Early Indian Civilization

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Early Indian Civilization

• 3000 B.C. 500 A.D.

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Geography
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Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan)(3000 1500
BC)

• Cities Harappo Mohenjo-dara
• Well-planned, drainage/sewage system, brick
  buildings w/ bathrooms
• Irrigation, productive farming, domesticated
  animals
• Undeciphered pictographic writing
• Advanced Technology jewelry, pottery,
  copper/bronze tools, cloth
• Disappeared abruptly

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Writing of the Harappan Civilization has not
been deciphered
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The Great Bath excavated at the site of
Mohenjo-Daro
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The Great Bath
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Remains of The Granary a large room possibly
used as a meeting place or a place in which
religious ceremonies were held. Evidence shows
that it was probably not used as a place to store
grains as originally suspected.
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The Granary
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Aryan Conquests(2000 600 BC)

• Indo-Europeans (light skinned)
• Invaded the Indus Plain 1500 BC
• Vedas religious writings that reveal the
  history of the Aryans (Hinduism)
• Sanskrit becomes primary language

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Indian Empires

• Magahda Empire (684 424 BC)
• Civilization takes over from the Ganges River
  area
• Siddhartha Guatama the founding of Buddhism
• Maurya Empire (321 185 BC)
• First great empire
• Famous rulers
• Chandragupta Maurya
• Asoka
• Gupta Empire (320 535 AD)
• Golden Age of India
• Center of education
• Influenced Eastern Asia

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Caste System

• Complex Social Economic Class Divisions
  (brought by Aryans)
• Priests (Brahmans)
• Rulers Warriors (Kshatriyas)
• Landowners Merchants (Vaisyas)
• Everyday people
• Laborers Servants (Sudras)
• Limited rights in society
• Outcasts (untouchables or pariahs)
• Menial jobs
• Each caste was hereditary contact w/ other
  castes was often forbidden

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Family System

• Male Centered
• Could take more than one wife
• Men were educated (guru)
• Women took care of family

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Hinduism

• Major Gods
• Brahma the creator
• Vishnu the preserver
• Siva the destroyer
• Beliefs
• Live righteously
• Perform religious duties
• Not a unified system, but a collection of beliefs
  w/ many varieties (monotheists to polytheistic)

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Hindu Terms

• Reincarnation
• Rebirth of the soul after death
• Karma
• Force of a persons actions in this life used in
  determining his/her rebirth in the next life
  (Caste System)
• Dharma
• Divine law that affects a persons karma
• Yoga
• Process of achieving oneness with the spiritual
  nature

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Buddhism

• Siddhartha Gautama founder
• Became Buddha (enlightened one)
• Mo Tree (Wisdom Tree)
• Goal in life is to reach a spiritual state of
  peace known as Nirvana
• 4 Noble Truths
• Life is full of suffering and sorrow
• Cause of suffering is selfish desire and
  temporary pleasures
• End all suffering through ending desires
• To end suffering follow the Eightfold Path
• The Noble Eightfold Path
• The Middle Way between desires and self-denial

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Decline of Buddhism

• Theravada
• Followers who thought Buddhism was a way of life
  and not a religion
• Mahayana
• Followers who believe Nirvana can only be
  achieved through devotion to Buddha

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Contributions of Ancient India

• Art/Architecture
• Symbolic ornate designs
• Pointed domes, columns, conical towers
• Literature (Sanskrit)
• Vedas religious prayers, hymns, principles
• Mahabharata Ramayana epic poems
• Hindu animal fables
• Science/Technology
• Achievements in diagnosing treating illnesses
• Chemistry
• Math
• Most advanced of ancient civilizations
• Created the modern written system

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