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Ancient India
Geography
• Subcontinent – a large land mass that is
smaller than a continent and is separated
by physical features from a continent.
• Himalayas –Mountain range in North of
India that separate it from the rest of Asia.
• Early civilization developed along the
Indus River.
Climate
• Hot and Humid
• Monsoons – heavy seasonal rains that
occur in India.
Ganges
Indus
river
Bay of
Bengal
Sri Lanka
Arabian Sea
Harappan Civilization
• Harrapan civilization – the civilization that
grew along the Indus river.
• Grew as irrigation and agriculture
improved.
• Harappa – main city
• Mohejo- Daro – other main city
• Well planned
Harappan Achievements
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Indoor plumbing
Excellent pottery
Cotton clothing
Jewelry
• http://www.harappa.com/indus/1.html
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/index.html
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/index.html
Aryan Civilization
• Invaded from central Asia
• Took control of the entire Indus river valley.
• Vedas- collection of poems hymns and
myths written by Aryan Priest.
• Nomads – traveled
• Lived in small communities.
• Each community had its own leader
• Raja- leader of small communities in Aryan
Society.
• Villagers worked for Raja.
• Aryan language - Sanskrit
Section 2
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Aryan Society became divided into groups.
Four main groups:
Brahmins- Priest
Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors
Vaisyas – Farmers, craftspeople, and
Traders
• Sudras –labors and non - Aryans
The Caste System
• Divided Indian Society based on a persons
wealth, birth or occupation.
• The four main groups were divided into
thousands of subgroups.
• Their was no movement from group to
group but the status of a group could
change.
Caste rules
• People could not marry outside of their
caste
• Couldn’t eat with a person from another
caste.
• If you broke the rules you became an
untouchable
Untouchables
• Not members of any group
• Seen as unclean and outcast
• Non untouchables were forbidden contact
with them.
Brahminism
• Aryan Religion was called Brahminism
• Based on the Vedas
• Vedas – contain sacred Hymns and
Poems
Vedas
• Rig Veda – the oldest Hymns and praise to
the Gods
• Vedic Text –religious rituals
• Vedic text – contains secret rituals that
only certain people could perform
• Upanishads- Reflections on the Vedas by
students and teachers.
Hinduism
• The Ideas of Brahmanism and the Vedas blended
with the ideas of other cultures and became
Hinduism.
Hindu Beliefs
• Polytheistic
• Three Major Gods:
– Brahma – the creator
– Vishnu the preserver
– Siva the destroyer
Brahman- the supreme universal spirit that
flows through all things.
Brahma
Vishnu
Siva
Life and rebirth
• Karma – the effects a good or bad actions have
on your soul.
• Atman – soul
• Based on how well a person follows Caste rules
they are born up or down the Caste rank.
• How you are born is based on your Karma.
• The ultimate goal is to have no further rebirths
and to have your atman become one with
Brahman.
• This world is an illusion.
Hinduism
• You must accept your place in the world
without complaint.
• Women are inferior to men
Jainism
• Based on the Teachings of Mahavira
• Beliefs
– Injure no life
– Tell the truth
– Do not steal
– Own no property
Ahimsa – practice non violence
Buddhism
• Siddhartha Gautama – 505 B.C. – Prince
who founded Buddhism
• Buddha – means Enlightened one
• Buddhism – religion based on the
teachings of Buddha
• Was a prince
• Sought the answer to the question ; Why
is there so much pain and suffering in the
world?
• Legend has that he meditated for 40 day
and fasted on a single grain of rice.
• The Answer : Because of Selfish Desires
• Wanting what we like but do not have
• Wanting to keep what we like and already
have
• Not wanting what we dislike but have
4 truths
• 1. Suffering are part of life
• 2. Suffering comes from our desires for
pleasure and material goods.
• 3. People can overcome desire and reach
Nirvana ( a state of Spiritual peace)
• 4. Follow an 8 fold path
8 fold path
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Think right
Right intent
Right speed
Right Action
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right concentration
Mauryan Empire
• Mauryan empire – founded by
Chandragupta Mayura.
• Lasted 150 years
• Added central India
• Asoka- added most of India- became
Buddhist monk and rejected war
Gupta Empire
• United northern and central India
• Hindu becomes India’s Religion also
supported Buddhism and Janism.
• Chandra Gupta II – Ruled during India’s
highest point. Supported the Caste
System.
India’s Achievements
• Built great Temples
• Stupas – domed roofs meant to house
sacred items.
• Writing
– Kalidasa – Playwrite
– Ponchatantra- book of stories with moral
lessons
• Science –
– Metallurgy – work with metals
– Alloys – mixed two or more metals
Math
Hindu Arabic – numbers we use today
Idea of Zero
• Medicine
– Inoculation – give you small doses of virus to
build up your immunity
• Astronomy
– Study of plants and stars
– Knew the sun was a star and planets evolved
around it.
– Predicted eclipses of moon and sun.