Ancient India

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Ancient India

• Information covers Section 2 - pages 591-596 in
  your textbook

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I. Indus River Valley Civilization

• Thrived about 2500-1700 B.C.
• Aryans
• 1. arrived about 1700 B.C. from southern Russia
• a. through Khyber Pass in the Hindu Kush.

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Aryans continued

• 2. spoke different language Sanskrit
• 3. nomads and herders
• 4. didnt live in cities
• 5. New technology
• a. iron plows and weapons
• b. use of the horse

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Aryans in a nutshell!!
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C. Hinduism

• Developed based on certain Aryan practices
• Vedas or Book of Knowledge
• a. contains prayers, hymns, religious rituals,
  philosophy
• b. Aryans passed knowledge down orally

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• 3. Beliefs
• a. Karma affects after life
• b. Reincarnation soul is reborn into a
  different body

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Karma and Reincarnation
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D. Maurya Dynasty

• First Indian Empire
• a. 324-185 B.C.
• b. founded by descendent of Aryans
• c. Ashoka emperor
• 1. created unified government

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• 2. built stone palace and religious
  monuments
• a. Mauryas known for sculptures and sandstone
  carvings

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E. Gupta Dynasty

• 320-500 A.D.
• Indias Golden Age
• a. science, art, literature
• b. most were Hindus
• 1. Hindu and Buddhist inspired artist

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• c. Contribution to math
• 1. concept of zero
• 2. Arabic numerals

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The Hindu Caste System

1. Priests
2. Warriors and Princes
3. Merchants and farmers
4. Laborers
5. Untouchables