1. Ch. 3 “India”
3000 BC to AD 500

2. Cultural Hearth:
The Indus River Valley
Between B.C.

3. Isolated by Himalayas

4. Indus River Valley Geography Early cities Isolated by Himalayas
Large rivers, prone to flooding (not good)
Monsoons
Grew wheat, dates, barley and melons
Early cities
Walled with citadels
Harappa and Mohenjo Daro
Strong central government
Disappearance a mystery

5. Monsoon a seasonal wind pattern in Southern Asia.
it blows warm, moist air from the southwest during the summer, bringing heavy rains, & cold, dry air from the northeast during the winter

7. 1st Civ: Mohenjo Daro and Harappa

8. Vedic Age Indo-Aryan invasions New social classes based on race
Came from the west
Start of the Vedic Age
Worshipped natural spirits/gods
Brahmin priests
New social classes based on race
Brought language
Sanskrit

10. Harappan House

11. Public Bath

15. Evidence of Advanced Civilization
Carefully planned streets
public wells
advanced drainage
and trash systems
extensive trade of imports and exports

17. Mohenjo Daro Today

18. 1500 BC Aryan Invasion

19. Indus civilization disappears
Possible Reasons:
A. Trade with Mesopotamia seemed to have ended
B. Invasion/migration of Aryans into the Indus River Valley

20. Aryan Culture Develops
Sanskrit - the first writing system of the Aryans, developed around 1000 B.C.

23. Aryans social institutions
Caste system – a set of rigid categories in ancient India that determined a person’s occupation & economic potential as well as his or her position in society, based partly on skin color

24. Vocabulary 1. Brahmans - priest class 2. Kshatriyas - warriors
3. Vaisyas - commoners
4. Shudras - peasants
5. Untouchables - trash collector & morticians
6. Caste – one of the five major divisions of Indian classes in ancient times

25. Religions Hinduism Upanishads and epics Bhagavad-Gita Caste system
Monistic – everything is connected to everything
World is an illusion and humans can only escape through cycles of reincarnation
Nirvana is the goal.

27. Karma – in Hinduism, the force generated by a person’s actions that determines how the person will be reborn in the next life.
Dharma – in Hinduism, the divine law that rules karma, it requires all people to do their duty based on their status in society

29. Ancient Indian Dynasties
Mauryan dynasty
Very strict control over their territory
India is unified
Adopted Buddhism
Gupta dynasty
Territory much smaller
Adopted Hinduism
Chandra Gupta II
Invasions from central Asia

30. Buddhism Founded in India around the 5th century BC.
Based around the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)
Key teachings – the “Four Noble Truths” and the “Eightfold Path.”
Attempt to reach enlightenment through elimination of suffering.

33. The Maurya Empire
324 BC – 183 BC

34. Ancient Indian Culture
Food surplus was used to trade with other civilizations
Very limited women’s rights
Education was very advanced
Nalanda university
Mathematics
Algebra and number system
Medicine
Inoculation
Free hospitals

35. Asoka (304 – 232 BC)
Religious conversion after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in BC.
Dedicated his life to Buddhism and converted because he was tired of the Empire’s violent ways.
Built extensive roads.