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Early
Civilization
in India
India’s Geography
North-The Himalaya
Mountains, the highest
mountains in the
world
Ganges River Valleyrich land
Deccan-dry hilly
plateau
Monsoons
Seasonal wind patterns-southwest winds bring
heavy rains
Farmers depend on these rains but too much
or little, too early or late, can cause thousands
of deaths.
India’s First Civilization
Advanced civilizations that lasted for
hundreds of years.
Well Planned-grid of streets, walled
neighborhoods, buildings of mud bricks,
public wells and bathrooms used
advanced drainage system, chute system
for trash
Arrival of the Aryans
Invaded India’s civilizations and created a
new Indian society based on Aryan culture.
Used the iron plow to clear dense
jungle growth and irrigation systems
to create farm land
Sanskrit-first
written
language of the
Aryans
The Caste System
Rigid social classes that determined a
person’s occupation, economic potential,
and social status-based partly on skin color
Life of the
Untouchable was
difficult. They were
not considered
human. They lived in
ghettos and to tap
sticks together so
others would know
they were coming.
*Male dominated society:
-oldest male had legal authority
over the entire family
-arranged marriages
-suttee required a wife to throw
herself on her dead husband’s
funeral pyre and die herself
Hinduism
Based on the Vedasthe oldest Hindu
sacred text
Believed in an
ultimate reality
(God) called
Brahman
Individual self,
or atman, had
the duty to come
to know this
ultimate reality
Reincarnation
*The idea that after death the individual soul is
reborn in a different form.
• Karma-the idea that people’s actions
determine their form of rebirth and the class
into which they are reborn
• dharma-divine law rules karma, requires
people to do their duty in one’s caste
• provides a religious basis for the caste
system, gave hope to the lower classes
Yoga-a practice
to achieve
oneness with
God
Buddhism
Founder-Siddhartha
Gautama, known as
Buddha
(“Enlightened One”)
Gave up his rich life to
find the meaning of
life and the cure for
human suffering.
The pain, poverty,
and sorrow that
afflict human
beings are caused
by their
attachment to
things of this
world.
Achieving wisdom
is a key step to
achieving nirvana,
or ultimate realitythe end of the self
and a reunion with
the Great World
Soul.
Four Noble Truths
1. Ordinary life is full of suffering.
2. This suffering is caused by our
desire to satisfy ourselves.
3. The way to end suffering is to end
desire for selfish goals and to see
others as extensions of ourselves.
4. The way to end desire is to follow the
Middle Path.
Middle Path (Eightfold Path)
1. Right view
2. Right intention
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration
Accepted the idea of
reincarnation but
rejected the caste
system-appealed to the
people at the lower
end of the social scale
Mauryan Dynasty
• First Indian Empire
• Asoka is considered to
the greatest ruler in the
history of India-set up
hospitals for people
and animals, provided
trees and shelter for
travelers, and
expanded trade so
India prospered.
Silk Road
A caravan route between China and the
Roman Empire: main route for
transporting luxury goods.
Greatest Indian
state since the
Mauryan
Empire-much
of the cities’
wealth came
from religious
trade as
pilgrims came
to visit religious
centers
The Vedas
Earliest known Indian
literature