1. Ancient India and China
Chapter 4
Ancient India and China

2. India’s Geography
SUBCONTINENT: LARGE LANDMASS THAT IS PART OF A CONTINENT
Three Geographic Zones:
Far North, Himalayas
South: Deccan Plateau
In Between: Northern Plains
Where society first developed
Flood deposits from three Rivers
Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra

3. Monsoons MONSOONS: SEASONAL WINDS/ STORMS
Bring warm air, heavy rain from the Indian Ocean
Most of year’s rain
India’s first civilization depended on monsoons:
Rain flooded rivers, left fertile SILT! for crops
Balance between life & devastation

4. First Civlizations Beginnings around 2500 BCE
Two Cities discovered in 1920s
Harappa
Mohenjo Daro “Mound of the Dead”
Indus settlements were well planned and carefully laid out
Streets ran in grid patterns, NS, EW
CITADEL: walled, elevated, fortress enclosed buildings such as granaries, warehouses, meeting halls

5. Economy/Society/Decline
Relied on Agriculture
Civilization was a single society rather than a collection of independent city-states
Thrived: 2500 BC – 2000 BC
No one knows what led to decline
Mohenjo Daro suggests that the city suffered repeated flooding

6. Vedic Period Sometime after 2000 BC, new people took control:
ARYANS: “NOBLE”
VEDAS: SACRED WRITINGS
Include Aryan history
“Vedic Period”
RAJAS: leader of a group of villages banded together
War leader: responsible for protecting people
Received payment in food/money

7. Social Structure VARNAS: social classes
Society was divided into four Varnas:
BRAHMINS: highest ranking, smallest, priests, teachers
KSHATRIYAS: warriors and rulers
VAISYAS: common people: traders, farmers, herders
SUDRAS: servants

8. Social Structure
Over centuries, the four VARNAS were divided into hundred of divisions called
CASTES: MEMBERSHIP IN A CASTE DETERMINED WHAT JOBS ONE COULD HOLD AND WHOM ONE COULD MARRY
Social hierarchy developed in which some castes had more privileges than others
UNTOUCHABLES: NO PROTECTIONS OF CASTE LAW, COULD ONLY PERFORM JOBS OTHER CASTES DIDN’T WANT: HANDLING DEAD ANIMALS

9. Hinduism BRAHMAN: ETERNAL BEING THAT CREATED AND PRESERVES THE WORLD
Everything in the world is an aspect of Brahman
ATMAN: SOUL, shapes personality, can’t be destroyed, even by death
DEVAS: MANIFESTATIONS OF BRAHMAN help maintain order in nature
Ganesha: lord of wisdom
Lakshmi: grants wealth

10. Hinduism
Brahma the Creator
Vishnu the Preserver
Siva the Destroyer

11. Hinduism
REINCARNATION: (Samsara) The universe, and everyone in it are in a cycle of BIRTH, DEATH, REBIRTH
After death your ATMAN will be released from your body and reborn in another
The nature of your new life will be shaped by your:
KARMA: THE SUM EFFECT OF YOUR DEEDS AND ACTIONS IN LIFE

12. Hinduism MOKSHA: ESCAPE FROM THE CYCLE OF REBIRTH
Ultimate goal in life
Reunites fully with Brahman

13. Hinduism DHARMA: SPIRITUAL DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS
Vary based on class and station in life
Fulfilling one’s dharma allows a person to create good karma, avoid suffering, break free of cycle of rebirth

14. Religious Practices
Worship can take place anywhere – large temples, small village shrines, home
Temples:
priests might read from the Vedas
Images of Devas are carried before the people
Gifts fro Devas
Silently reflect on the world and nature
Yoga: teach people how to focus their bodies and minds
Meditation helps attain Moksha

15. Religious Practices Pilgrimage: religious journey
Ganges River, believed to flow from the feet of Vishnu and over the head of Siva
Bath in in the Ganges will purify them and remove bad Karma

16. China’s First Dynasties
Two Rivers:
Huang He & Yangzi
Both flow east to the
Yellow Sea
South: Rainy, rice
North: Cooler/dryer,
wheat

17. China’s First Dynasties
Combination of rivers for irrigation and fertile soils for planting allowed china to thrive
Relative isolation helped early civilization develop and grow
Based on archaeological discoveries, historians believe that civilization started around 9,000 years ago

18. Shang Dynasty 1766 BCE Centered on Huang He Valley
Ruled by strong monarchy
Kings were surrounded by a
COURT: GATHERING OF WEALTHY NOBLES
Appointed governors to distant parts of kingdom
Large army, prevented rebellions
Largely agricultural

19. Shang Beliefs What we know comes from royal tombs
Most contained valuable items made of bronze and jade
Hundreds of sacrificed prisoners of war buried with ruler
Still needs riches and servants

20. Shang Beliefs
ANCESTOR WORSHIP: offered gifts to deceased in order to keep them happy and fulfilled in afterlife
ORACLE BONES: inscribed bits of animal bone used to attain advice from ancestors

21. Zhou Dynasty Took over around 1100 BCE 1st period generally peaceful
Later, conflict moved the kingdom east
Zhou concerned the Shang would not accept them, introduced idea of
MANDATE OF HEAVEN: GODS WOULD SUPPORT A JUST RULER, BUT NOT ALLOW ANYONE CORRUPT TO HOLD POWER
Shang overthrown because they had “lost gods’ favor”

22. Zhou Dynasty Mandate of Heaven explained
DYNASTIC CYCLE: RISE AND FALL OF DYNASTIES IN CHINA
Adopted Iron
Cities grew
Canals, transportation

23. New Philosophies CONFUCIANISM Treat others humanely
Express love and respect
Confucius sought to restore respect for tradition
Rulers should treat subjects fairly
Subjects should reward their ruler with respect/loyalty
Led to rulers appointing well-informed advisors

24. New Philosophies DAOISM
Encourages people to retreat from laws of society
Yield to laws of nature
DAO=THE WAY
Limitless force, part of all creation
All things in nature are connected
Find your place in nature, find harmony with universe
Yin & Yang: balance, perfect harmony with nature