South Asia: India

1. South Asia: India Periods 1-6

2. Period 1- Indus River Valley • Indus River • Now –dry desert but historically lush landscape (ex of change in environment) • Monsoon rains caused flooding in rivers-brought rich soil down river (like Nile, Tigris & Euphrates) • Independent cities- • Civilizations based on agriculture: • wheat, rye, peas, rice, cotton • Many domesticated animals • On trade route with China, SE Asia, India • Extensive job specialization • Craftsmen not as advanced as Egypt or Mesopotamia-no swords • Urban planning-streets, sewage system, varied house size suggests class structure • Written language not deciphered • Examples of independent cities: • Mohenjo-Daro • British found settlement when building a RR across India 1850s • Spoke Dravidian Language- • Conquered by Aryans (Indo-European group)- but probably already on the decline • Harappa- no sign of invasion

3. Development of Caste System • Caste-social class of heredity-usually unchangeable • Continuity for South Asian culture and social structure throughout periods 2-6 • Generally South Asia is more loyal to social system than to political leaders • Explained through creation myth (think archetype through many cultures!) • Brahmim- highest social class-priests, scholars • Kshatriya-warriors and gov officials • Vaishya- landowners, merchants, artisans (in other cultures the landowners are the nobles and of high status) • Shudra- common peasants and laborers • During period 2 Caste system becomes more complex divided into sub-systems Jati • Little contact among jati

4. Religions of South Asia • Hinduism • Began pre 600 BE with Vedas- religious texts passed down from conquering Aryans • Rig Veda- most important of texts • Central beliefs- • Reincarnation-rebirth of soul so that human spirit (atman) could eventually join the universal spirit • Polytheistic • Primarily remained in India • Buddhism • Founded in India 6th century BCE by Siddhartha Gautama • Left life as prince to seek meaning of life & experienced enlightenment • Central beliefs • Anyone can attain Nirvana (union with universal spirit • Nirvana can be reached through study of Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path • Spread on trade routes and became universalizing faith along with Islam & Christianity • China (though Scholar Gentry destroyed temples), Japan, Southeast Asia • Islam comes in period 3 with the Delhi Sultanate!

5. Period 2-Mauryan Empire • Politically fragmented-decentralized (unlike Rome, Han empires)- • Geography separated • Culture separated- • Religion-people more loyal to Hinduism than gov • language • Ashoka--third ruled or Mauryan empire • Wealthy-empire sat on trade routes • Large army (like Rome & Han) conquered most of India • Converted to Buddhism—looked to peace of religion • 250 years after Ashoka India returned to decentralized state-which lasted 500 years

6. Period 2-Gupta Empire • Founder- Chandra • Not as large as Mauryan • Never as centralized as Mauryan • No bureaucracy • Drew tribute from local leaders—local warriors had a lot of independence • Example (along with Persia) of theatre state- awing subjects into remaining loyal to king • Royal palace=Pataliputra Hinduism will hold South Asia together even after fall of Period 2 empires as Confucianism holds East Asia together

7. Indian Ocean Trade Route • Linked Southeastern China to Africa--Three legs of route • Southeastern China to southeast Asia • Southeast Asia to eastern coast of India • Western coast of India to Red Sea and eastern coast of Africa • Used different ships than in Mediterranean • Lateen sail-triangle to handle rough winds of Indian Ocean • Like Polynesians • Dhow ships (esp in period 3) • Products • Ivory from India, Africa & Mesopotamia • Spices from ME, India, SE Asia • Silk and porcelain from China • Dominated by Arabs • Becomes even more important once Silk Road stops at end of Period 3

8. Period 3 • Islam begins in ME (Mecca & Medina) in Period 3 • Universalizing faiths (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism) • Open to everyone-anyone can achieve salvation unlike Hinduism which only the highest caste reaches reunion with universal spirit • Especially appeals to poor • Spread along trade routes by merchants • Islamic Empires in ME, North Africa, Iberia, South Asia • Political organization- • Caliph- ruler in charge of government and religion • Strong bureaucracy- Vizier led & kept impeccable records on Chinese paper • Economically- • link their empires • value merchants—formation of guilds • encourage trade • Culture- • religiously tolerant though non-Muslims pay taxes Muslims do not • spread technology & learning(remember yearly pilgrimage to Mecca spreads ideas among all Muslims)-medicine, arabic numerals [from India], disease

9. Period 3

10. Period 3-Delhi Sultanate • Afghan warlords invaded India to take advantage of weak state and spread Islam –est Delhi Sultanate • Created Islamic empire in northern India with large bureaucracy • Religiously tolerant of Hinduism (general theme of Islamic empires) • Encouraged merchants who spread Islam • Many Sultans, while they did not convert to Hinduism, adopted Hindu dress and customs including caste hierarchy • Unlike Africa where elites converted to Islam, Hindu leaders strictly opposed to Muslims and remained separate • Mounting tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India

11. Period 4 (1450-1750)Rise of Gunpowder Empires • Gunpowder empires • Used new technology from East Asia (China) to build military-especially large armies based on artillery • Examples: Russia, China (Ming &Qing), Japan, Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal • Height of Islamic power in Middle East/South Asia • Ottoman, Safavid & Mughal on the decline by 1750

12. Mughal Empire (Period 4) • Babur (descendant of Timurlane/mongol) invaded India 1523 creating Mughal Empire • Muslim Leaders over primarily Hindu population= religious tension (continuity in South Asia from periods 4-6!)

13. Akbar’s rule in Mughal Empire1556-1605-Empire at height • Politically- • autocrat over strong military and religion • No navy (like Safavid)-must rely on Europeans to trade goods by water (cotton, indigo, silk) • Economically- trade overland, esp cotton to Europe where demand for cotton high • Social Structure- patriarchy • Muslim women veiled • Purdah- esp upper class women confined to home • Sati- Hindi women throw selves on husband’s funeral pyre • Child marriage for Hindus • Culture- • monumental building-mosques, schools, palaces (TajMahal built by Shah Jahan to honor his wife), new capital (FatehpurSikri) abandoned at Akbar’s death • Religious tolerance- Akbar tried to create new “Divine Faith” to reconcile Hindu and Muslim-unsuccessful, outlawed Sati but culture more powerful than gov (like footbinding in China)

14. Decline of Mughalslike most gunpowder empires by 1750 • Sikh rebellions in 18th century • Constant warfare-expenses of army- hard on treasury • Local leaders (historic problem of South Asia) plotting against him • European waiting to take over—Esp Great Britain & France

16. All Period 5 Continuities apply to South Asia

17. Imperialism in South Asia • Imperialism- European nations are expanding their sphere of influence in order to gain raw materials and markets for finished goods • Aided by Industrial Revolution • Need for raw materials for European factories • Need of labor to gather raw materials from colonies • Technology to move raw materials (RR, steamboats) • Technology to conquer • Guns & artillery • Telegraph to communicate quickly • medicine to move into tropics-Ex:-quinine to prevent malaria • Aided by Social Darwinisn- belief that Europeans were better than native populations and therefore had a duty to control and educate natives in western ways

18. British Raj-early Period 5 • Europeans made agreements with local leaders of Mughal empire (nawabs) to establish trading posts along coasts • Europeans staffed posts with company men who were aided by local sepoys(Indian troops) • British East India Company centered in Calcutta- British then controlled Bombay-expanding their economic interests at expense of Mughals and other Europeans • By 1818 English established British Raj- economic control of large parts of India while local Indian princes ruled politically • Sepoy Rebellion convinced British they needed to expand their control to political and economic • Cultural conflict between Christian British and Hindu & Muslim Sepoy soldiers who believed the bullet casings of British weapons contained animal fat • British put down rebellion and est direct rule of India

19. British Imperial Rule in South Asia • Politically- India brought into British empire with British governor (viceroy) and Indian Civil Service staffed by British to administer • Britain set up bureaucracy to rule India which took most power from the local princes • British claimed Indians could hold positions in Indian Civil Service but examinations were held in Britain • Economically • created unnatural economy transferring farmlands to cash crops (cotton, opium, tea, silk and sugar) • Positively, British built infrastructure of India to facilitate industries (railroads, canals, steamboats) • Culturally • Guaranteed religious toleration, Tried to ban sati • Improved cities by adding sewage systems-limited spread of cholera and lowered death rates • Western style schools for Indian elite (unwanted side effect was the desire for rights from Enlightenment like Rammodhun Roy and Indian National Congress), spread language

20. Changing Labor Systems • As slavery declined in period 5, Imperialist nations recruited poor in their colonies to become indentured servants to work in areas where needed additional labors– great example of Migration • Indentured Servants worked a set number of years (5-7) in exchange for their passage—form of forced labor • Examples: • Indian migrants to rubber plantations in Southeast Asia, South Africa and the Pacific • Chinese laborers to work on sugar plantations in the Caribbean, gold mines in South Africa and Australia, railroad construction in America and Peru • Japanese and Chinese to sugar plantations in Hawaii, • Africans to sugar plantations in Caribbean

21. Social Structure during Imperialism • Europeans remained segregated from native populations-especially women and children • Lived in enclaves of all Europeans • Knew Indians only as servants and nannies • Indians • Europeans opened schools- increased literacy and education for men and elite women • Second class citizens unable to achieve highest ranking positions, laws segregating societies • Social Darwinism- pseudo science reinforces differences in Europeans and natives

22. Period 6- Decolonization • Rising Nationalism- desire for independence and self determination • Independence groups formed in India during WWI • Indian National Congress • Muslim League • During WWI- Britain promised India that if Indians supported war movement that Britain would move toward independence • Britain gave some local powers to Indians but kept India a colony in empire– British repressed opposition movements

23. Gandhi (Mahatma- “great soul”) • English educated attorney but showed his empathy for poor by wearing simple, handmade cotton clothes • Advocated self determination through non-violent means (civil disobedience) • Led 80 mile march to sea to protest British monopoly on salt (necessary for food preservation) • Fasted, but could not solve problem between Hindus and Muslims • Did not get along with Muslim leaders-Muhammad Ali Jinnah-advocated separate Pakistan • Disagreed with his successor, Jawaharlal Nehru- supported modern industrial India • Assassinated 1948

24. Independence for South Asia • Post WWII, Britain’s Labour Party agreed to Indian independence • 1947 agreed to partition South Asia into two states: Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan • Chaotic transition to independence-followed by rioting, 12 million leaving ancestral homes, 500,000 dead • Kashmir-though part of India, had large Muslim population—led to continued fighting and series of wars between India and Pakistan • Arms race between the two with both getting nuclear weapons • Still tension in the region