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The Aryans

The Aryans. From Sanskrit to the Caste System. The Aryans. Around 1500 BCE, the Harappan civilization collapses due to several earthquakes and floods causing the Indus River to change its course. Many died and other left. This allowed the Aryans to step in and settle the region.

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The Aryans

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  1. The Aryans From Sanskrit to the Caste System

  2. The Aryans • Around 1500 BCE, the Harappan civilization collapses due to several earthquakes and floods causing the Indus River to change its course. • Many died and other left. • This allowed the Aryans to step in and settle the region. • Soon the Aryans began their own civilization with new ideas.

  3. Who were the Aryans? • They lived in central Asia where they herded animals. Some Aryans migrated to Europe while other moved to India. • Cattle were a prized possession. They were used as money. A sign of wealth was lots of cattle. • They were solid hunters. They often raided villages and stole food. • A group settled in India and began farming.

  4. The Aryans Bring Change • After the Aryans settled India, they declared that the cattle were sacred and not to be used as food. • The Aryans greatly improved farming in India and began using the Ganges River as well as the Indus. • They began growing spices such as pepper, ginger, and cinnamon.

  5. The Aryans Bring Change (cont.) • Sanskrit – written language developed by the Aryans. • The Aryans were organized into tribes. • Raja – prince who led the tribes in India. • Each raja often fought with each other over land, cattle, treasure, and women kidnapped from other states.

  6. Society in Ancient India • Caste – a social group in India that someone is born into and cannot change. • A caste dictates what job you will have, whom you can marry, and with whom you can socialize. • Aryans most likely created the caste system due to skin color or to keep the balance of power in India on their side.

  7. Social Classes of India Society • The social classes were grouped into four classes called varnas. • Brahmans – priests • Kshatriyas – warriors, rulers • Vaisyas – common people • Sudras – unskilled laborers, servants

  8. Brahman - priest

  9. Kshatriyas – warriors

  10. Vaisyas

  11. Sudra

  12. Social Classes of India Society (cont.) • Pariahs – This social group did not belong to a varna. They were outcaste from the rest of society. • They were called the untouchables. • They performed work no one else wanted to do such as trash collecting and burying the dead. • Untouchables lived separate from the others and had to bang sticks together to warn others to get out of the way.

  13. Untouchables

  14. The Role of Men and Women • The family was the center of life. The extended family all lived together and the oldest male was in charge. • Only males could inherit property, go to school, and become priests. • Guru – a religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism. • Boys had a guru until they were ready for school.

  15. The Role of Men and Women (cont.) • Parents arranged marriages for their children, which still occurs in India today. • People in India were cremated, or burned, after they die. • If a man was from a wealthy family, it was tradition for the woman to leap into the flames while her husband is cremated. If she refuses, she will be outcaste from society.

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