Chapter 3

1. Chapter 3 Ancient India and China

4. Geography of India • India is a peninsula • Is a subcontinent • 2 mountain ranges protect the north-Himalayas and Hindu Kush • Oceans to the east, west & south

5. Geography of India • Regions of India • Well watered plain in the north • Deccan Plateau in the center • Coastal plains on either side of the Deccan Plateau • Mountain passes through the Hindu Kush did allow migrating and invading people-KhyberPass

6. Geography of India • Three great rivers: • Indus River • Ganges River – sacred • Brahmaputra

7. Geography of India • Chief feature of India’s climate is the Monsoon • Winter monsoon – from the north – hot dry air • Summer monsoon – from the southwest – daily rains

8. Early Indus Valley civilization • Developed about 2400BCE – same as the Egyptians • Lasted for about 1,000 years then gone • Chief cities were Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro—well planned cities, rich and poor sections • Rich had toilets and showers (sewer system) • Little is known about civilization because no one can decipher written language

9. Economy • Agriculture grew wheat, barley, melons & dates • The first to grow cotton

10. Religion • Polytheistic • Revered sacred animals like the bull as well as trees • Worshipped a mother goddess & a three-faced god

11. Decline • Declining about 1750BCE • Why? Possible damage to local environment • Ended about 1500BCE when invaded by the Aryans – used horses, chariots & superior weapons

12. Aryan Conquest- 1500BCE • Nomads from southern Russia • Organized into tribes • Elected chief – Rajah lead the army and ruled in peacetime • Defeated the Dravidians • Spread into the Ganges Valley

13. Aryan Religion—Vedic Age • Chief text – Vedas—contain sacred hymns, songs, prayers, and rituals • First great epic is called the Rig-Veda • Worshipped gods of nature – sun, sky, fire etc.

14. Aryan Religion • Indra – warrior god, god of thunder, and strength who led them all

15. Aryan Religion • Varuna- god of order & creation • Also honored animals like monkey god & snake god

16. Aryan Religion • Believed that a single spiritual power that lives in all things • Believed that gods included heroes, villains, demons, etc. • Vedic literature recorded the exploits of the gods & goddesses

17. Aryan Religion • Believed in reincarnation—introduced in the Upanishads which are epic poems with a mythical religious tone • Mystics – people who devoted their life to seeking spiritual truth

18. Vedic Age – 1500BCE – 500BCE • Used chariots with bows & arrows to conquer • Valued cattle • Your worth = # of cows & bulls you owned

19. Caste System—based on purity and skin color • Brahmins – priests • Kshatriyas – warriors • Vaisyas – merchants, farmers, artisans, etc. • Sudras – Dravidians & non-Aryans (servants • Pariah also known as untouchables were outside the caste system • Social structure largest impact on India and became basis of caste system

20. Aryan Culture • Written language – Sanskrit • Created epic poems • Mahabharata – India’s greatest epic poem—contains 100,000 verses • Ramayana

21. China

22. Geography of China • Ancient time – known as the “Middle Kingdom” or Zhongguo • Very isolated from other civilizations

23. Geography of China • West & Southwest – mountains & deserts • North – Gobi Desert • East – Pacific Ocean • Southeast- jungle • Result: Chinese thought of outsiders as barbarians

24. Geography of China • Four regions of China: • Manchuria • Tibet • Mongolia • Xinjiang

25. Heartland of China • Yellow River – Huang He • AKA – “River of Sorrow” • Loess—fine windblown yellow soil • Yangzi River is also important • Earliest Chinese civilization developed in the Huang He Valley

26. Chinese Dynasties • China’s history is told through its dynasties • Shang Dynasty – 1650 BCE to 1027 BCE

27. Government • Warrior Kings • Depended on loyal clans • No city-states like the Middle East

29. Written Language • Writing system – early writings found on oracle bones • Calligraphy—fine handwriting

30. Religion • Polytheistic • ShangDi--presided over heaven and other gods • Used their ancestors as go-betweens

31. Religion • Yin – female, earth & darkness • Yang – male, heaven, & light

32. Zhou Dynasty – 1027 BCE • Mandate of Heaven – the right to rule • Dynasty enjoyed heaven’s blessing only as long as it governed wisely and justly • Mandate justifies the changing of Chinese dynasties • Dynastic Cycle – the rise and fall of dynasties—not a crime to rebel against ruler who has lost mandate

35. Zhou Dynasty • Created feudal states - feudalism

36. Economy • Iron working • Used money • Expanded into the Yangzi Valley

37. WARRING STATES The late Zhou dynasty Wars lasted more than 500 yrs. Destroyed food supplies—led to mass migrations to cities—led to shortage of farmers—led to famine Cities were scenes of starvation, crime, and disease

38. Achievements of the Shang & Zhou • Bronze weapons, later iron • The yoke, harness, & spoke wheel • Accurate calendar – 365 ¼ days • Silk making – about 1,000 BC • First books and first to develop paper

40. ANCIENT CHINESE INVENTIONS TEA GUNPOWDER COMPASS SILK FABRIC PAPER EARTHQUAKE DETECTOR PROCELAIN ACUPUNTURE LACQUE PRINTING IRON PLOW SHIP’S RUDDER HARNESS FOR HORSES ALCOHOL MECHANICAL CLOCK SMELTING OF STEEL AND IRON

41. MAURYAN DYNASTY 322 B.C.E. Chandragupta Mauryaseized power and established first Mauryan dynasty Characterized by autocratic rule, large armies, and large bureaucracy Ashoka, Chandragupta’s grandson used warfare to extend Mauryan rule—eventually converted to Buddhism

42. Gupta Dynasty Brought political stability to India No great leaders