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Chapter 4 -- Early Societies in South Asia
Directions. Printout and review the Chapter outline & Study Guide prior to reading the Chapter. Not all the terms or people are to be found in
the Chapter. For these, you are expected to research their relevance and include them.
Publisher’s Website for Outlines, etc. -- http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072424354/student_view0/
Introduction. An agricultural economy and its accompanying Neolithic communities emerged on the Indian subcontinent some time after 7000 B.C.E
Eventually some of the Neolithic villages further devolved into urban societies. The earliest such society was Dravidian and was known as the Harappan
society. It flourished along the Indus River valley in the third millennium B.C.E. Coinciding with the decline of the Harappan society, large numbers of IndoEuropean migrants were moving into India from central Asia beginning around 1900B.C.E. These peoples, known as Aryans, brought with them cultural
traditions sharply different from the earlier societies. After a period of turmoil the Aryan and Dravidian cultures merged to generate a distinctive Indian
society characterized by
 Regional states with kingship (rajas) as the most common form of government.
 The caste system, a complex social class system that served as a vehicle for imparting a powerful sense of group identity, as a stabilizing influence in
Indian society and as a foundation for Hinduism.
 A distinctive set or religious beliefs encompassing the doctrines of samsara and karma along with the notion of a universal soul, or Brahman.
 A rich literary religious tradition based on centuries of oral transmission that included such classics as the Vedas and the Upanishads.
The following section, including “People & Terms” is to be highlighted on the Chapter Outline. Words not appearing in the outline must be added to the
outline. Incorporate the information for the Study questions into the notes you add to the outline.
People & Terms
State in your own words what each of the
following terms means and why it is significant to
a study of this period.
Indra
Aryans
Dravidians
Harappan society Indus River
Harappa
Mohenjo-Daro
Sanskrit
Pakrit
Vedas
Rig Vedas
Raja
Punjab
Ganges River caste
Varna
Brahmans
Kshatriyas
Shudras
jatis
patriarchy
Law book of Manu sati
soma
Varuna
Upanishads
samsara
Karma
moksha
Study Questions
o Little is known of Harappan society. What do
we know about the nature of the society?
How do historians and archaeologists explain
the decline of the Harappan culture?
o The religious beliefs of this period emerged
as a blending of Aryan and Dravidian
traditions and significant developments in the
later Vedic age. These beliefs were the
underpinnings of the Hindu religion, which is
still the most prevalent religion of the Indian
sub-continent. What aspects of this system
make it so appealing to people? How did it
both reflect and support other institutions?
o Discuss the nature of patriarchy in early
Indian societies. How are patriarchy and
gender roles reflected in the Law book of
Manu?
o Examine the political world of ancient India.
Why was it so politically fragmented? How
did this lack of unity influence the course of
Indian history?
o Explain the relationship between each of the
following pairs. How does one lead to or
foster the other? Be specific in your
response.
o
o
o
o
o
Caste & Upanishads
Harappan society & cattle
The Vedas & the Law book of Manu
Karma & vegetarianism
Aryans & rajas