Download Unit 1: From Pre-History to Early Civilizations

Unit 1: From Pre-History to
Early Civilizations
Chapter 3: Ancient India
Section I: Indus Valley Civilization
(Pages 48-55)
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This section is about:
The development and
the decline of the Indus
Valley civilization.
The archeological
evidence of the
economic and cultural
life of the people of
Harappa and Mohenjo
Daro.
Some questions for our class:
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Who am I? (you - not this guy)
What am I to do?
How should I see things?
Read the text on page 48 in our books.
And, look at the picture on page 49
What else should we do before we move on?
Lets be “active readers”
(top right of page 50)
What else should we do?
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Look at vocabulary words
Look at the “Main Ideas”
Check out the pictures
Check out the headings (in red in our book)
What we often call the India sub-continent
is really 3 places today: India / Pakistan / Bangladesh
The South-Central section of Asia
The Himalaya Mountains
(biggest mountains on earth)
Indo-Gangetic Plain
(Farming – Indus and Ganges Rivers)
The Western Ghats
The Eastern Ghats
Desert
Deccan Plateau
(raised area of level land)
The weather in this region:
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Has a lot of monsoons: heavy
winds with very heavy rainfall.
Last from early June to early
October
Some places (East side) get as
much as 450 inches of rain a
year.
The people depend on the rain
for water for their farms, but
too much rain is a problem.
The rest of the year has
cooler, dryer weather
India can also get very hot –
up to the 120’s in the desert
India’s first great civilization (3500 B.C.) is called:
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The Indus Valley Civilization –
they were around for about
1000 years – and then
vanished.
Traders: wove cotton, made
jewelry and furniture, cooking
utensils, writing sticks, back
scratchers, dice, and game
pieces.
Famers: grew wheat, barley,
cotton, and fruit
Both: used stone, copper, and
bronze tools.
It seems they also traded with
other cultures at times.
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
(archeologists started digging at the oldest Indian
settlements we know of about 1921)
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Both about 1 square mile,
similar layouts, and careful
planning.
In the center: a huge fortress
on a hill – called a citadel
Inside: a bath house, grain
storage area, and a residential
building
Why are these inside?
Streets ran parallel to each
other - to do all this must have
taken great planning.
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Brick homes
Some small (one room)
– others large (even with
court-yards and private
wells for drinking and
bath water).
People lived in areas
according to their jobs.
The most advance
plumbing in the world –
water and sewer pipes
running under the
streets
These people must have also been traders
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Indus Valley goods have also
been found in other areas and
goods from other areas have
been found there.
They must have used the
oceans and the many rivers in
the area.
Indian pottery even has been
found in Mesopotamia.
Archeologists have also found:
games, toys (clay monkey that
would slide down a string and
a clay bull that wiggled it’s
head), marbles, and dice (the
same kind we use today)
Writing / Language:
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They had some
writing, but we
don’t know what
language they spoke.
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When we do find
“writing”, we don’t
know how to read it.
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Religion
Decline /Disappearance
We’re not sure what  Change in climate and
role religion played
people moved?
in their lives.
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River changed and not
Some figurines
enough water?
(mostly female) look  Earthquake / flood /
like gods/goddesses.
disease?
The bodies of the
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Invaded and
dead were buried
conquered?
with heads to the
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Some remains have
north, so… ?
been found that
weren’t buried – so
what might that mean?
Lets finish being “active readers”
(top right of page 50)
Section II: Aryan Civilization
(Pages 56-60)
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This section is about:
Who the Aryan people
were.
How Aryan culture was
preserved through oral
traditions and sacred
writings (the Vedas).
The changes to Aryan
society and religion that
happened at this time.
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What happened to the Indus
civilization?
Some people think they were
invaded by the Aryans. They
were from southern Russia and
may have been looking for land
for their sheep, goats and
cows.
The Aryans were fierce, skillful
fighters who eventually
conquered northern India.
Their descendants built many
civilizations in the area.
We don’t know much about
the Aryans because they seem
to be nomads, and wouldn’t
live in one place long enough to
leave a lot of artifacts.
The Aryans did leave: The Vedas
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Most of what we know about
them comes from this
collection of hymns, prayers,
and religious teachings.
Memorized by priests and
orally told for about 100 year
before they were written
down.
The message of the Vedas is
one of peace and harmony.
Another sacred writing: the
Upanishads (complex
explanations of the Vedas):
hard to understand though –
so people usually just use the
Vedas.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm
The Aryan Caste System
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The Aryans divided people up
into groups called the Caste
System. This divided people
up into groups – based on
their place in society.
There were 4 main groups
(and actually a 5th).
You were born into your caste
for life.
It determined your job, who
you could marry, where you
could worship, who you could
eat with…..
It shaped every part of your
life
The “varnas”
The Aryans worshipped many gods and goddesses
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Many of their beliefs influence
Asia even today.
Nature Gods are some of the
earliest divinities (gods/goddess)
mentioned in the Vedas.
They combined human
characteristics with nature.
Brahmin Priests had a lot of
power (they interpreted the
Vedas, performed rituals and
made sacrifices (food and drink)
to the gods.
They were thought to be able to
get help from the gods if it was
needed, so you needed to keep
the Priests happy.
Indra: the God of War
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His weapon: the
thunderbolt.
He used it to destroy
demons and announce
the arrival of needed
rain.
Varuna: God of order
and creation
Agni: the God of Fire and
communicator between
humans and Gods
Poems about the Vedas
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Some of the stories
appear in two long
poems called epics
called the Ramayana
and the
Mahabharata.
Their stories are still
popular today in
Southeast Asia
The Ramayana
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About a hero Rama and his
bride Sita.
Right after their wedding, Sita
is kidnapped by a demon king
(Ravana).
Rama is helped by a monkeygeneral named Hanuman.
Ravana tries to trick Rama
(kills a copy of Sita in front of
Rama), but he’s not fooled.
Rama continues to fight and
eventually wins back his wife.
This today symbolizes the
ideals of husband and wife and
their duty and devotion to
each other through many
hardships.
The Mahabharata
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One of the world’s longest
poems - about 100,000 verses
(and India’s greatest poem –
even today)
Describes a war between Aryan
cousins for control of the
kingdom.
Problems increase when the
Pandavas lose their kingdom to
the Kauravas (in a dice game)
and they have to fight to get it
back.
Just before the battle, Arjuna (a
Pandava) confesses to his
charioteer that he doesn’t want
to fight his cousins, even though
he has a just cause. But he’s
told it’s his duty to fight.
After 18 days, he and his
brothers are victorious.
During the time the Aryans controlled India
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Many cultures were
blended together.
Aryans eventually gave
up nomadic life and
settled down as farmers.
Villages began trading
and bartering with each
other.
They then learned things
from each other.
But the Aryans also
continued to expand their
territory.
The Aryan influence…
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…shapes India and
Asia even today.
The Caste System
still is an influence
in India.
Aryan beliefs also
end up evolving into
Hinduism and
Buddhism.
Section III: Hinduism and Buddhism
(Pages 61-64)
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This section is about:
How Hinduism became
the dominant religion in
India.
The religion of Jainism
(founded on the Hindu
tradition of non-violence).
The religion of Buddhism
and how it arose as an
alternative to the formal
religion of Buddhism.
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On page 61:
Compare and
Contrast: we’ll do
this at the end.
The Main Ideas…
And… In India:
Hinduism, Buddhism
and Jainism are have
some similarities, but
some differences in
beliefs and practices.
Meanings of all the above symbols
Hinduism
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One of the most complex
religions in the world.
Has no single “father”
No “sacred text”.
No identifiable beginning.
No authority or
organization.
Came from the many
cultures who settled in
India.
It’s a religion, a history,
and a way of life.
Hinduism accepts many gods and goddesses…
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…but are all part of one
universal spirit – called
Brahman.
The most important:
Brahma: the creator of the
universe
Vishnu: The preserver
Shiva: the destroyer
All of these are part of
Brahman – who is
everlasting and endless.
Brahman is the cause,
source, and reason for all
existence.
Hindu Beliefs
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Reincarnation: you have a
“spirit” that is re-born into
another life form after you die.
Karma: are the actions of your
life – and determines where
your spirit will be re-born.
Dharma: is your religious and
moral duties.
And don’t forget the caste
system (which is a big part of
this): you can’t move your
standing in this life, but your
spirit can move after you die.
Ahimsa: non-violence to all
living creatures – the absence
of desire to harm any living
thing (even yourself)
Jainism (another religion from India):
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A religion that comes from
ahimsa.
It’s a religion of nonviolence.
This includes EVERY living
thing – even insects and
worms.
So that kind of limited their
lives (can’t be a farmer).
Some people are still living
parts of their lives based on
Jainism.
The internal austerities are
1.
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3.
4.
5.
6.
Atonement of sinful acts
Practice politeness and humility - in spite
of having comparatively more wealth,
wisdom, social status, power, etc.
Service to others, especially monks,
nuns, elders and the weaker souls without
any expectations in return
Scriptural study, questioning and
expanding the spiritual knowledge
Abandonment of passions – especially
anger, ego, deceit and greed
Meditation
The external austerities are meant to
discipline the sensual cravings.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Fasting
Eating less than one's normal diet
Abstention from tasty and stimulating
food
Practicing humility and thankfulness – by
seeking help and offering assistance
without egoistic tendencies
Practicing solitude and introspection
Mastering demands of the body
The Rise of Buddhism
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Began about 500 B.C.
(a time of great social
change and religious
activity).
Many people wanted
a simpler way of life
than Hinduism and all
their rituals.
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Buddhism accepted
some (but not all Hindu
ideas).
Karma and
Reincarnation were
kept.
The caste system was
rejected by Buddhists –
they said all people had
great potential.
Buddhism is “founded”
by Siddhartha Gautama
(known as: the
Buddha – which means
“awakened one” or
“enlightened one”)
Buddhist tradition…
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Says the Buddha lived
many lives before his birth
as Siddhartha Gautama.
Before he was born, his
mother had a dream about
a white elephant
descending from heaven.
Brahman priests told her it
meant her son would either
be a ruler or a wandering
holy man.
So his father raised him well – and hoped he
would be happy living a rich life at home.
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But, when he was 29,
Siddhartha left home to see
how others lived.
He saw a very old man, a sick
man, and a dead man. He
was so unhappy that others
were suffering that he
decided to leave home and
go look for “ the way of
truth”.
He wandered for 6 years –
giving up all comforts and
pleasures.
One day he decided he was
going to sit under a tree until
he understood the “mystery
of life.”
All of a sudden, one day he figured it out –
and became “the Buddha”
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4.
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For the rest of his life he
taught “the four noble truths”
All human existence is full of
pain and suffering.
The cause of suffering is
selfish desire.
The only freedom from
suffering is to overcome
desire.
The only way to overcome
desire is to follow “the
eightfold path.”
and not worry about worldly
cares any more.
Section IV: Ancient Indian Dynasties
(Pages 65-69)
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This section is about:
The rise and fall of Chandragupta and his Mauryan Empire.
The Gupta Empire.
The great advances in arts and sciences at this time.
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Two of the best
known of the ancient
Indian cultures are the
Mauryan and the
Gupta Empires.
The first great empire
of India was formed
by Chandragupta
Maurya.
He took control and
united many kingdoms
in the Indus River
valley about 321 B.C.
The Mauryan empire worked well
because it was a bureaucracy.
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Appointed officials were in
charge of different
responsibilities (building roads,
running towns, collecting
taxes).
There were even spies keeping
track that everything was done
correctly.
Chandragupta had a huge
army: 700,000 men, 9,000
elephants, and 10,000
chariots.
He also improved business and
trade for the empire, built
canals, created jobs, built
roads to link everything, and
traded everywhere they knew
of.
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(a government system of departments –
run by appointed officials)
Chandragupta’s grandson
(Asoka)…
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…was the most admired of the
empires rulers.
After losing more than 100,000
men in a battle, Asoka changed
his mind about violence and
became a Buddhist.
He won the support of India’s
people through kindness and now
saw himself as the protector of his
people.
He tried to lead his people by
example (and not by force).
He began placing edicts (orders)
around places people would
gather- promoting goodness,
compassion, truthfulness, purity,
tolerance, and gentleness.
Mauryan society was greatly improved
by Asoka’s changes. He…
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Dug wells along major roads for
travelers.
Grew herbs and provided medical
care.
Prohibited the slaughter of
animals for food (Buddhism).
Tried to get “ministers” to help
him make a more caring, tolerant
society -even among different
castes.
Promoted religious tolerance.
Gave assistance to the elderly.
Personally donated large sums of
money.
All this helped spread Buddhism
to other parts of Asia
The empire failed when it couldn’t unite the
entire sub-continent into one group.
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Fifty years after Asoka died, the
empire was pretty much gone.
We’re not sure why, but…
May have been too spread out to
be united
The economy may have
weakened.
Agriculture may not have been
able to keep up with the
population.
But… about 500 years later, a new
empire would rise up in India.
The Gupta Empire
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Was not as large as the
Mauryan Empire.
Because it had good military
leaders, no one bothered them
for about 300 years.
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(about 320 A.D.)
Because it was peaceful, the
people could concentrate more
on developing art, music,
writing, literature, and
architecture.
The empire was set up different
than the Mauryan Empire
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Divided into territories – each
governed by a member of the
royal family,
The people in these individual
territories worked together
pretty well – they all had mostly
common interests.
Chandragupta I and his son
Chandragupta II (not related to
the Mauryan ruler) helped build
up the Gupta empire.
The empire lasted until about
650 A.D. (when the Huns
invaded from the north). There
were many kingdoms at that
time who wanted to control
India
Gupta Art and Architecture:
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Art, architecture, math, and
science were huge in the
Gupta Empire.
They also supported both
Buddhism and Hinduism.
Mural paintings and sculpture
from the time show details of
how the people lived.
They also built magnificent
stone temples – usually simple
buildings with heavy walls that
had an image of a deity (god).
Some also had elaborate
carvings that told the story of
the Buddha.
Literature
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The Gupta wrote in
“Sanskrit” – their official
language.
India’s greatest Sanskrit
poet was Kalidasa: who
wrote: “The Cloud
Messenger” about a man
who misses his wife and
shares his sadness with a
passing cloud.
There was another set of
stories called the
Panchatantra – a
collection of animal fables.
Science, medicine, and education
also flourished in the Gupta Empire
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They even had centers of
learning – or universities –
probably the first of their kind in
the world.
Students were taught medicine,
physics, languages,
mathematics, and literature.
In mathematics, they came up
with the idea of using a number
system with a decimal point and
a zero. Aryabhata also probably
came up with the ideas for
Algebra and a decimal system
that counted in tens.
They also studied astronomy and
knew the earth had a round
shape and rotated on an axis.