Ancient India and China

2. Ancient India and China rev. 7/2011 Ellis

5. Time Line 1550 B.C.Indus Valley civilization declines. 2500 B.C.Harappan Civilization flourishes. 1760 B.C.Shang Dynasty starts 1700 B.C. 2500 B.C. 2000 B.C.Huang He civilization emerged 1750 B.C.Indo-Aryans migrate into India.

6. Ancient Indian Civilizations

7. Physical Geography Indian subcontinent hangs down from the southern edge of Asia. In the north are the highest mountains in the world; the Himalayas. South of the Himalayas is the rich valley of the Ganges River. The relatively dry Indus River valley lies to the west. The Deccan lies south of these two river valleys. It is a hilly and dry plateau extending from the southern Ganges valley to the southern end of India.

8. Monsoons • Seasonal wind patterns • The southwest monsoons bring the heavy rain on which Indian farmers have depended to grow their crops. • The northeast monsoons bring dry weather

9. Look at the graphic to help organize your thoughts. List the environmental conditions faced by the people of the Indus Valley. For each one, explain whether the condition was a benefit or a drawback. Environmental Condition Benefit or Drawback (-) too little rain (-) too much rain monsoons (+) spread deposits of rich soil over wide area (-) unpredictable floods (+) natural barrier helped protect against invasion high mountains (+) natural barrier helped protect against invasion large desert

10. The Harappan Civilization

11. Harappa and MohenjoDaro Early civilization developed in the Indus River valley flourished there from 2500 to 1500 B.C. Each of these cities had around 35,000 people and each was planned carefully. The cities had a grid of streets and were divided into walled neighborhoods. Some houses were as high as three stories. Buildings were constructed of mud brick. Public water supplied water, and bathrooms used an advanced drainage system.

12. Aerial View of Mohenjo-Daro

13. Indo-Aryan Migrants • Early nomads migrated across the Hindu-Kush Mountains from the north of the Black Sea. • Vedas – Aryan religious literature. • Written in their early language of Sanskrit • Early gods derive from nature. • Brahmins – priest knew the proper forms and rules

14. Aryan Migration

16. Indo-Aryan Society • Early Aryan writings reveal that between 1500 and 400 B.C., Aryan leaders known as rajas (princes) dominated India. • Migrated down through the Indo-Gangetic Plains • Warriors, later priest, were at the top of the social structure, with merchants, traders, farmers, and servants below them

17. Hinduism

18. Upanishads • Collection of teachings based on the Vedantas • Began to questions the authority of the Brahmins and the Vedas • Ordinary people listened to religious stories called epics • Tales of heroes and great events • Epic Mahabharata and Ramayana

19. Bhagavad-Gita • The most famous part of the epic poem (Mahabharata) • The god Krishna on the eve of a battle expresses an important idea of Indian society • When deciding how to act, do not consider success or failure, but only the action’s morality.

20. Ramayana Recounts how the fictional ruler Rama is banished from his kingdom and has to fight a demon that kidnapped his wife. This text also teaches moral lessons. Rama stands as the ideal Aryan hero, and Sita embodies perfect wifely loyalty to her husband.

21. Hinduism • Basic beliefs • Reincarnation • Nirvana • Atman – one’s soul • Karma (one’s actions) and dharma (one’s moral duty) • Brahma main god – represented in many gods (Shiva the Destroyer or Vishnu) • Caste system • Based on the Aryan beliefs

22. Caste System The caste system is the social class system that is based on religion. Brahmins: priests Kshatriyas: soldiers, king-warrior class Vaishyas: merchants, laborers, craftspeople Harijans "untouchables"- those thought to be descended from the Harappan aboriginal people-extremely poor and discriminated against

23. Caste System

24. Ancient Chinese Civilization

25. Physical Geography • Physical features isolated China from other Asian people • Mountains – QinlingShandi • Rivers – Huang (Yellow) and the Chang (Yangtze) • China Proper or China heartland • Desert - Gobi

26. Haung (Yellow) River Called “China Sorrow” due to the flooding of the river destroying homes and lives Dikes or earthen walls are built long the river to control flooding

27. The Shang Dynasty

28. Xia people • Ruled over a late Neolithic people who live along the Haung River • Improved methods of agriculture • may have begun using written language • Invaded by the Shang • Introduced irrigation and flood control

29. Shang Government • Formed a complex bureaucracy • Government is organized in different levels and tasks • King ruled over all the kingdom • Shang Army used war chariots and bronze weapons

30. Shang Economy • Based mainly on agriculture • Millet and rice • Silkworms • Merchants and artisans • Worked with ivory, bone, kaolin (fine white clay) and jade

31. Shang Religion Combined animism (belief that spirits inhabit everything) with ancestor worship Priest predict future events or divine messages with the use of oracle bones Shangdi – a great god who controlled human destiny

32. Shang language and writing • Spoke many dialects of their language • Pictographs - picture symbols called characters • Ideographs - combined two or more pictographs • Signifier – idea sign