Early Civilizations in India

1. Early Civilizations in India Ch.3 Sec.1

2. Geography of India • Himalayas – • Border India to the north • Highest mountain peaks in the world • Ganges & Indus Rivers – • Created two major valleys each with a major river running through it • Monsoons – • Refers to seasonal wind patterns in this part of the world • For months on end each year, heavy rain and winds hit India

3. Early Civilizations of India • Harappan & MohenjoDaro - • Large city-states found along the Indus River • Cities housed over 35,000 people • Shows careful planning by original peoples • Had public wells, bathroom systems w/ plumbing, home garbage disposals • Were a theocracies • Based economy on farming • Traded regularly with Sumerians, Egyptians • Reasons for decline are a mystery

4. Arrival of the Aryans • Aryans – • Were Indo-Europeans • Decided to migrate to N. India • Were a warrior-culture peoples • Settled down and took over all the native tribes • Sanskrit – • Written language used by the Aryans • Probably adopted from the native peoples • Recorded mostly legends and religious rules and ceremonies

6. Arrival of the Aryans • Vedas – • Collection of early sanskrit writings • Reveals daily life and history of ancient India

7. Daily Life in Ancient India • Male Life in India – • Were only ones educated • Were only ones who could own or inherit property • Could only hold religious positions • Polygamy was accepted for child-bearing reasons • Female Life in India – • Given away in arranged marriages • Took care of the home, had to bear many children

8. Daily Life in Ancient India • Suttee – • Practice of wife dying along with her husband • Would throw herself onto her husband’s funeral pyre and be burned • Women who refused were held in disgrace and shunned from society

9. Suttee