1 / 17

Classical India

Classical India. Aryans ~ Maurya ~ Gupta. Indian Geography. Himalayas – tallest mountains in the world Ganges River – sacred river fed by the snow of the Himalayas Indus River – drier than Ganges Deccan Plateau – relatively dry Coasts – historically the most populated. Monsoons.

najwa
Download Presentation

Classical India

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Classical India Aryans ~ Maurya ~ Gupta

  2. Indian Geography • Himalayas – tallest mountains in the world • Ganges River – sacred river fed by the snow of the Himalayas • Indus River – drier than Ganges • Deccan Plateau – relatively dry • Coasts – historically the most populated

  3. Monsoons Summer – warm moist wind from the southwest Winter – cold, dry wind from the northeast

  4. Aryans • War-like people from southern Russia invaded the Indus Valley around 1500BCE. • Superior technology: horses, chariots, bronze weapons. • Brought herds of cattle, goats, and sheep. • There is a vague reference to the conquest of city dwellers in Aryan oral tradition.

  5. Indo-European Languages

  6. Vedic Age 1500-500BCE • Aryans created a new civilization along the forested Ganges River. • Abandoned nomadic life to become farmers. • Mingled with Dravidians (Indus Valley people they conquered). • Knowledge of Aryans came from Vedas – a collection of prayers, hymns, and religious teachings that were first memorized and recited by Aryan priests.

  7. Aryan Society • Lived in tribes (groups of related families) led by rajahs (warrior chiefs). • Advised by council of elders (heads of families). • Warfare continued as different tribes battled for control.

  8. Aryan Culture • Loved feasting, music, chariot races, dice games, and cattle. • Wealth was measured in cows and bulls. • Word for war meant “more cattle.” • Later, the slaughter of cattle was forbidden, but they were used for milk, plowing, and transportation. • Polytheistic • Developed the Sanskrit language.

  9. Caste System aka Varna • Four Castes • Brahmins – priests • Kshatriyas – warriors • Vaisyas – herders, farmers, artisans, and merchants • Sudras – farmworkers, servants, laborers • They were Dravidians. • Outcastes (Untouchables or Pariahs) had unclean occupations . Began as children of upper castes with Sudras or non-Hindus.

  10. Brahmins = mouth Kshatriyas = arms Vaisyas = thighs Sudras = feet

  11. Maurya Empire • 321-183BCE • Well-administered government • Governors supervised tax collecting, road repair, justice, and defense. • Brutal, yet efficient, secret police ensured honesty of governors. • Pataliputra had schools, libraries, parks, temples, and palaces.

  12. Asoka (ruled 269-232BCE) • Expanded Maurya Empire to its greatest size. • After 100,000 were slaughtered in a battle, he converted to Buddhism and ruled by moral example. • Promoted peace and religious tolerance. • Sent out missionaries.

  13. Bollywood Version

  14. Gupta Empire • Golden Age of peace and prosperity • Great advances in the arts and sciences • Concept of zero • Decimal System • Hindu-Arabic Numerals replaced Roman numerals in the 700s • Medicine included plastic surgery and bone setting.

  15. Indian Culture • Rajah – local ruler who controlled many villages • Headman – wealthy farmer ran the village • Extended (joint) family – dominated by eldest male included several generations in the same home • Patriarchal

  16. Status of Women • In early Aryan society women had decent status – declined later. • At marriage, women joined husband’s family – dowry was expected. • Widows encouraged to commit suttee –suicide by throwing themselves on their husband’s funeral fire. • Polygamy common in higher castes.

  17. India Today • Even today, three-fourths of Indians in villages ranging from several hundred to a couple thousand families separated by caste. • Many homes are one-story mud huts of one or several rooms. • One quarter of the population lives in urban areas. • Many live in slums. • One of every six people on the planet lives in India.

More Related