Download [“the south”].

ANCIENT
INDIA
South Asia
Map of India (Page 107)
Arabian Sea
Deccan
Plateau
Bay of
Bengal
Indian Ocean
The Thar Desert
 The Great Indian Desert
 200 - 1500 feet in elevation.
 Up to 127ºF in July.
The Deccan Plateau
 31,800 square miles in size.
 Elevation range: 2,000 – 8,000 feet high.
 From the Sanskrit word, “dakshina” [“the south”].
Hindu Kush
I.The Indus and Ganges River Valleys
A.Introduction
1.The land of India is separated from the rest of
the world by a great wall.
2.This great wall is the Himalayas, the highest
mountain range in the world.
B.India’s Geographic Setting
1.India juts out into the Indian Ocean.
2.Like all ancient cultures, geography played a
huge role in India’s history.
3.The monsoons dominate India’s climate.
4.India depends on the summer monsoon for
rain.
5.Passes through the mountains allowed
migration and invasion.
6.The Indus River and the Ganges River make
farming possible in India.
C.Life in the Indus River Valley
1.Mohenjo-Daro was one the most
famous cities in ancient India. (now present
day Pakistan)
2.Unlike most ancient cities, MohenjoDaro was a carefully planned city.
3.Canals were dug in the city to help
protect against flooding.
4.Merchants and artisans sold goods in
shops that lined the streets.
5.Evidence suggests that these people
were polythestic.
6.This early people began to decline
around 1500 B.C.
The Indus River System
1,975 miles long
D.A New Culture Arises
1.The Aryans swept into India from central Asia.
2.The Aryan culture mixed with the original
inhabitants of India.
3.The Aryan culture gradually spread into the
Ganges Valley as well.
4.Religious books called Vedas tell us about
early Aryan life.
5.The Aryans organized their society into
distinct social classes.
6.By 500 B.C. a caste system developed.
7.There is still a caste system in India today.
The Ganges River System
1,560 miles long
“Mata Ganga” (Mother Ganges)
II.Hinduism in Ancient India
A.Introduction
1.Prayers are found in the Aryan Vedas.
2.Shiva and Rudra were important gods.
B.The Beginnings of Hinduism
1.Hinduism developed from the blending of
many ideas and beliefs.
2.Hinduism became very complex over time.
3.Hinduism is one of the world’s major
religions.
4.Hinduism has no single founder.
5.The gods and goddesses of Hinduism stand
for different parts of brahman.
6.An avatar is the form of the Hindu gods.
7.Vishnu and Shiva are important Hindu gods.
8.Vishun is a kindly god.
9.Shiva is responsible for both the creative and
destructive forces of nature.
C.The Teachings of Hinduism
1.All Hindus share certain beliefs.
2.The Upanishads is in the form of questions
and answers.
3.Hindus believe in the idea of reincarnation.
4.Actions of a person in this life affect his or her
life in the next.
5.A Hindu must always obey his or her dharma.
(duties)
D.The Practice of Hinduism
1.Hinduism allows its followers to worship in
various ways.
2.For Hindus, there are many yogas that may
be used as paths to brahman.
3.Hindus often have a home altar.
Reincarnation