Ancient India

Geography and Early India Geography of India Civilization developed on the Indian Subcontinent A Subcontinent is part of a continent that is separated from the rest of the continent by a barrier (Himalayas) The land of India has vast deserts, rugged plateaus, and fertile plains Major rivers, like the Indus and Ganges, provide fertile silt The climate is hot and humid and is influenced by monsoons (winds)

Geography and Early India Harappan Civilization This civilization developed around in the Indus River Valley We’ve learned a lot about this civilization from excavating the city of Mohenjo-Daro They were very advanced Had indoor plumbing Had a system of weights and measures Developed India’s first writing system Cared about physical appearance Played games Civilization ended mysteriously

Geography and Early India Aryan Migration After Harappan civilization ended, the Aryans migrated to India They came through the Khyber Pass We know a lot about the Aryans from the Vedas Religious writings that formed the foundation of Hinduism They lived in small villages with leaders called rajas They wrote/spoke sanskrit

Origins of Hinduism Indian Society Divides The Aryans had a system of dividing society into groups (caste system) Was based on birth, wealth, and jobs There were four main groups One other group was called The Untouchables They weren’t allowed in the caste system People were required to follow the rules, or sutras, of their caste If a person broke a rule, they became an untouchable

Origins of Hinduism Brahmanism Because the priests were called Brahmins, early Hinduism is called Brahmanism The religious beliefs were based on the Vedas Includes sacred hymns and poems Included guides to religious rituals

Origins of Hinduism Hinduism Develops Overtime, the beliefs of the people blended to form Hinduism The largest religion in India today They have many important beliefs Believe in many gods (polytheistic) Have a single universal spirit called Brahman Believe in Reincarnation Karma determines what happens to a person’s soul

Origins of Hinduism Groups React to Hinduism Jainism Sikhism Based on teachings of Mahavira Followed four basic principals Practiced nonviolence Therefore are vegetarians Sikhism Based on teachings of Guru Nanak Blended Hindu and Islamic beliefs Believed in only one God Like Muslims, they pray five times a day Are expected to wear five items at all times

Origins of Buddhism Siddhartha’s Search for Wisdom Was a sheltered prince who was supposed to be king He traveled around outside the palace he saw people in pain, who were sick, and were dying He gave up all his wealth and become a monk

Origins of Buddhism He spent his days fasting and meditating He wanted to understand why life was filled with suffering After meditating for 7 weeks, Siddhartha discovered the answer to why people suffer Earned the nickname Buddha Which means Enlightened One

Origins of Buddhism Teachings of Buddhism Four Noble Truths Life is filled with suffering People suffer because they want things To stop suffering, people should stop wanting things To stop wanting things, people should follow the Eightfold Path

Origins of Buddhism Teachings of Buddhism Eightfold Path Was the right way to live life The Middle Way Was a way of living that was not too hard nor too easy Was opposed to the caste system Wanted people to achieve Nirvana Perfect state of peace

Origins of Buddhism Buddhism Spreads After Buddha’s death, his teachings spread throughout all of India A powerful king, Asoka, became Buddhist and worked to spread Buddhism He sent missionaries to spread the religion Buddhism spread to Central Asia and East Asia Overtime, different two branches of Buddhism formed Theravada and Mahayana

Indian Empires Mauryan Empire Unifies India After Candragupta Maurya united northern India, he started the Mauryan Empire It had a complex government with a huge network of spies and over 600,000 soldiers Collected huge taxes from farmers Asoka became king after his grandfather He converted to Buddhism and helped the religion grow He worked to improve life in India After his death, the empire ended

Indian Empires Gupta Rulers Promote Hinduism After the Mauryan Empire ended, the Gupta dynasty took over Indian civilization flourished under Gupta rule The Gupta rulers were Hindu and so Hinduism became the main religion in India They also supported other religious beliefs The rulers made the caste system an even greater part of life

Indian Achievements Religious Art/Sanskrit Literature During the Mauryan and Gupta periods, the Indians created great works of art Both Buddhists and Hindus built great temples Include some of the finest paintings and statues of ancient India Two of the most famous epics (stories) were written during this time Mahabharata and Ramayana

Indian Achievements Scientific Advances Indian scholars where known for their many advancements They were the first experts of metallurgy They were able to mix metals to make alloys They developed a numeral system They were the first to use zero Doctors developed medical textbooks and learned how to prevent disease by inoculation In astronomy, they had identified 7 planets, knew the sun was a star, and knew Earth rotated

Study Guide for Chapter 6 Know the geography of the Indus River Valley (mountains, seas, and rivers) Know about Harappan Civilization Know how both religions were started Know key terms (vedas, dharma, Karma) Understand the major beliefs of both religions Study notes!