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Empires of India Unit 2. Ms. Hunt RMS IB Middle School 2012-2013. Geography of India. Located in Southern Asia Hindu Kush Mountain Range Ganges River (East) Indus River (West) Flooding of rivers Deccan plateau Dry area Monsoons- heavy rainfall and winds. Early Societies.
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Empires of IndiaUnit 2 Ms. Hunt RMS IB Middle School 2012-2013
Geography of India • Located in Southern Asia • Hindu Kush Mountain Range • Ganges River (East) • Indus River (West) • Flooding of rivers • Deccan plateau • Dry area • Monsoons- heavy rainfall and winds
Early Societies • Harappa and MohenjoDaro • Located in Indus Valley • Carefully planned cities • Economy- Agriculture • Used silt from annual flooding • Advanced plumbing system • Well organized government • Ruled by divine guidance- Theocracy
Aryan Civilization • Society who moved into the Indus River Valley following the collapse of Harrappa and MohenjoDaro • Sanskrit- ancient writing language • Vedas (Collection of hymns and prayers) • Created the iron plow- allowed farmers to move into dense jungle areas • Used irrigation in farming • Families • Extended family all lived together
Social Classes • Caste system- rigid social structure, can not move between classes • Varnas- 4 sections of society • Higher the caste the greater religious purity (Based off of Hinduism) • Priests • Warriors • Merchants/ farmers • Peasants/ servants • *Untouchables- so impure not in the caste system, demeaning jobs
Mauryan Empire Mauryan Empire • Great trading empire, provinces ruled by governors • Bureaucratic Government • Hand chose rulers and officials • 4 provinces- 4 princes • Capital- Pataliputra • Chandragupta Maurya- founder 321 B.C. • Fear of assassination- food always tasted for poison, never slept in the same place 2 nights in a row, secret police
Mauryan Empire Continued • Asoka- Considered greatest Indian ruler • Converted Empire to Buddhism- Tolerance of non-Buddhist • No warfare • Creation of road system • “pit stops” over all care for the people • Declined following Asoka’s death • 500 years of war and problems to follow • Very weak rulers
Gupta Empire • Candragupta- founder 320 A.D. • Placed the capital were the palace of the Mauryan empire was (Pataliputra) • “Empire of Luxury”- Golden Age of India • Use of The Silk Road in trading • Salt, cloth, and iron trade • Decline- Invaded by the Huns, 5th Century
Accomplishments of the Gupta • Literature • Shakuntala • Astronomy- use of a calendar, developed weeks and hours • Architecture- stupa • housed relics of Buddha, domed shaped • Medicine • Catalog of diseases and more than 500 plants • Performing of surgery • Including plastic surgery • Mathematics- Decimal point system and the concept of 0
Mughal Empire • 1526- Mughals Invaded • Akbar- greatest ruler of the Muhgals (Fair and Just ruler) • Shah Jahan- ruler who built the Taj Mahal • Tomb for his wife • Took 22 years to build • Walls and floors are inlayed with precious stones *Overthrown by his own son