1. Chapter 4 - Ancient India and China

2. Chapter 4 - Ancient India and China

3. Section 1 – Early India Main Idea Objectives
Early civilization arose in the Indus River Valley, flourished, and then mysteriously died out. Later India’s Vedic civilization developed a culture based on old and new beliefs.
Objectives
How did India’s geography affect the development of civilization there?
What were the defining features of the Indus Valley Civilization?
What do we know about life in India’s Vedic period?

4. I. India’s Geography
Indus River - flows across NW edge of Indian subcontinent

5. A. Three major geographic zones:
1. Himalaya & Hindu Kush mountains
2. Deccan Plateau

6. 3. Northern, or Indo-Gangetic, Plain - site of
India’s first civilization

7. B. Monsoons
Monsoon winds brought heavy rains; flood deposits enriched soil

8. B. Monsoons

9. B. Monsoons
Water a critical factor – too much/too early brought destruction; too little/too late meant famine
20cm = 7.9in
100cm = 39.4in
400cm = 13.2ft
800cm = 26.3ft
1000cm = 32.8ft

11. II . Indus Valley Civilization
2500 BC - Harappan civilization emerged

12. A. Cities and settlements
1920s: ruins from two large cities found - Harappa and Mohenjo Daro

13. A. Cities and settlements
Well-planned settlements: streets in grid pattern; community wells; sewage systems

14. The Great Bath - The tank itself measures approximately 12m long and 7m wide, with a maximum depth of 2.4m. This bath would have been used for special religious functions where water was used to purify and renew the well-being of the bathers.

15. Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro
A. Cities and settlements
Citadels, granaries, shrines, etc. were common - suggest a centralized government
Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro

16. Harappa granary

17. B. Economy Economy based on agriculture, specialized crafts, and trade
Ceramic sculpture of a small cart with vases and tools pulled by oxen, from Mohenjo-daro

19. C. Society
Standardized tools, weights and measures; writing system not yet deciphered
Seals on products made in Harappa have been found in Mesopotamia, indicating trade between the two regions

20. C. Society
Civilization thrived from about 2500 to 2000 BC; declined for unknown reasons

21. III. The Vedic Period
After 2000 BC, the Aryans ruled most of India; knowledge of them comes from the Vedas

22. III. The Vedic Period
Regional leaders – rajas - protected people in return for payment

23. III. The Vedic Period
Vedic society was divided into four varnas

24. III. The Vedic Period

25. III. The Vedic Period
Varnas were divided into hundreds of castes - determined employment, marriage, friends, etc.

26. III. The Vedic Period People prayed to many aspects of single spirit
What began as a celebration of natural elements converted into the worship of cosmic elements, thus forming the triad of the early Vedic gods – Agni (Fire), Vayu (Wind) and Surya (the Sun).

27. III. The Vedic Period
As rituals grew more complex, Brahmins gained influence
The god Vishnu and his many avatars. These manifestations are essentially the representation of the deity for some purpose. Each of Vishnu’s avatars is a particular person, representative of a characteristic of the god – birth, death, energy, war, etc.