India’s climate and geography… a review India is a subcontinent, meaning that it has its own distinct climate and geography which is different from its Middle Eastern neighbors to the west or its Asian neighbors to the east. India has 2 main mountain ranges in the North which have served to protect it throughout history: a.) Hindu Kush b.) Himalaya’s These 2 mountain ranges have a break between them known as the Khyber pass. The Indian subcontinent has 2 river systems which have been primary in importance to the development of civilization. These are the INDUS, AND GANGES rivers. The central portion of India is composed of the Deccan plateau, and its associated smaller streams which has carved large areas out to bring a sharp contrast between arid landscapes in others, and small areas of moist vegetation. The outer area of India is warm, wet and subtropical. The interior is warm and mostly dry. As you move North toward the Himalayan mountain range, the climate become cooler and dryer.

India’s climate continued… India’s climate is regulated by Monsoons – or “Seasonal Winds”. These winds regulate the climate of India. India has 2 different monsoons. A summer or wet monsoon that brings moister from the Arabian Sea into India as it blows in from the South and heads upland toward the mountains in the North of India. In the winter a 2 nd Monsoon arrives in India, and this monsoon is the “winter or dry” monsoon. In effect India has a wet or dry season which limit the scope of fall and spring and expand the yearly weather patterns into a summer – winter cycle.

The beginning of Indian Civilization Indian civilization began in Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, both of which were cities in excess of 35,000 people. These cities are important in world history for 2 reasons: a.) They were the earliest to plan the layout of the streets to favor a grid pattern with major roads running North to South and minor streets of allies running east to west. b.) Both cities developed the means to control their waste products and therein not pollute their source of clean water. The Indian civilization has a history within these 2 cities dating back to around 4,000 years ago. However, in about 1500 BC or 3500 years ago this would change with the Invasion of the Aryans.

The Aryans Q: Who were the Aryans? A: a group in “Indo-European” people who invaded India beginning about 1500 BC. The Aryans physically had dark hair, dark eyes, and a skin pigment just slightly darker than an olive complexion. The conquered native population of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were 3-4 shades darker. The Aryans as a people should not be confused with the idea of the Aryans and proposed by the Nazi’s in Germany. Adolph Hitler proposed that the “Aryan” was actually the perfect race of “blonde haired- blued eyed” Nordic individuals, when in fact they were a dark haired, dark eyed group in people from the Afghanistan/Pakistan region.

Aryan Culture and the Caste System After conquering India in 1500 BC, the Aryans taught the native people their language which is known as Sanskrit. Sanskrit is an Indo-European language that is Semitic in origin and is closely related to Hebrew, Persian, Hindi and Greek. The Aryans also taught the people of India the basis for their religion which would eventually become the foundations for the religion known as Hinduism. The Aryans, after conquering India, instituted a system known as the “Caste System” – Which divided the population into classes. Each class was to be TOTALLY separate from the other class. Meaning there was little socialization, and NO INTERMARRIAGE between classes. The reason for this caste system was to ensure order and KEEP allow the Aryans to remain above their conquered people. Later the “caste system” would integrated into Indian religion in the form of reincarnation.

The Caste System

Indian Religion 2 Religions formed in Ancient India a.) Hinduism b.) Buddhism HINDUISM Hinduism has its roots in the Aryans who communicated their religious beliefs in a through a collection of hymns and religious ceremonies known as the Vedas. Hindu’s believe in the existence of a single creative force in the Universe called Brahman. In Hinduism it is the duty of every person to attempt to rejoin that creative force or god Brahman. In Hinduism there are over 33,000 deities or gods. There are 3 primary gods however: a.) Brahma – the creator b.) Vishnu – the preserver c.) Siva (shiva) – the destroyer There is also the god Ganesh, or the giver of life. Each god also has several incarnations or different appearences.

Buddhism Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama in the 6 th century BC. Later Siddhartha became known simply as “Buddha” or the enlightened one. Buddha practiced: a.) Ascetics b.) the “ 4 noble” truths. c.) The Middle Path

New Kingdoms in India The Mauryans a.) Chandragupta Maurya I.) II.) Paranoia (no bed twice, established divided state) b.) Asoka I.) Silk Road II.) Thuggies