Download India: Peoples of the Indus Valley

Ancient India
Aryans
 Indo-European nomadic herders from central Asia
 Took Indus Valley people as slaves and created a new Indian society
 Created the caste system in India
 Created the writing system of Sanskrit to record their religious writings and legends
 Blending of the beliefs of the Indus Valley civilization and the beliefs of the Aryans resulted in Hinduism
After the end of the Indus Valley civilizations, no single ruler dominated northern India, but in 512 BC the Persians
would conquer and govern northwestern India for the next 186 years. In 326 BC, Alexander the Great and his
armies would conquer this area. However, they only held it for about 5 years.
The Mauryan Dynasty (322 BC – 180 BC)
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2.
Chandragupta Maurya - united all of northern India including all of the Indus Valley, the Ganges Valley, and
the southern Himalayas. A cruel and merciless ruler.
Asoka - Chandragupta's grandson
a.
Most famous of the Mauryan Dynasty and considered one of the greatest Indian rulers ever
b.
Converted to Buddhism and ruled according to Buddhism’s teachings
c. Helped build up India’s trade with surrounding areas
d. Set up hospitals for both people and animals
Five hundred years of disunity followed the end of the Mauryan dynasty. During this period numerous small
kingdoms and states were established by waves of invaders from north and west. Southern India was not affected
by these invasions.
The Gupta Dynasty (A.D 320 – 467) -- brought a golden age to Indian civilization. Highlights:
1.
2.
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A system of free public hospitals
Advances in science and learning made by Hindu scholars of the Brahmin caste, which included
a.
Astronomy – identify seven planets; determined that planets and moon reflect sun’s light;
understood daily rotation of earth on its axis; predicted eclipses; developed theory of gravity; calculated
diameter of earth
b.
Medicine -- sophisticated surgery with sterilized medical tools; perfected innoculation technique;
immunized against smallpox; understood importance of spinal cord; knew how to set bones; performed
plastic surgery; practiced sterilization of wounds
c.
Mathematics -- development of the first number system based on the number 10; concept of zero;
developed negative numbers; calculated square root of 2; developed table of sines, computed value of pi
Great dramas stressing human emotions. The poetdramatist Kalidasa has been likened to Shakespeare.
Beginning in the 400's the Gupta Empire came under constant attack by the Huns. Over the next 200 years the
Gupta Empire shrank and then in the 600's disappeared completely.
Six more centuries of political turmoil and bloodletting followed in the north.
Silk Road
What was it? A trade route between the Roman Empire and China that ran through India’s Kushan Kingdom
Who was involved? In the east, China. In the west, Rome. In between, India’s Kushan Kingdom.
What items were traded? Rome wanted silk. China wanted woolen and linen cloths, glass, and precious stones.
India’s Kushan Kingdom prospered simply from being in the middle of all this trading.