India’s Beginnings SSWH2:a-b

1. India’s BeginningsSSWH2:a-b

2. Time and Geography

4. ECONOMIC/ SOCIAL

5. INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION AND EARLY TRADE • Earliest Indian civilization found in plains of Indus and Saraswati Rivers • Indus Valley civilization origins still unknown • Trade with north and west before agriculture • Farming began 6000 BCE An Indian farmer

6. INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION AND EARLY TRADE • By 4000 BCE, region had dense population and fortified farming villages • 3000 BCE, explosive growth - towns became cities • Huge trade network linking eastern Mediterranean, East Africa, Arabia, Asia Indian city

7. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa • 2 cities on Indus River with over 100,000 people • Many small towns • Physical layout • Fired brick structures • Streets at right angles • Buildings 2/3 stories high – unusual • Sewage canals from houses to larger canal • Powerful government - theocracy

8. View of the site's Great Bath, showing the surrounding urban layout.

9. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa • Both cities constitute one civilization: Dravidian • Mystery about Dravidian’s still remains because: • writing not yet been deciphered • long period when this civilization was forgotten • Know almost nothing about religion, government, society, scientific and intellectual accomplishments • Prosperous until about 1900 BCE • Decline: • Abandonment of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa • Landslides hampered irrigation, malaria epidemic, land became alkaline and nonproductive • Invasion of Aryan nomads

10. RELIGIOUS

11. The Vedic Epoch Aryans • Early nomadic, horse-breeding people of ancient Asia • Aggressive ways terrorized agrarian Indian civilizations • Vedas, ancient oral epics, written after invasion describe Aryans as: • Indo-European speakers, worshipped gods of sky and storm, used bronze weaponry and horse-drawn chariots • Rigveda (oldest Vedas) says raja led his war-loving, violent folk, and magic-working priests • In time, ruled all northern India with center on Ganges River • Gradually settled down as farmers, townspeople • New iron technology and introduction of rice cultivation

12. Beginnings of Caste System • Four groups • Brahmins - priests, highest rank • Kshatrija - warriors • Vaishya - freemen, farmers, traders • Shudra - non-free serfs

13. Beginnings of Caste System • Classes evolved into complex castes • Caste is social unit into which individuals are born, dictates everything of their daily life • Status of person cannot be changed • Special duties, privileges • High-caste person has little contact with lower castes

14. Caste System • Stratification still continues today • By 18th century, over 3000 sub-castes • Inhibits any type of change • Nearly impossible for person to climb up social ranks • Limits political power to highest ranks • Discourages/prohibits cultural innovation by lower ranks • Indian society became highly stratified, immobile

15. Hinduism • Fourth largest religion in the world – one billion • A way of life, philosophical system, inspiration for art, basis of all Indian political theory • Mix of Aryan beliefs and native agrarian cultures • Principles of patriarchy, class conscious society Hindu symbol

16. Hinduism • Laws of Manu • Major difference – tangible world is illusory, person has to accept their fate in earthly life • Caste-based, ritual formalism

17. Hinduism Basic principles and beliefs • Non-material unseen world is the real and permanent • Universe works as a Great Wheel with events and lives repeating themselves never endingly, (samsara) • individual dies, but soul is immaterial and undying

18. Samsara depicted

19. Hinduism Basic principles and beliefs • karma determines the next caste into which it will pass • Karma: tally of good and bad then ‘justice’ is rendered • Dharma: code of morals for one’s caste • Many gods, most important being • Brahman, life force • Shiva, creator and destroyer • Vishnu, preserver

20. Hinduism • Moksha • Final release from reincarnation when one has lived a perfect life • End of individuality, soul is submerged into a world-soul • Three new modes of thought appeared • Jainism • Philosophy emphasizes sacredness of all life • Practiced by 2% of high-caste people • Buddhism • One of the great religions of the world – 3rd largest membership • Democratic nature: anyone who seeks the divine can experience it in the Buddhist nirvana • Bhakti Hinduism • gods have more personal attributes, more approachable • Individual seek spiritual fulfillment by devoting to individual gods

21. Buddhism • Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, or Enlightened One • His life is well documented • Became teacher of large group of disciples • His teachings eventually were more important in China and Japan, than in India The Buddha

22. Teachings of the Buddha • Basic ideas • Everyone can attain nirvana (release from earthly woes) • Release comes from self-taught mastery of oneself • Gods have nothing to do with it • Way to self-mastery is through Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path The Buddha

23. Teachings of the Buddha • Four Noble Truths • All life is permeated by suffering • All suffering is caused by desire • Desire can only be overcome by attaining nirvana • Way to nirvana is guided by eight principles Eightfold path

24. Teachings of the Buddha Eightfold Path • Right (righteousness) ideas, thought, speech, action, living, effort, consciousness, meditation • Anyone who follows these steps will conquer desire, be released from suffering • Suffering and loss are caused by desire for illusory power and happiness • Once one sees these are not desirable, temptation will vanish • Then will find serenity of the soul, harmony with nature and people

25. Buddhism • Buddhism spread among Indians of all backgrounds • Popularity from its democracy of spirit • Everyone can discover path to nirvana • After his death, Buddhism split • Theravada • Stricter version • Claims to be the pure form of his teachings • Mahayana • More liberal, sees doctrines as initial step, not the ultimate word • Many ways to salvation • There are many buddhas, many more will appear • Followers far outnumber stricter adherents

26. ECONOMIC/ SOCIAL

27. Daily Life in Ancient India • Self-governing Indian villagers controlled by seasons, caste, local tradition, with feast days of the deities • Rural misery today is recent phenomenon • Plenty of suitable agricultural land • When shortages happened, people could emigrate to new area • Today, shortage of agricultural land

28. The Position of Women • Began in near-equality, possibly matriarchy • Lost equality in Vedic Hindu era • Customs became established like widow’s suicide, isolation from all non-family males • Woman’s dharma was to obey, serve husband and sons • Emphasis on female sexuality • Woman seen as more sexually potent than man • Possibly a personification of goddess of destruction, Kali Kali, goddess of destruction

29. RELIGIOUS

30. Buddhism’s Spread • Land routes from northwest made invasion possible • Most intruders adopted Indian culture and Buddhism • Little cultural exchange with China • Extremely difficult to cross Himalayas or Burma’s jungles • Exception was export of Buddhism to China in 1st century CE • Mahayana deeply affected Chinese culture • Most of China’s educated class became Buddhists • This was possibly the most far-reaching single cultural event in world history • Chinese passed Buddhism to Korea, Vietnam, Japan The Buddha

31. POLITICAL

32. THE MAURYAN DYNASTY • Political vacuum with retreat of Alexander the Great • Founded by Chandragupta Maurya - political unity • Arthsastra – hard-bitten government policies emphasizing “the end justifies the means” • Ashoka (ruled 269-232 BCE) – 3rd emperor • Founding spirit of Indian unity and nationhood • Spread Buddhism in India, encouraged religious tolerance • Period of internal prosperity, external peace • Became a devout Buddhist and pacifist • Decline: • Successors were weak, conquered by invaders • New peoples became sedentary, adopted Buddhism • Political unity disintegrated Ashoka

33. TRADE AND THE SPREAD OF BUDDHISM Buddhism • Invaders, Aryans, Greco-Macedonians, Persians, Turks and Afghani Muslims, adopted settled habits and enriched Hindu-Buddhist culture • Export of Buddhism to China through Silk Road trade • Buddhism entered Chinese cultural life, blended new ideas with traditional Confucian practice and ethics Trade • Buddhists taught that trade contributed to everyone’s welfare • Extension of trade along sea-lanes to Southeast Asia: port of Tamluk, and monsoon winds

34. REVIEW

35. Discussion Questions 1. The caste system which still characterizes Indian society began in the Vedic Era. What do you see as the differences between castes and classes? Which provide mobility? What advantages can you see in the caste system? 2. Ancient Indian religion centered on Hinduism and Buddhism, two of the great religions of the world. What common threads do you see between them? What comparisons can you make between these two religions and Christianity?