Download INDUS RIVER VALLEY (Map pg

INDUS RIVER VALLEY
Indus River-unpredictable flooding and sometimes changes course
Monsoons-stormy summer blown in off the Indian Ocean (Necessary for Agriculture)
HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION
- (3200 BC)-Harappan culture begins
City-Building-built cities on Grids with plumbing, sewage, flood walls.
Harappan Writing-Much like Hieroglyphics but we cannot decipher it.
Religion-Theocracy--ruled by Priests.
-Artifacts show early versions of Hindu Gods.
Trade-(2600-1800BC) With Mesopotamia and other early Civilizations
(1750 BC)-Earthquake ends Harappan Civilization
Indo-Europeans-(pg. 61-Examples of indo-European languages)
-from Steppes (dry, flat lands), North of Caucasus Mtns.
-Nomadic People
(1700-1200 BC) Mass Migrations occur
Aryans- Indo-European group that moves into India
Vedas- Sacred Indian-Aryan Text, 4 collections including "Rig Veda"
Varnas-Social classes (Caste system)
4 levels of Aryan Caste
1-Brahmin (priests)
2-Warriors
3-Peasants, Traders
4-Shudras (Non-Aryans) or Dasas (Slaves)
Untouchables-Persons considered to be unclean (garbage men, grave diggers, butchers)
Hinduism
-Hinduism is a result of Aryan and Indian religions/cultures mixing
-Hindu teachers began studying the Vedas, and these teachings were written down as the
Upanishads. (Bhagavad-Gita is the most widely known)
-The goal of Hinduism is to find liberation from desire and suffering in the human world
(not to find the after life)
Moksha- the perfect understanding of all things. One will be reincarnated again and
again until Moksha is achieved. (The Ultimate Goal of Hinduism)
Karma- Good or Bad deeds that determine one's reincarnated state. Castes are
determined by Karma.
Atman- One's person soul
Brahman- Collective of all souls
Gods-(There are more)
Brahma-the creator, Vishnu-the protector (Vishnu appears in different incarnations or
Avatars), Shiva-the destructor
Other Gods you may hear or read about: Krishna, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Rama, and Indra
-One's Caste determines your food, clothing, and job options and who your friends are.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Buddhism (The Legend)
Siddhartha Gautama was born into a rich family in Nepal. A prophecy was told that if
Siddhartha stayed at home, he would become a world ruler. But if he left home, he
would become a spiritual leader.
His father locked him in the palace for 29 years (he wanted his son to be a world ruler).
He married and had a son while living in the palace, but he wanted to know what was out
in the world, so he snuck out 4 times.
Each time he snuck out, he would meet a different person. The first time he met an old
man. The second time he met a sick man. The third he saw a dead man. And the fourth
time he saw a holy man at peace. Siddhartha saw this as a sign. And he understood this
to mean that everyone in the world will get old, sick, and die, but the spiritual life is an
escape from suffering.
So Siddhartha left home to seek out enlightenment, and after trying several things
unsuccessfully, he meditated under a plum tree for 49 days, and there he found
enlightenment. From then on he was known as the Buddha or "the Enlightened One".
Buddhism (The Religion)
Buddha taught that there are 4 Noble Truths:
1. Life is filled with suffering
2. The cause of suffering is selfish desire and temporary pleasure
3. The way to end suffering is to end desire
4. The way to overcome desire is the Eightfold Path
The Eightfold Path is like a staircase (you find enlightenment one step at a time).
Buddhists call this enlightenment Nirvana.
Nirvana is a release from selfishness and pain.
-Buddhism teaches reincarnation, but rejects the Caste system.
3 Jewels of Buddhism
1) Sangha (Religious Community)
2) Buddha
3) Dharma (Teachings and Doctrines)
-Many lower class Hindus were immediately turned on to Buddhism.
-Buddha admitted women (reluctantly). He thought women were a distraction.
-Monks and Nuns took vows of poverty, Non-violence, and No marriage
-Buddha's teachings first written in the 1st century BCE (100-1 BCE)
-Missionaries spread Buddhism all over Asia, but it never took hold in INDIA
-HINDUS teach that the Buddha is just another incarnation (AVATAR) of Vishnu.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
(326 BC) Alexander the Great conquers Indus Valley. He died soon after. Seleucus I
became leader of the Greek-conquered India.
MAURYAN EMPIRE
Chandragupta Maurya- killed the local Indian king and began conquering much of India.
(303 BC) Maurya defeated Seleucus and drove the Greeks out of India
Maurya' s Military was so large that the taxes were raised very high. (1/2 of a farmers
crop)
Kautilya- Maurya's main advisor. "Arthatsastra" was a book that instructed leaders on
how to rule.
(301 BC) Maurya gives up the throne and converts to Jainism.
(269 BC) ASOKA attempts to increase the size of Empire, but after a bittersweet victory
against Kalinga. Asoka adopts Buddhist teachings, including non-violence and
religious toleration.
Asoka also set up public wells along the roads which encouraged travel. Trade and
Communications became Big Business.
After Asoka died, many kingdoms rebelled and there was an influx of Refugees from
Europe and Asia.
GUPTA EMPIRE
(320 AD) Chandra Gupta- married into the royal family of the Magahda Empire. He
expanded the Empire to the North.
(335 AD) Samudra Gupta- Expanded the Empire over 40 years because of drought,
Samudra put a tax on water and required everyone to work on infrastructure
(Dams, Resevoirs, Ditches) 1 day a month.
(375 AD) Chandra Gupta II- Defeated India's enemies, engaged in profitable trade with
the Mediterranean and Established Diplomacy through Marriage
Alliances.
(1st Century AD) – Bodhisattvas- Buddhist group who had given up on finding Nirvana,
they wanted to save humanity.
MAHAYANA Buddhism-Buddhism of Bodhisattvas
THERAVADA BUDDHISM- traditional Buddhist Doctrine
-Hinduism experienced reform during this period as well. Because of trade and
exchanging of cultures, many Hindus came to adopt a monotheistic-like
view of their religion. (All of the Hindu Gods represent One Unifying
Force)
-During this period, the Arts and Sciences flourished.
Kalidasa-poet and playwright "Shakuntala"- a Romantic Play. Drama and Dance were
very popular, and both Genders participated.
-Scientific and Mathematical Advances include: Discovering that the Earth is round,
modern numeral systems, ZERO, decimal system, Pi, Medicines, plastic
surgery, injections.
Silk Road- Trade route from China to the West. Indians found that they could act as
Middleman and make a fortune (Retail)
Sea Trade- Seatraders were able to increase COMMERCE, which began BANKING
systems, and also spread Indian Culture and Religions
EARLY CHINESE DYNASTIES
-Chinese culture developed between the Huang He (Yellow River) and the Yangtze.
(2000 BC) Farming Settlements grew into cities along the Yellow River
Shang Dynasty-(1700-1027BC) First Written Records. Emphasis is put on group rather
than individuals. (Shows possible signs of Early Communist Tendancies)
Anyang- Shang capital city, built w/Timber (wood) with a large earthen mound city wall
Shang Culture
-Religion-Polytheistic with 1 main GOD, Shang Di,
-the Chinese also practiced Ancestor Worship
-Priests interpreted animal bones as messages from the GODS
-Writing System-Written language and spoken language were completely different.
(Someone can read Ancient Chinese without speaking a word of it)
-it was a system of thousands of characters which made it difficult to learn. (only the
wealthy had time to learn it)
-The written language was Universal across China although spoken languages varied.
Zhou Dynasty (1027 BC-256 BC)
(1027BC) Overthrew Shang Dynasty but adopted Shang Culture.
Mandate of Heaven-GODS chose the ruling dynasty (Divine Right)
Dynastic Cycle (pg. 54) New Dynasty overthrows King-Rules in the GODS favorDynasty becomes corrupt-GODS send Natural Disaster-King is overthrown
Feudalism-Nobles control land owned by King and the King requires Military service
when needed. Peasants work the land.
-Over time, the Nobles grew wealthier and more powerful and began fighting each other
(771 BC) Nomadic Tribes from North and West attacked the Zhou capitol, and killed the
King. The remaining Zhou family moved the capitol to Luoyang.
(771 BC-256 BC) "Time of Warring States"-After the invasion, the Zhou Dynasty was
severely weakened. During this period, the Wars between the Nobles became worse.
These were tough times!!
Confucianism
By the end of the Zhou Dynasty, the culture had fallen to ruin.
Confucius – (551 BC – 479 BC) – Teacher of music, history, and morals. He believed
that China could be restored to power if everyone followed his 5 basic relationships:
Ruler & subject , 2.Father & son, 3. Husband & wife, 4.Older & younger brother,
5. Friend & friend. Confucius said that a code of proper conduct would make
these relationships work.
Filial piety – Utmost devotion and respect to one’s parents in life and death.
Confucius was made Minister of Justice by the Duke of Lu, but resigned after the duke
became corrupt. He continued to teach until his death. His teachings were later written
down in the Analects.
Confucianism teaches that education can transform the masses and laid the groundwork
for a major civil service program or Bureaucracy.
Qin Dynasty (221 BC – 202 BC)
Shi Huangdi – “first emperor” took control after hiring Legalists to subdue the warring
nobility. He doubled China’s size, pushed out invaders, and took their lands from north
China to Vietnam.
His tactic was to “Strengthen the trunk and weakening the branches”, so he commanded
all nobility to live in the capitol city, under his watch. 120,000 nobles were uprooted, and
Shi Huangdi divided their lands into 36 districts.
Li Su was hired as prime Minister, and Li Su had hundreds of Confucianist scholars
murdered, and burned all “useless” books. This made Shi Huangdi’s government an
Autocracy.
He built 4000 miles of roads, standardized weights and measures on money, currency,
laws, & wheel and axle bases.
Great Wall- started by Qin Dynasty-finished by HAN DYNASTY. Hundreds of
Thousands of Chinese Laborers died (forced labor). It stretched across the northern
border.
(210 BC – 202 BC) – Shi Huangdi’s son proved ineffective as emperor. Peasants from
the Han region rebelled and marched on the capitol.