1. What unites us? What divides us?
Ancient India
What unites us?
What divides us?

2. The Land of India Indian subcontinent Rich River valleys
Ganges
Indus
Mountain ranges in the north
Himalayas

3. India’s Early Civilization
Settled in the Indus River Valley around 2500 B.C. and lasted until 2000 B.C.
Over 1,000 villages along the Indus River
Two major cities:
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
Rich soil and trade

4. The First Cities
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were large, well planned cities
35,000 people
Streets like modern city blocks
Fortress for protection
Indoor bathrooms in the homes
Sewers!!!
Garbage chutes!
Did not have an elaborate writing system, so no records exist to tell us much about their society or government.

5. Home in Harappa

6. Religion in Ancient India
Hinduism evolved over thousands of years in Ancient India
Grew out of traditions and beliefs of many different groups of people
Polytheistic religion
Hindus have over 30,000 different gods and goddesses

7. The Aryans Come in
After 500 years, the Harappan civilization collapsed after massive floods in the river valley
Soon after, the Aryans people came into the region
Settled in the north and spread to the south
New civilization emerged

8. Who were the Aryans? Group from central Asia (Indo-Europeans)
NOT a racial group (despite what Hitler would have you think)
Mostly farmers
Raised cattle
Prized possession in their culture
Wealth was measured by how many cows someone had
Excellent warriors

9. Aryans Bring Change to India
Physical features and Aryan culture mixed with local Indian cultures
Technology
Farming
Sanskrit
Written language
Royalty
Raja (prince) ran their own small kingdoms
Fought amongst themselves for land and cattle

10. Society in India Aryans formed social classes or castes in India
Caste is a social group someone is born into and cannot change
A person’s caste determines almost every aspect of their life
Job
Marriage
Diet
Friends

11. The Brahmans Highest status Priests, teachers, and judges
Study the Vedas for 10 years
Must avoid contact with dirt, cannot eat meat, cannot use violence (even in self-defense)
Must depend on other classes to clean their home and prepare food

12. The Kshatriyas Warrior caste, below Brahmans
Soldiers, generals, and kings
Born into royalty
Ran the government
Most powerful in everyday life, but their decisions could be overruled by the Brahman
Could eat meat, but not beef

13. The Vaisyas Skilled workers
Traders, moneylenders, and farmers
Raised cattle
Responsible for keeping the local economy healthy
May have a leadership position in their local village, but could not be royalty, like the Kshatriya

14. The Sudras Unskilled workers Rural laborers
May have worked on a farm but didn’t own it
Served the 3 higher ranking castes
Worked in their homes
May study the Vedas, but may not be able to read

15. The Untouchables Considered to be outside the caste system
Live outside the rest of society
Foreigners, lawbreakers, diseased people
Jobs considered “too unclean” even for the Sudra to perform
Disposing of dead animals
Working with the hides of animals
Sweepers, washers, or other jobs that may require contact with human sweat, urine or feces
Forbidden to enter temples, schools, or use the water wells of other castes
Often sleep during day and work at night so the others didn’t have to see them