Indus River Civilization Ancient India Indus River Civilization

2500 B.C. 1st cities = Harappa & Mahenjo-Daro Far apart, but alike: Streets in grid (N-S/E-W) Bath houses, shops, walls of oven-fired bricks Evidence of careful centralized planning Oct-May = DRY Monsoon air Spring = WET Monsoon air

1500 B.C. Aryans (“the nobles”) invade through the Khyber Pass Characteristics: Nomadic herders No writing system (priests preserved culture by memorization)

1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.: Hinduism New culture (blending of Indus Valley Civilization & Aryan) Hinduism Vedas = 4 collections of religious hymns Upanishads = Hindu teachers who interpreted & explained the Vedas Brahman = mighty spirit that creates & destroys Self/soul = “Atman;” it is everywhere Reincarnation = passing of inner self from body to body Moksha = state of perfect understanding; won’t suffer any more reincarnations because Atman merges with Brahman Hindu God, Vishnu

1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.: Castes Castes = 100s of groups “created” from the body of a Hindu God Passed on…from parent to child (occupation) Untouchables = lower than servants; outcasts Karma = ethical law; if you are moral, you will be born into a higher caste next time around; if you are immoral, you will be born into a lower caste Dharma = duty of each caste (ex. Warrior is to fight, kill, be killed)

1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.: Buddhism Buddhism = idea that even a lowborn person can escape the cycle of death/rebirth (founded by Siddhartha Gautama) Four Noble Truths: 1. Everything in life is suffering & sorrow 2. Cause of all pain is people’s self-centered desires 3. Way to end all pain is to end all desires 4. People can overcome desires & attain enlightenment by following the eightfold path… Eightfold Path = attain enlightenment & reach nirvana by… 1. Right knowledge 5. Right living 2. Right purpose 6. Right effort 3. Right speech 7. Right mindfulness 4. Right action 8. Right meditation