The Indian Subcontinent and Ancient China

Geography of the Subcontinent India as a landmass joined Eurasia about 10 million years ago Today includes countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh

Geography Con’t Physical features –River systems Indus Ganges –Himalayas –Northern Plain –Deccan Plateau –Eastern and Western Ghats Phenomena –Monsoon Seasons Dry NE wind Sept- March Wet SW/SE storm June-Sept

Indus Valley Civilization Emerged around Indus River c 2500 BC Two Main sits of Harappa and Mohenjo- Daro

Indus Valley Civilization Con’t Archeological digs reveal well-planned cities laid out in grid pattern Houses had modern plumbing Merchants employed uniform weights and measures No written records, literature, very few historical accounts

Harappa street plan Extent of Indus valley Civilization Indus Script

Indus Valley Civilization Con’t Most people were farmers, growing mostly: wheat, barley, and dates First people to cultivate cotton and weave into cloth Traded with Civilizations as far away as Sumer Little known about their religion, venerated mother goddess figure

Decline and Aryan Invasion 1750 BC Aryan migration to subcontinent brings about decline of Indus Valley Civilization Scholars still not sure if invasion or slow cultural diffusion Originally Nomads

Aryan or Vedic Civilization Civilization expands to Ganges Valley and Northern Plain Displace original Indus Valley inhabitants called Dravidians Vedic Period lasts from 1500 BC BC Aryans compose the Vedas, oral and eventually written history and myths about Aryan Society

Vedic Caste System Society organized into Caste Caste is inherited at birth and is unchangeable Each caste performs a function for society

Hinduism Historically oldest religion Unbroken continuity of worship since before 3,000 BC Polytheistic in nature Two of many major texts –Mahabharata –Ramayana

Rama fighting Ravana Scene form the Mahabharata