1 / 21

Early Indian Civilization

Explore the flourishing Early Indian Civilization from 3000 B.C. to 500 A.D., encompassing the Indus Valley, the Aryan Conquests, Indian Empires, Caste System, Family System, Hinduism, Buddhism, and the rich Contributions of Ancient India. Witness the advanced technological achievements, religious writings, and societal structures that shaped this fascinating era.

vkevin
Download Presentation

Early Indian Civilization

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. 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

More Related