Download File - Mr. Williams

Ancient India
Geography of India
• India is a subcontinent or a large
landmass that juts out from the
continent.
• The mountains and the deserts
as well as the rivers and oceans
separate the people of India
from the rest of the world. These
are known as geographic
barriers.
Geographic Barriers
• Geographic barriers
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Himalayan Mountains
Hindu Kush Mountains
Thar Desert
Deccan Plateau
Indus River
Ganges River
Indian Ocean
Mountains
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• The Himalayas are the
highest mountains in the
world. Mt. Everest, the
tallest mountain in the
world, is located in the
Himalayas.
• Himalayas and Hindu Kush
separate the Indian
subcontinent from the rest
of Asia.
• Himalayas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTVNidxg2s
Rivers
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• Indus River - flows across
northwest edge of the Indian
subcontinent. Home of one of
ancient world’s great river valley
civilizations.
• Ganges River – flows across
northeast edge. Hindus believe
the river is sacred and that
bathing in it will purify them.
Desert Region
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• Thar Desert
• Deccan Plateau – high plateau
receiving less rain than other
parts of subcontinent
• Between the mountains and the
plateau are the Northern Plains,
where society first developed in
India.
Monsoons
• Seasonal winds
• Winter monsoons – northeast winds blow cool, dry air from Central Asia, drier
months.
• Summer monsoon – from southwest, war air, heavy rains from Indian
Ocean, most of annual rainfalls at this time
Effects of Monsoons
Good
Bad
• Rains cause the rivers to flood,
depositing silt and making fertile
farmland.
• Heavy rains add to the fertility of
the plains. People depend on
them.
• Rains too heavy – crops, homes,
lives could be lost
• Rains too late – not last long
enough, people couldn’t grow
crops, famine possible
• Explain Monsoons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9peDRkO-TLc
• Monsoon Damage
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=ifzUnd9oISw
Indus Valley Civilizations
• In 1920s, archeologists discovered two
huge, ancient cities along the Indus
River, Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, in
modern day Pakistan.
• They named this civilization the
Harappan civilization.
• Estimated that it thrived between 2300
and 1700 BC and lasted 1000 years
• Cities with populations of approximately
30,000
• Very little known about them.
• Few weapons found, so thought to be
peaceful.
• Mohenjo Daro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCYx-_WqcKc
Harappan Achievements
• Writing system – We can’t read it.
• Trade – Mesopotamia
• Wheeled vehicles
• Art – pottery, jewelry, ivory
• Advanced cities
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Plumbing
Wells
Great Bath
Well-planned, grid system
• Art – pottery, jewelry, ivory, seals
Aryans
• Harappan Civilization ended around
1700 BC for unknown reasons
(Invaders? Natural disasters?)
• Group called Aryans migrate into the
valley from central Asia.
• Small communities ruled by leaders
called rajas.
Best known for:
• Sanskrit – most important language of
ancient India
• The Vedas – religious writings
Sanskrit
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• At first was only a spoken
language, later written down.
• No longer widely spoken today,
but is the root of many modern
South Asian languages.
The Vedas
• Four Vedas
• Religious poems, hymns, myths,
and rituals written by Aryan
priests.
• Basis of Indian religion for
centuries.
• Blended with ideas from other
cultures and eventually created
a religion called Hinduism, the
largest religion in India today.
Vedic Hymn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SoORbYCPEA&ind
ex=1&list=PLUSRfoOcUe4bVIuGblTHsSCeJS3FAyTzr
Hinduism
Major Beliefs of Hinduism:
Hinduism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g7WtVchtcQ
• A universal spirit called Brahman
created the universe and everything in
it. Everything in the world, even the
gods, is just a part of Brahman.
• Every person has a soul or atman that
will eventually join with Brahman.
• People’s souls are reincarnated, or
reborn into a different body, many
times before they can join with
Brahman.
• A person’s karma, or effects that good
or bad actions have on a person’s soul,
affects how he/she will be
reincarnated.
Major Gods - Brahma
Brahma The Creator
• The god Brahma represents the
creator aspect of Brahman.
• His four faces symbolize the four
Vedas.
Major Gods - Siva
Siva The Destroyer
• Siva, the destroyer aspect of Brahman,
is usually shown with four arms and
three eyes.
• Often shown dancing on the back of a
demon he has defeated.
Major Gods - Vishnu
Vishnu The Preserver
• Vishnu is the preserver aspect of Brahman.
• In his four arms, he carries a conch shell, a
mace, and a discus, symbols of his power and
greatness.
Other Gods Activity
• Briefly research about your assigned
god or goddess and be prepared to
present a picture and what you have
learned about the deity.
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Ganesha
Shiva
Krishna
Rama
Hanuman
Vishnu
Lakshmi
Durga
Kali
Saraswati