History of India

Standard  SSWH2 The student will identify the major achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE. Element  a. Describe the development of Indian civilization; include the rise and fall of the Maurya Empire, the “Golden Age” under Gupta, and the emperor Ashoka.  e. Explain how the geography of the Indian Subcontinent contributed to the movement of people and ideas.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. Harappan Civilization - Indus River The ruins of Mohenjo-Daro; Indus Valley

 Indian Subcontinent  Between Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf  India, Bangladesh and Pakistan  Himalayas block India from rest of Asia  Societal Effects:  Little invasion b/c of natural barriers  Favorable to trade b/c of access to H2O and large, rough coastline.

 Resources:  Tea  Spices  Opium (poppy seed)  Cotton  Societal Effects:  promoted trade  encouraged imperialism (from the industrializing west)

 Himalayas  Hindu Kush (Khyber Pass)  West/East Ghats  Societal Effects:  Protection and isolation from foreigners  Aryans= only significant land invasion

 Indus  Ganges  Brahmaputra  Societal Effects:  Provide fertile soil  Sites of ancient river valley civilizations (Indus)  Holy river for Hinduism (Ganges)

 Varies with each region  Monsoons  Societal Effects:  Winter monsoons blow dry air from NE west across the country  Summer monsoons shift winds and bring moisture and floods  No summer monsoons= drought

 Deccan Plateau  Thar Desert  Societal Effects:  Plateau= most of the peninsula  Monsoons interfere w/everyday living  Desert= provides a natural barrier in the NW corner of India

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS IN INDIA  As far back as 200,000 years ago  Debates surround how far back Harappan civilization stretches.  Earliest strata indicates that by 2500 B.C.E., Harappan civilization was well established.

Indus Valley Civilizations

Indus River Valley Civilization BCE Two City States and many smaller villages Harappa Mohenjo-Daro Both had – centrally planned cities – city walls – Public buildings – granaries – toilets, wells, drainage system – brick lined sewers in the streets

Politics Governed by Priest Kings Indus Valley script never been translated Little known about: Lifestyle Belief system We rely on architecture

Indus Valley Economy Agricultural cotton and food crops Industry = textiles Irrigation Canals Crafts, i.e. clay figurines gold, silver and copper jewelry

Social/Religion Polytheist nature gods fertility goddess important Priests/kings in villages had high importance Some merchants but mostly farmers

Farming on Indus 3,200 B.C. -ish Bigger than Egypt or Mesopotamia. Domesticated Poultry Sheep goats. Cotton by 5000 B.C.E. Harappa and Mohenjo- Daro were the major cities

2,500 B.C. in the western part of South Asia Referred as Harappan Civilization after its first discovered city, Harappa. Mohenjo-Daro = largest archaeological dig in region. Largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China. Not discovered until the 1920's. Most of its ruins, including major cities, remain to be excavated. The excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro. PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. Indus Valley civilization

Cities laid out in grid with a defendable citadel. Engineered sophisticated plumbing and sewage systems. Indoor plumbing w/showers and toilets Similarity in housing indicates little differences between social classes. Typical Harappan dwelling Culture

Standard  SSWH2 The student will identify the major achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE. Element  a. Describe the development of Indian civilization; include the rise and fall of the Maurya Empire, the “Golden Age” under Gupta, and the emperor Ashoka.  e. Explain how the geography of the Indian Subcontinent contributed to the movement of people and ideas.  List five facts that will help you remember this Element: 