1. Indus River Civilization
Ancient India
Indus River Civilization

2. 2500 B.C. 1st cities = Harappa & Mahenjo-Daro Far apart, but alike:
Streets in grid (N-S/E-W)
Bath houses, shops, walls of oven-fired bricks
Evidence of careful centralized planning
Oct-May = DRY
Monsoon air
Spring = WET
Monsoon air

3. 1500 B.C. Aryans (“the nobles”) invade through the Khyber Pass
Characteristics:
Nomadic herders
No writing system (priests preserved culture by memorization)

4. 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.: Hinduism
New culture (blending of Indus Valley Civilization & Aryan)
Hinduism
Vedas = 4 collections of religious hymns
Upanishads = Hindu teachers who interpreted & explained the Vedas
Brahman = mighty spirit that creates & destroys
Self/soul = “Atman;” it is everywhere
Reincarnation = passing of inner self from body to body
Moksha = state of perfect understanding; won’t suffer any more reincarnations because Atman merges with Brahman
Hindu God, Vishnu

5. 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.: Castes
Castes = 100s of groups “created” from the body of a Hindu God
Passed on…from parent to child (occupation)
Untouchables = lower than servants; outcasts
Karma = ethical law; if you are moral, you will be born into a higher caste next time around; if you are immoral, you will be born into a lower caste
Dharma = duty of each caste (ex. Warrior is to fight, kill, be killed)

6. 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.: Buddhism
Buddhism = idea that even a lowborn person can escape the cycle of death/rebirth (founded by Siddhartha Gautama)
Four Noble Truths:
1. Everything in life is suffering & sorrow
2. Cause of all pain is people’s self-centered desires
3. Way to end all pain is to end all desires
4. People can overcome desires & attain enlightenment by following the eightfold path…
Eightfold Path = attain enlightenment & reach nirvana by…
1. Right knowledge 5. Right living
2. Right purpose 6. Right effort
3. Right speech 7. Right mindfulness
4. Right action 8. Right meditation