Today 9/17 & 9/18 Day 1 Quiz on Chapters 1 and 2 Lecture Exit Objective: You will be able to discuss how religion influenced most aspects of the development of classical India(Theme 2 & 5)

Chapter 3 Classical India

Khyber Pass

Vedic and Epic Ages Pre Classical – Formative time period Important building blocks of the Indian Identity Aryans enter stage left – Developed a more organized society Caste System beginning to develop – More Agriculture  move to the Ganges Writing – Vedas, Mahabharata, Upanishads (means “to sit in front of”)

Indian Identity More culturally diverse due to geography…makes political unity difficult The developing religion doesn’t foster unity but individuality Encouraged patriarchal control, tight-knit families/communities No single language – Sanskrit promoted as language of educated (minimal)

Hinduism A very fluid religion Aryans brought a religion of many gods and goddesses – Very natural – The importance of monkeys and cattle already developing Central focus on Moral law – Dharma – Inner study and meditation Rather than fixed moral code

Hinduism Cont. The desire to live in the world and reach higher spiritual goals – Everyone must meet the obligation in their life Caste System – Justified as a framework for the duties of the world to be carried out

Caste System

The Spread of Hinduism Discuss the Spread of Hinduism Allowed many people to keep old beliefs Gave lower class people hope of a better life through reincarnation Eventually all of India but not strong anywhere else

Buddhism Started as a rebellion against Hinduism Siddhartha Gautama – Kept some beliefs of Hinduism and not others The Four Noble Truths + Noble Eightfold Path = Religious goal of Nirvana Buddha is divine It was a threat to the established Hindu way of life

The Spread of Buddhism Discuss the spread of Buddhism Unlike Hinduism the spread of Buddhism travelled out of India – Monks – As it spread it stayed relatively universal with some variation

Take time to compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism

Jainism Believe in Karma, Dharma and Moksha Expected to following five principle of living: – Non Violence – Speak the truth – No stealing – Only one spouse – Avoid excess

Mauryan ( BCE) Chandragupta: first to unify much of India Autocratic – Increased government control over regional kingdoms There were 16 of them by 600BCE Emphasis on military strength Falls after Ashoka Primary impact is the strengthening of Buddhism Controls larger empire than subsequent rulers Tried to be a unified Dynasty but it was not ingrained enough to last

Ashoka Most important ruler in Classical India – Brutal military commander who extended the Empire throughout S. and E. India Battle of Kalinga BCE – Hundreds of thousands died or were pushed out of their homes Ashoka and many Indian leaders converted to Buddhism after this battle – He spent the rest of his life encouraging non-violence moderation

Guptas (320 – 535 CE) No single great leader – More stable through negotiation and Marrying off daughters Utilized regional alliances and intermarriage – Women also lost some power Promoted belief in divine conveyance of authority Hinduism is the favored religion Uniformed code of laws No bureaucracy – Regional alliance Silk Road served Gupta, Han, Rome and Persia Dynasties Decline caused by the rulers extravagant living and the Huns being able to invade

Economy Agricultural based society Grew Rice, Pepper, Wheat, Barley, Mustard, Sugar Cane, Medicinal Roots The family is the economic unit Improvements and Innovations New canals and irrigation renovated major roads built towns for spinning & weaving uniform system of currency, weights and measures Increased trade by uniting India India traded silk, cotton, and spices to Mesopotamia, China, Egypt and Rome

Intellectual/Art Some great pieces of literature were written – Common themes of love and heroics Science and Math – One of the worlds 1 st university – Sterilization and clean – Small pox vaccine – Number system still in use (0) Art – Stupa: spherical shrines to Buddha

Problems The tradition here unlike China is not Centralization but instead regionalism – Diversity is the word – Everything from Hinduism to Government Styles HOWEVER, Hinduism is strong enough to keep the India Identity from being destroyed as Classical India ends

How did the Hindu doctrine of dharma impact Indian society? a)It fostered the formation of rigid social and economic groups b)It was the basis of equality under the law between men and women c)It initiated an integrated economic system to aid merchants

Today: 9/19 & 9/20 Day 2 Practice Question Reading Quiz Finish any lecture Caste Debate Chart of India Exit Objective: You will be able to discuss how religion influenced most aspects of the development of classical India(Theme 2 & 5)