Ancient India

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Ancient India

• Chapter 4

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Geography

• India is a sub-continent
• It is separated by seas and mountain ranges
• Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean
• Himalayas, Hindu Kush
• Two great rivers run through it
• Indus and Ganges

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Early Civilizations
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The Indus Civilization

• The earliest civilization in India dates back to
  2500 BC
• Two major cities
• Mohen-jo-daro and Harappa
• Well-planned
• Impressive buildings, wells, baths, sewage
  system, houses

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Culture of the Indus people

• Writing system
• Still not deciphered by scholars
• Sacred religion
• Evidence in illustrations
• Economic activity and trade
• Contact with Mesopotamia

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Decline of Indus Valley Civilization

• Decline began in about 1700 BC
• Environmental changes, economic difficulties and
  invasions were possible causes
• The people probably merged into other cultures in
  the area, and their culture was lost
• In about 1500 BC another group, the Aryans,
  settle in the area and their cultures blended.

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The Vedic Age

• 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.
• Named after the written literature of the Aryans
  The Vedas
• The Vedas were handed down orally by the
  Brahmins or priests roots of Hinduism
• During the Vedic age, the cultures of the Aryans
  and the cultures in the Indus Valley blended -
  Indo-Aryan

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Hinduism

• Oldest living religion
• Roots in the Vedic Period
• Many gods with one world spirit called Brahma.
• Belief in a cycle of birth and rebirth until
  ones soul reaches community with Brahma
• Peaceful religion practiced by over 800 million
  people today

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The Caste System

• Brahmins
• (priests)
• Kshatriyas
• (nobles fighters)
• Vaisyas
• (ordinary people such
• as merchants, farmers,
• workers)
• Sudras (servants peasants)

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The Buddhist Period

• 500 B.C. 312 B.C.
• Buddhism began and then spread throughout India
• Also a time of urbanization the growth of
  cities

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Buddhism

• Begun by a man named Siddhartha Gautama a
  member of the Brahmin class
• Search for happiness
• Reached nirvana - a state of enlightenment
• Began to help other people do the same

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The Mauryan Empire

• 312 B.C. 184 B.C.
• Chandragupta unified northern India and then
  expanded the kingdom

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Asoka

• Asoka was the grandson of Chandragupta
• He was a strong conqueror but became a peaceful
  leader after turning to Buddhism

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The Formative Period

• For 500 years after the breakup of the Mauryan
  Dynasty, there was little peace in India
• Several groups of invaders ruled the area.
• One group, the Kushans ruled northwest India and
  was involved in trade along the Silk Road.

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The Gupta Period

• 320 A.D. 500 A.D.
• Indias Golden Age
• Literature, science, poetry, mathematics
  flourished
• Hinduism became the leading religion again
• Invaded by Huns

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Muslim Rule of India

• Between 600 A.D. and 1000 A.D., India was divided
  into various regions or kingdoms which were rules
  separately
• Between 700 and 1000 A.D., there were several
  Muslim invasions.
• Muslims are people who practice the religion
  Islam. This religion was quickly spreading around
  the Middle East, Africa and Asia

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The Mughal Empire

• 1206 the Delhi Sultanate a Muslim kingdom in
  northern India
• Hindu people suffered under the new regime.
• Invaded by Mongol (also called Mughal) warriors
  also muslim
• The Mughal Empire lasted from 1526 to 1707 A.D.
• The greatest ruler was Akbar

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Akbar the Great

• Ruled Mughal Empire from 1556-1606 AD.
• One of the greatest monarchs in history
• Fair, intelligent and wise
• Government and taxes were strict but fair
• Was Muslim himself, but tolerant of other
  religions.
• Deeply loved by his people