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Early Indian Civilization

Early Indian Civilization. 3000 B.C. – 500 A.D. Geography. Indus River valley Yearly flooding Ganges River valley Deccan plateau Monsoons. Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan) (3000 – 1500 BC). Cities = Harappo & Mohenjo-dara

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Early Indian Civilization

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  1. Early Indian Civilization 3000 B.C. – 500 A.D.

  2. Geography • Indus River valley • Yearly flooding • Ganges River valley • Deccan plateau • Monsoons

  3. Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan)(3000 – 1500 BC) • Cities = Harappo & Mohenjo-dara • Well-planned, drainage/sewage system, brick buildings w/ bathrooms • Irrigation, productive farming, domesticated animals • Undecipherred pictographic writing • Advanced Technology = jewelry, pottery, copper/bronze tools, cloth • Disappeared abruptly

  4. Writing of the Harappan Civilization – has not been deciphered

  5. “The Great Bath” – excavated at the site of Mohenjo-Daro

  6. “The Great Bath”

  7. Remains of “The Granary” a large room possibly used as a meeting place or a place in which religious ceremonies were held. Evidence shows that it was probably not used as a place to store grains as originally suspected.

  8. “The Granary”

  9. Aryan Conquests(2000 – 600 BC) • Indo-Europeans (light skinned) • Invaded the Indus Plain ~ 1500 BC • Vedas = religious writings that reveal the history of the Aryans (Hinduism) • Sanskrit becomes primary language

  10. Indian Empires • Magahda Empire (684 – 424 BC) • Civilization takes over from the Ganges River area • Siddhartha Guatama & the founding of Buddhism • Maurya Empire (321 – 185 BC) • First great empire • Famous rulers • Chandragupta Maurya • Asoka • Gupta Empire (320 – 535 AD) • Golden Age of India • Center of education • Influenced Eastern Asia

  11. Caste System • Complex Social & Economic Class Divisions (brought by Aryans) • Priests (Brahmans) • Rulers & Warriors (Kshatriyas) • Landowners & Merchants (Vaisyas) • Everyday people • Laborers & Servants (Sudras) • Limited rights in society • Outcasts (“untouchables” or pariahs) • Menial jobs • Each caste was hereditary & contact w/ other castes was often forbidden

  12. Family System • Male Centered • Could take more than one wife • Men were educated (guru) • Women took care of family

  13. Hinduism • Major Gods • Brahma = the creator • Vishnu = the preserver • Siva = the destroyer • Beliefs • Live righteously • Perform religious duties • Not a unified system, but a collection of beliefs w/ many varieties (monotheists to polytheistic)

  14. Hindu Terms • Reincarnation • Rebirth of the soul after death • Karma • Force of a person’s actions in this life used in determining his/her rebirth in the next life (Caste System) • Dharma • Divine law that affects a person’s karma • Yoga • Process of achieving oneness with the spiritual nature

  15. Buddhism • Siddhartha Gautama = founder • Became Buddha (“enlightened one”) • Mo Tree (Wisdom Tree) • Goal in life is to reach a spiritual state of peace known as “Nirvana” • 4 Noble Truths • Life is full of suffering and sorrow • Cause of suffering is selfish desire and temporary pleasures • End all suffering through ending desires • To end suffering follow the Eightfold Path • The Noble Eightfold Path • The “Middle Way” between desires and self-denial

  16. Decline of Buddhism • Theravada • Followers who thought Buddhism was a way of life and not a religion • Mahayana • Followers who believe Nirvana can only be achieved through devotion to Buddha

  17. Contributions of Ancient India • Art/Architecture • Symbolic & ornate designs • Pointed domes, columns, & conical towers • Literature (Sanskrit) • Vedas = religious prayers, hymns, & principles • Mahabharata & Ramayan = epic poems • Hindu animal fables • Science/Technology • Achievements in diagnosing & treating illnesses • Chemistry • Math • Most advanced of ancient civilizations • Created the modern written # system

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