ANCIENTINDIAANCIENTINDIA

South Asia

Map of India (Page 107) Indus River Ganges River Arabian Sea Indian Ocean Bay of Bengal Himalayas Hindu Kush Thar Desert Deccan Plateau

The Thar Desert  The Great Indian Desert  feet in elevation.  Up to 127ºF in July.

The Deccan Plateau  31,800 square miles in size.  Elevation range: 2,000 – 8,000 feet high.  From the Sanskrit word, “dakshina” [“the south”].

Hindu Kush

I.The Indus and Ganges River Valleys A.Introduction 1.The land of India is separated from the rest of the world by a great wall. 2.This great wall is the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world. B.India’s Geographic Setting 1.India juts out into the Indian Ocean. 2.Like all ancient cultures, geography played a huge role in India’s history. 3.The monsoons dominate India’s climate. 4.India depends on the summer monsoon for rain. 5.Passes through the mountains allowed migration and invasion. 6.The Indus River and the Ganges River make farming possible in India.

C.Life in the Indus River Valley 1.Mohenjo-Daro was one the most famous cities in ancient India. (now present day Pakistan) 2.Unlike most ancient cities, Mohenjo- Daro was a carefully planned city. 3.Canals were dug in the city to help protect against flooding. 4.Merchants and artisans sold goods in shops that lined the streets. 5.Evidence suggests that these people were polythestic. 6.This early people began to decline around 1500 B.C.

The Indus River System 1,975 miles long

D.A New Culture Arises 1.The Aryans swept into India from central Asia. 2.The Aryan culture mixed with the original inhabitants of India. 3.The Aryan culture gradually spread into the Ganges Valley as well. 4.Religious books called Vedas tell us about early Aryan life. 5.The Aryans organized their society into distinct social classes. 6.By 500 B.C. a caste system developed. 7.There is still a caste system in India today.

The Ganges River System 1,560 miles long

“Mata Ganga” (Mother Ganges)

II.Hinduism in Ancient India A.Introduction 1.Prayers are found in the Aryan Vedas. 2.Shiva and Rudra were important gods. B.The Beginnings of Hinduism 1.Hinduism developed from the blending of many ideas and beliefs. 2.Hinduism became very complex over time. 3.Hinduism is one of the world’s major religions. 4.Hinduism has no single founder. 5.The gods and goddesses of Hinduism stand for different parts of brahman. 6.An avatar is the form of the Hindu gods. 7.Vishnu and Shiva are important Hindu gods. 8.Vishun is a kindly god. 9.Shiva is responsible for both the creative and destructive forces of nature.

C.The Teachings of Hinduism 1.All Hindus share certain beliefs. 2.The Upanishads is in the form of questions and answers. 3.Hindus believe in the idea of reincarnation. 4.Actions of a person in this life affect his or her life in the next. 5.A Hindu must always obey his or her dharma. (duties) D.The Practice of Hinduism 1.Hinduism allows its followers to worship in various ways. 2.For Hindus, there are many yogas that may be used as paths to brahman. 3.Hindus often have a home altar.

Reincarnation