Download Lecture 4 – India and Meso

Lecture 4 – India and Meso-America
- Civilization in Indus Valley in 2300-1750 BC
- Hydraulic engineering, urbanization
- Iron smelting, shipbuilding and textiles
- Mauryan Empire (300 – 200 BC)
o Water management for irrigation
o Political centralization, bureaucracy, resource
management, taxation and public works
- Gupta empire (320-650AD)
o Water management, political centralization,
bureaucracy, trade regulation, rental revenues
Religion
- Vedic religious beliefs, microcosm and macrocosm
- The Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religions
o Transcendental, reality as illusion
o Lack of interest in natural philosophy
- Siddartha or the Buddha (565-483 BC)
o Achievement of Nirvana
- Islam expanded to India in the 8th century
Class and Society
- Four castes: warriors, priests, merchants, laborers
- Priestly influence in education and politics
Indian Science
- Astronomy and Mathematics: practiced by priests,
astronomers separate and competitive
- Applications of astronomy (religion, agriculture, astrology)
- Astronomy calculation based, not geometrical
- 4th century expansion of astronomy, Aryabhata (476 AD)
- Mathematics algebraic, geared to large numbers
- Zero and decimal notation, 6th century
- Alchemy: Medical and life-extending applications
- Textile industry and alchemy
- Four element theory and atomic theory
- Medicine: advanced theory, health and balance
- Herbal, mineral and animal remedies, surgery
- Training, licensing and state patronage of doctors
New World Civilizations (Maya, Aztec and Inca)
Mayan civilization 100BC - 900AD
- Scribes had extensive training, specialized occupation high
status
- Hereditary positions, political influence
- Base 20 numerical system, architectural astronomy
- Accurate solar and lunar year calculations
o Astronomy used for agriculture, religion, astrology
Aztec and Toltec Civilizations 900 AD – 1300 AD
- Architecture and hydraulic engineering
- Chinampas, agricultural plots
- Bureaucracy, 5 million people, tax collection
- Hereditary political power and education
- Mathematics was used for trade and commerce
- Medical and botanical pharmaceutical knowledge
Incan Civilization 4th – 16th Century AD
- Agriculture and irrigation
- Astronomer priests, architectural astronomy, state support
- Astronomy used for agricultural and ritual purposes
- Botanical and medicinal knowledge, state supported