Ancient Civilizations Indus River Valley India
Date: India 2500 B.C.E.-250 B.C.E.
Major Rivers India Indus River
Geographical Setting Arabian Sea Indian Ocean Monsoons Bay of Bengal Himalayan Mtns Hindu Kush Mtns Well Protected
Civilizations Indus River Valley Urban Planning 2 story homes w/plumbing and trash chutes Food storage Canals and ditches Disappeared Flood/Earthquake Aryan's – Tribal Raja's - Elected Chiefs Caste System
Religion Indus River No temples found Believe they worshipped a great god. Aryans Vedas Sacred Literature 4 Collections of prayers, magic spells, instructions for rituals Reincarnation Gods control nature Upanishads Oral Teachings composed by priests No temples, rituals preformed in open spaces. Brahmins – priests that preformed ceremonies Hinduism and Buddhism emerge
Government India Indus River Valley Priest Kings Strong central government Aryans Raja's - Tribal leader Royal Council
Leaders India Raja's
Written Language Pictographs Sanskrit
Social Classes Indo-Aryans Warriors, Priests Merchants, traders, farmers Peasants Marriage limited to social class Becomes rigid Caste system 4 Varnas Rulers & warriors Brahmins, priests & scholars Merchants, traders & farmers Untouchables Do unclean jobs Skinning of animals Preparation of the dead Later over 3000 levels Birth alone determined place in the caste – Outlawed now
Achievements—know three India City Planning Sewer System Written Language Irrigation Inoculations