuilt 7 times
Over 4000 different characters
however, has yet to be deciphered
Destroyed and rebuilt 7 times
each time new cities were built on top of the old ones –
possibly destroyed by flooding of the Indus – unlike the annual flooding of the Nile River the Indus River had unpredictable flooding

11. Ended around 1700 BC –
unknown causes
Based on your knowledge of other ancient civilizations, what do you think possible causes were?

12. Ended around 1700 BC –
unknown causes but theories include …
Change of course of river which supported civilization
Climate change – severe drought and rivers dried up
Conquered and destroyed by invaders

13. As we look at this ancient city, let’s try to find evidence of a civilization.
Can you remember what are the four elements of a civilization?
Surplus of food
Division of labor
Organized government or religion
Writing system

14. Variety of buildings built of baked mud and sun-dried bricks.
Evidence of an advanced society:
Planned layout of city based on grid system
Broad avenues with narrower streets
Must have had a centralized authority to plan such cities.
Variety of buildings built of baked mud and sun-dried bricks.

15. Most houses had wells to get fresh water.
Sophisticated houses with many rooms – some 2 stories high. Houses included spaces indicating a place for some type of doors and windows.
Advanced drainage systems - narrow drains can be found in the streets. Drains were built with a slight slope to allow dirty water to drain away from the city. Some drains had covers, just like ours today.
Most houses had wells to get fresh water.

16. Public bath – evidence of tar indicates there was a layer of tar to keep the water from leaking.
Also evidence of underground room with a type of “furnace” – believed to have been used to heat the water in the public bath.

17. Believed to be a statue of a priest King

18. These were seals. Most depict some type of animal.
Archaeologists believe only the wealthy would own a seal.
Believed to be seals because many impressions have been found on other objects such as pottery.

19. This intricate piece of jewelry indicates very skilled craftsmen – most likely a used as a belt or necklace and probably belonged to a person of great wealth.
Necklace made of gold and green stones, which were rare in this area. Therefore, probably a very rich person wore this necklace.

20. Share notes with partner
Summarize
List evidences of advanced civilization
Share notes with partner

21. Then came the Aryans …
Keywords
Aryans
Migrated
Language
Belief

22. Aryans People who migrated from southern Russia
The time of their arrival suggests they had something to do with the downfall of the Harappan civilization
Spoke the language of Sanskrit
Improved weapons and the introduction of the horse enabled them to rule northern India
Together with the Harappan people these two people created a new culture
Strong belief that people are NOT equal
What type of social system do you think this belief led to?

23. Then we see the beginning of a new religion!
Do you know what it might be?
Hinduism

24. Keywords
Hinduism
Vedas
Karma
Reincarnation
Caste system
Ganges River

25. Hinduism No founder … rather combination of Aryan and Harappan beliefs
Regarded as world’s oldest organized religion
Based on certain Aryan practices – chanting of hymns
For a long time passed down through oral tradition

26. The Vedas is the oldest known scripture
Eventually written down and became part of the Vedas (Book of Knowledge)
The Vedas is the oldest known scripture

27. Central ideas Karma and reincarnation
Karma – idea that one’s actions determines what will happen after one’s death
Reincarnation – after death, one’s soul is reborn into a different body

28. Caste – inherited social class …determines one’s job, marriage partner, and friends … influenced by Aryan’s belief that people are NOT created equal
priests
Warriors, princes
Merchants, landowners, farmers
Laborers, peasants, servants

29. 4 major classes And then the
Untouchables – inferior to the 4 major classes – did work that no one else would do – shunned by other classes
priests
Warriors, princes
Merchants, landowners, farmers
Laborers, peasants, servants

30. Caste System
Today – still prevalent, but government working to reduce

31. The Hindus believe cows are sacred and do not eat their meat!
Did you know …
The Aryans judged a man’s wealth based on the head of cattle he owned. Therefore, Aryans protected their cattle from harm.
Do you know what this might have led to?
The Hindus believe cows are sacred and do not eat their meat!

32. Winding 1560 miles from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean … the sacred Ganges River

33. Known as Ganga Ma - Mother Ganges
Sacred to the Hindus –
Known as Ganga Ma - Mother Ganges
the river is considered as a goddess whose purity
cleanses the faithful from their sins and
aids the dead on their path toward heaven.

34. According to Hindu mythology …
“The Ganges was once a river of heaven that flowed across the sky. Long ago, she agreed to fall to earth to aid a king named Bhagiratha. His ancestors had been burned to ash by the angry gaze of an ascetic they had disturbed during meditation. Only the purifying waters of Ganges, flowing over their ashes, could free them from the earth and raise them up to live in peace in heaven. However, the flow of the heavenly river might shatter the earth, so Lord Shiva caught Ganges in his hair as she cascaded down from heaven to the Himalyas. Ganges then followed Bhagiratha out of the mountains, across the plains to the sea, where she restored his dead ancestors and lifted them to paradise.”

35. It is from this story comes the Hindu ritual of depositing the ashes of their dead into the Ganges. “Just as the Ganges brought to life the ashes of Bhagiratha’s ancestors, so all Hindus believe that if the ashes of their dead are deposited in the river, they will be ensured a smooth transition to the next life, or freed from the cycle of death and rebirth. Hindus may travel great distances to scatter the ashes of loved ones in the Ganges.”

36. Even sacred dips right along side cattle!
“Hindus also believe that the Ganges’ divine waters purify those who immerse themselves in her. In cities along the river, daily dips are an important ritual among the faithful.”
Even sacred dips right along side cattle!

37. “Many cities are considered sacred and serve as pilgrimage sites.”

38. The Ganges is also used for washing laundry!

39. What might the Ganges be like today?
Used as a burial site … bathing … laundry … dipping for spiritual cleansing – humans and cattle!
What might the Ganges be like today?
Polluted!

40. Then, with an Indian prince we see the beginning of another new religion.
Buddhism

41. Keywords
Buddhism
Gautama
Influence
The Middle Way

42. Indian Prince - Siddhartha Gautama
Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian prince born into wealth and luxury. One day he left his palace and walked among his people and for the first time saw sickness and poverty. He wanted to understand what caused human suffering. Therefore, he gave up everything, all pleasures and comforts. However, he was still not happy.

43. One day he sat down under a tree and vowed not to move until he understood. Without food for days he nearly died; however, soon he was enlightened. He understood that it is not wealth and luxury or poverty that brought happiness, rather it was the Middle Way. He began teaching others this Middle Way and soon they began calling him the Buddha, which means Enlightened One.

44. He taught that by putting aside your ego, you could escape the cycle of death and rebirth and reach Nirvana. The path to Nirvana could be found through meditation and karma.

45. Siddhartha Gautama teachings
Influenced by Hindu beliefs (such as Karma and reincarnation)
Rejected caste system
4 Noble Truths and Eightfold path – The Middle Way
Ponder…
1 – Why did Gautama keep some of the Hindu beliefs and reject others?
2 – Why would Buddhism be attractive to people, especially to people of India?

46. 4 Noble Truths Truth of suffering Truth of Cause Truth of Extinction
Life is full of pain
Truth of Cause
Suffering comes from desire for possessions
Truth of Extinction
If people stop desiring possessions, they will no longer suffer
Truth of the Path
Eliminate the suffering step by step, thus – the eightfold path

47. Eightfold path Knowing the truth Trying to resist evil
Saying nothing to hurt others
Respecting life, what is right (morality), and property
Holding a job that does not injure others
Trying to free one’s mind of evil
Controlling one’s feelings and thoughts
Practicing proper forms of concentration

48. To sum up …

49. Stupas … a Buddhist “spiritual monument”

50. A stupa is a monument shaped in the form of the sitting Buddha
A stupa is a monument shaped in the form of the sitting Buddha. It's a place of devotion and prayer.
These sacred sites are scattered across India, Nepal, and Tibet as well as South East Asian countries.

51. However, this one is located elsewhere …
Sedona, Arizona

52. Some are small
Some are large …

53. Do you see any similarities to other religions we have studied?

54. Ancient Indian Dynasties
First, let’s review … what is a dynasty?
A sequence of rulers from the same family or group

55. Keywords
Dynasties
Maurya
Ashoka
Gupta
Contributions

56. Indian Dynasties Maurya – 4th and 3rd centuries BCE
Descendants of Aryans
1st to unite Indian subcontinent
Contributed to spread of Buddhism

57. Most famous emperor Ashoka
After seeing the great despair of war, he turned to Buddhism and set out to spread the faith

58. Extent of Mauryan Empire – at its peak under Ashoka

59. Gupta Dynasty

60. Gupta Dynasty
Ruled during the Golden Age of India
Decimal numeral system, including concept of zero and infinity, invented symbols 1 - 9
1st to propose the earth was round

61. Other contributions of Ancient India …
… cotton clothing

62. … and the game of chess!

63. India became a crossroads of culture.
What do you think this means?
Why would India be a crossroads of culture?
Which cultures?

64. Keywords
Crossroads
Why
What
Who
Traded

65. Crossroads – place where people, goods, and ideas from many areas come together

66. Because of physical location, became a crossroads for trading routes

67. Either by land or by sea - travelers from China, Africa, Europe and the Middle East crossed over and stopped in India during their travels

68. Crossroads of Culture
Goods, ideas, knowledge, and religious beliefs spread

69. Just a bit more and then we’re finished!

70. Kalidasa Ancient India’s most famous poet and playwright
170 BC and before 634 AD

71. Ponder…
Many of his writings were on the subject of forbidden love – the love between two people of different classes. Why do you think this was a favorite subject for him and those who enjoyed his writings?

72. Keywords Spice Islands and Spice Trade Area today Effect on India
Decline

73. What is now Indonesia and islands off the coast of East Africa - Zanzibar, Mafia, and Pemba

74. Spice Islands
For hundreds of years, spices were considered luxury commodities, thus this spice trade made India a very rich country
Decline of spice trade - once France and Britain smuggled seeds from India and began growing these spices in their own colonies, they no longer needed to trade with India for these commodities

75. Believe it or not …
The End!!!
Continue to words to know …

76. Words, people, and places to know…
Indus River Civilization
4 Noble Truths
Harappan Civilization
Eightfold Path
Mohenjo-Daro
Dynasties
Harappa
Mauryan Dynasty
Aryans
Ashoka
Hinduism
Gupta Dynasty
Vedas
Crossroads
Karma
Kalidasa
Reincarnation
Spice Islands
Caste System
Ganges River
Untouchables
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama

77. Words, people, and places to know…
Indus River Civilization – ancient civilization found along the Indus River in what is today Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India
Harappan Civilization – another name for the Indus River Civilization
Mohenjo-Daro – ancient city of the Indus River Civilization
Harappa – ancient city of the Indus River Civilization
Aryans – people who migrated from southern Russia into the Indus River Valley
Hinduism – world’s oldest religion, believes in Karma and reincarnation

78. Words, people, and places to know…
Vedas – holy book of Hinduism
Karma – an idea that one’s actions determines what will happen after one’s death
Reincarnation – after death, one’s soul is reborn into a different body
Caste System – inherited social class
Untouchables – class of people inferior to the 4 major classes
Buddhism – religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama, believes in karma and reincarnation, rejected caste system, guided by 4 noble truths and eightfold path

79. Words, people, and places to know…
Siddhartha Gautama – Indian prince who became Buddha and founded Buddhism
4 Noble Truths – 4 truths to guide Buddhists in everyday life in order to reach Nirvana
Eightfold Path – instructions to guide Buddhists in everyday life in order to reach Nirvana
Dynasties – a sequence of rulers from the same family or group
Mauryan Dynasty – first dynasty to unite all of the Indian subcontinent and helped spread Buddhism
Ashoka – famous emperor of Mauryan dynasty

80. Words, people, and places to know…
Gupta Dynasty – ancient Indian dynasty that ruled during the Golden Age of Ancient India
Crossroads – place where people, goods, and ideas from many places come together
Kalidasa – famous ancient India poet and playwright
Spice Islands – islands of present-day Indonesia and off the coast of East Africa where spices were grown and traded with Europeans
Ganges River – river in India important to Hindus – believe water purifies one from sins and aids dead with transition to another body or heaven