Lesson 1: Geography of South Asia

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Chapter 5
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Lesson 1 Geography of South Asia

• A Diamond Breaks Away
• A. Subcontinent
• 1. Large region separated by water and
  mountains from other land
• 2. India is a Subcontinent
• B. How it formed
• 1. Tectonic plates are moving and pushed
  India into Asia
• 2. This formed the Himalaya mountains
  The worlds highest mountains
• 3. Mount Everest world highest point is in
  the Himalayas
• 4. These mountains are still growing
• 5. Places near tectonic plates have many
  volcanoes and earthquakes

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• Snow to Monsoon
• A. Mountain Ranges
• 1. Hindu-Kush
• 2. Himalayas
• B. Many Landforms
• 1. Desert
• 2. Mountains
• 3. River Valley
• 4. Plains
• 5. Plateaus
• C. Climate
• 1. 3 Seasons
• a. Mild to Cool-Oct. Feb.
• b. Very Hot March- May
• c. Monsoon season June- Sept.
• 2. Monsoon season a very rainy season all
  the rain for the year comes at this time

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• Great Rivers , Great Plain
• A. Rivers
• 1. Indus
• 2. Ganges
• 3. Brahmaputra
• B. Indo-Ganges Plain
• 1. Flooding rivers spread silt onto plains for
  fertile farm land
• 2. Grow- barley, wheat, rice, peas, beans
  and vegetables
• 3. Subsistence farming- Many farmers just
  grow food for themselves or trade in
  their villages
• 4. Very populated area of the world
• 5. Indus Valley one of the worlds oldest
  civilizations

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• IV. Plateau, Coast and Islands
• A. Deccan Plateau
• 1. Located on southern tip of India
• 2. More irrigation is needed because it is dry
• 3. Very fertile land from volcanic soil
• 4. Large cotton producing area
• 5. Ghats mountains on both sides
• B. Coast and Islands
• 1. Fishing, rubber, clothing and textile
  industries

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Lesson 2 India and Persia

• Indus River Valley Civilizations
• A. people live here 3,500 BC
• B. civilization began about 2,500 BC in
  Harappa and Mohenjo- Daro
• C. Artifact tell us
• 1. had a system of writing (not decoded)
• 2. people farmed and stored surplus grain
• 3. worked with metal, wove cotton, made
  pottery and crafts
• 4. bought and traded goods
• 5. Had religious beliefs (polytheist)
• D. Complex Civilization
• 1. people used weights and measurement to
  build roads and building
• 2. Cities set up in a grid as many cities are
  today
• People had public bath and garbage collection
• E. Disappeared
• 1. The civilization of Harappa disappeared
  suddenly
• 2. Probably caused by a large natural disaster

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• II. The Aryans Arrive
• A. Migration to Indus Valley
• 1. Migrated from North East Europe around 1500
  BC
• 2. They were nomadic herders with cattle sheep
  and goats
• B. Different Culture
• 1. Spoke Sanskrit different language
• 2. Brought the Chariot
• 3. Started trading towns and villages
• 4. Left very few artifacts
• C. Vedas
• 1. Book of Knowledge that contains the
  writings and legends of the Aryans
• 2. Before stories were written down they were
  pasted down orally for hundreds of years
  

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• Aryan Culture Spreads
• A. Aryan Culture grew into several states
• B. These states fought for control until one
  king was victorious
• C. Social Structure
• 1. Priests and Teachers (Brahmins)
• 2. Warriors, Kings, other rulers
• 3. Cultivators artisans, traders,
  merchants
• 4. Sudras or serfs lowest position
  were ordered to farm and serve
  others
• D. Aryans grew and ruled from the Indus to
  the Ganges River
• E. Persians recognized the wealth of these
  two areas and began to send armies there

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• The Persian Empire
• Worlds Larges Empire of the time
• Linked Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Indus Valley in
  one Empire
• Founded by Cyrus II and carried on by Darius I
• Developments
• Created the empire out of bloodshed and war
• Built roads to link they entire empire
• United India with the rest of the world
• Started Zoroastrianism- Religion of Persia still
  practiced in Iran today called Parsis

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• The First Indian Empire
• A. Chandragupta Maurya
• 1. Indian Soldier who started the Mauryan
  Empire
• 2. Became tired of his life of luxery and be
  came a monk ( devoted to
  religious life)
• B. Ashoka
• 1. Took control of the empire
• 2. Controlled artisans, doctors, and others
• 3. Had a powerful army and a system of
  spies
• 4. Communicated with his people by carving
  into stone columns
• 5. After his death rulers were unsuccessful
  and the empire split into regions
• 6. Gupta Empire took over

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• Arts and Sciences
• A. Advancements
• 1. Math
• - Numbers 0-9, decimals
• 2. Literature and Poetry flourished
• 3. Elaborate temples were built
• 4. Higher education for men only
• B. Economy
• 1. Silk, cotton, linen all valuable
  exports
• C. Huns took over invading from the north
• -

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Lesson 3 Hinduism

• Seeds of Belief
• A. Hinduism probably worlds oldest religion
• B. No founder, but started by Aryans
• C. Vedas
• 1. Rig Veda oldest of the Vedas
• 2. Verses are songs to Aryan gods
• 3. Verses are recited daily by Hindus
• 4. Verses are still sung today, but have
  changed over time
• Gods and Godesses
• A. Brahman source and final destination of
  everything
• B. Brahman- the creator
• C. Vishnu the preserver
• D. Shiva the destroyer
• E. Gang Mai- god of the Ganges River- (giver of
  water and purifier)

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• III. Seven Truths of Reincarnation
• A. Reincarnation
• 1. Believe that when a person dies they are
  reborn.
• 2. If they lived a good life reborn to better
  life
• 3. If they lived a bad life reborn to worse
  life
• 4. goal is be reborn being one with Brahman
• B. Truths
• 1. Peaceful living, freedom of thought,
  respect for nature and animals, becoming one with
  Brahman
• Way of life
• Caste System- Social structure of India
• Caste, Priest and Teachers, Kings and Warriors,
  farmers and craftsmen, servants (untouchables)
• Caste is very strict Marriage, Jobs and social
  status
• Caste made illegal in 1950s, but is still
  practiced today
• Vegetarians- many Hindus do not eat meat, get
  protein from beans and other legumes

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Lesson 4 Buddhism

• Who was Budda
• A. Siddhartha- was Budda or Enlightened one
• 1. Born to a king south of Himalayas
• 2. Left the palace when he was 18 years old
  and began a lifelong journey
• II. The Buddhas Travels
• A. Joined a group who fasted for six years and
  practiced meditation to clear the mind
• B. He left the group and began his journey
  again
• C. Traveled and taught people to live a
  peaceful life
• D. Taught that all people could have
  enlightenment

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• Four and Eight
• A. Four Noble Truths
• See page 143
• B. Eight fold Path
• 1. Three qualities wisdom,
  meditation, morality
• 2. The path provides recommendations
  on how to live to reach these truths