India

1. India

2. Early Civilizations

3. Indus Valley

4. Indus Valley • Indus River flows from Hindu Kush and Himalaya Mountains toward Arabian Sea • Similar to Nile River • Seasonal floods deposited silt, making rich farmland • Settlement began around 2500 B.C. • Civilization started to unravel around 1750-1500 B.C. • Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro • Major cities, possibly twin Capitals • Grid patterned roads • Huge grain warehouses • Modern plumbing and sewers • Trash service • Uniform weights and measures • Written language • We haven’t been able to translate

5. MohenjoDaro – What might it have looked like?

6. Indus Valley • Settlement began around 2500 B.C. • Civilization started to unravel around 1750-1500 B.C. • Q: Why did this civilization collapse? • A: We. Don’t. Know. • Possible reasons: • Earthquake • River changed course • Depletion of the Environment • Climate Change • Invasion of Aryans

7. Aryan Civilization • Migrated from Eastern Europe (Caucus Mts. Region) to the Indus Valley • Warlike people, used chariots with bows and arrows • Brought horses to the region • Sanskrit • Written Language • Used by Priests to record sacred text • Most known information comes from Vedas (collection of prayers) • Vedic Age 1500 B.C. - 500 B.C. • Built no cities, eventually settled along Indus and Ganges Rivers • Polytheistic • The Vedic religion eventually became Hinduism

8. Aryan Civilization Caste System • People did not associate with those outside of their caste • Below all castes were the Untouchables • People could improve their caste in a future life by fulfilling their expected role in this one Brahmins (Priests) Kshatriyas (Warriors, Rulers) Vaisyas (Herders, farmers, artisans, and merchants) Sudras(laborers)

9. Caste System • Hundreds of major castes and thousands of sub-castes • People in different castes were different species (different types of humans) • Caste System preserved social order • Rules forbade • Marrying outside of one’s caste • Eating with someone from a different caste • High-Caste People had stricter rules to protect them from becoming spiritually polluted by the lower castes • Untouchables • BELOW all castes • Contact with an Untouchable spread pollution • Lived apart from everyone else • Had to sound a wooden clapper to warn people of their approach • Cannot change status in this life but by fulfilling their duties they can improve status in next life

10. Hinduism • Upanishads, Vedas - sacred texts • Polytheistic • Brahman • All powerful spiritual force that controls the universe • Every person has the Brahman in them • Goal of Hindus is to achieve Moksha • Union with the Brahman • To do this individuals must free themselves from selfish desires that separate them from Brahman • Reincarnation • Life and death not real – illusions – bodies are transient • Allows people to work toward Moksha over several lifetimes • Karma • All actions of a person’s life that affect his or her fate in the next life • Existence is ranked by closeness to Moksha • Humans, animals, plants, objects • Accumulated record of many lives • Dharma • Every male person born into a class and caste – determines what you do in life • Women’s rebirth to a higher existence based on devotion to her husband • Religious and moral duty of an individual effects Karma • Ahimsa • Nonviolence & reverence for all life

11. Buddhism • Started by Siddhartha Gautama 566 B.C. • Born 566 B.C. to high-caste family • Mother dreamed that when he was born a white elephant descended from heaven • Prophets predicted Gautama would become a holy man • To prevent this parents surrounded him with luxury • Gautama married beautiful woman and had a son • Gautama eventually left palace walls and encountered a sick person, an old person and a dead body • Deeply disturbed by suffering he left his wife and child in the palace never to return • Set out to discover, “The realm of life where there is neither suffering nor death” • Wandered for years seeking answers from Hindu holy men • One day, sat under a giant tree and determined to stay there until he could understand the mystery of life • Tempted by evil spirits for 48 days to try and convince him to stop meditating • Came to understand the cause of and cure for suffering • Gautama became Buddha (Enlightened One) through the meditation

12. Buddhism • 4 Noble Truths • All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow • The cause of suffering is the desire for things that are really illusions such as riches, power, and long life • The only cure for suffering is to overcome desire • The way to overcome desire is through meditation • Nirvana • Union with the universe and release from cycle of rebirth • Goal of Buddhism • Tripitaka (Three Baskets of Wisdom) teachings of the Buddha compiled after his death

13. Buddhism – Noble Eightfold Path

15. Maurya Empire • 321 B.C. - 185 B.C. • Created by Chandragupta Maurya who gained power in the Gages Valley and conquered northern India • Efficient Government • Harsh rule • 50-60 million people at its peak • Capital - Pataliptra • Schools, library, palaces, temples, grand city wall consisting of 530 towers and 64 gates • Ashokabecomes ruler 273 B.C. • Conquers Deccan region of Kalinga • Horrified by death of 100,000 during battle • Converted to Buddhism, rejected violence, even became vegetarian • Spread Buddhism, promoted peace and prosperity • Empire ended in 185 B.C. resulting in warfare between rival princes

16. Maurya Empire

17. Gupta Empire • A.D. 320 - 550 • India’s Golden Age • Period of cultural achievement • Allowed for advances in Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Language, Literature • Concept of zero • Decimal System based on 10 • Vaccination • Simple surgery • Sterilization • Literature, Poetry, Plays and Murals • Causes of decline include weak rulers and civil war • Collapse helped by invasion of the Huns • India falls back into regional rule Video review

18. Gupta Empire