The Indo-Europeans

1
The Indo-Europeans
2
Indo-Europeans Migrate

• The Indo-Europeans were a nomadic group coming
  from the steppes north of the Caucasus Mountains,
  between the Black and Caspian Seas. They were
  pastoral livestock herders.
• No one is completely sure why the migration
  happened, but the Indo-Europeans migrated outward
  in all directions between 1700-1200 BC.

3
The Hittites

• By 2000 BC, and Indo-European group called the
  Hittites occupied Anatolia, or Asia Minor. This
  empire also occupied Babylon, and struggled with
  Egypt for control of Northern Syria. Neither
  group won, so they signed a peace treaty offering
  to help fight off invaders.
• The Hittites used their own language with each
  other, but internationally they spoke Akkadian,
  taken from Babylon.
• Their superior weaponry skills and iron chariots
  to help conquer their empire.
• Despite their prowess, invaders attached and
  burned the Hittite capital around 1190 BC, ending
  the empire.

Hittite Red Egyptian Green
4
Aryans Transform India

• Around the same time that the Hittites were
  establishing themselves in Anatolia, the Aryans
  were migrating through the Indus River Pass into
  India.
• They left little archaeological evidence, but
  their scriptures, the Vedas, gives an idea of
  their life through prayers, spells, and
  instructions for performing rituals.

• The Aryans called the people they found in India
  the dasas, or dark, which referred to the color
  of their skin. The Aryans were taller, lighter
  in skin color, and spoke a different language
  from the people that they found.
• They did not have a writing system and were more
  pastoral than the dasas, who lived in walled
  cities.

5
A Caste System Develops

• Aryans were divided into three social classes
  Brahmins (priests), warriors, and farmers. They
  automatically considered the dasas beneath them,
  so they became the lower class, the sudras.
• Class restrictions were practically permanent.
  You were part of it for life, and the work they
  did and people they married were determined by
  the caste. Cleanliness was important those
  considered unclean because of their profession
  (butchers, gravediggers, and collectors of
  refuse) were outside the caste system and became
  known as the untouchables. Their touch
  endangered the purity of everyone else.

6
Aryan Kingdoms Arise

• Over the next few centuries, Aryans extended
  their settlements east and south, Magadha, a
  major kingdom, emerged out of this expansion and
  struggle for power. It covered almost all of the
  Indian subcontinent.
• The great epic Mahabharata shows a blending of
  cultures as the Aryans moved southward. For
  example, Krishna, a semi-divine hero of the epic,
  is described as dark-faced. This suggests he is
  not Aryan.
• The Mahabharatas violence and confusion leads
  one to speculate about the place of gods and
  humans in the world. Due to this, religion
  gradually changed

7
Hinduism and Buddhism Develop
8
Hinduism Evolves over Centuries

• Hinduism is a collection of religious beliefs
  that developed over a long period of time some
  aspects can be traced back to ancient times, but
  not one founder with one set of ideals.
• Hindus share a common belief that religion is a
  way of liberating the soul from the illusions,
  disappointments, and mistakes of everyday
  existence. The achievement of separation from
  these desires and suffering is detailed in the
  Upanishads.

9
Hinduism Evolves over Centuries

• When a person understands the relationship
  between atman (their soul) and Brahman (world
  soul), then they achieve perfect understanding
  and release from this world.
• This understanding does not come usually in one
  lifetime reincarnation in necessary. A souls
  karma, or good and bad deeds, follows it from
  reincarnation to another.
• The karma influences life circumstances, such as
  caste, etc.
• Dharma is the religious and moral duties an
  individual must have.

10
Hinduism and Society

• Hindu ideas about karma and reincarnation
  strengthened the caste system if someone was
  born as an upper-class male, it was said that he
  had good karma, or fortune. If he was born
  lower-class, it was said that he deserved it
  because of past misdeeds.
• With some exceptions, only men of the top 3
  varnas were said to be able to reach moksha
  (enlightenment).

11
The Buddha Seeks Enlightenment

• Siddhartha Gautama founded Buddhism. He was
  locked in his palace by his father to fulfill a
  prophecy of him becoming a great king. He
  finally left the palace and understood that only
  religion offers freedom from the cycle of birth
  and death.
• He wandered through the forests of India for 6
  years to find enlightenment. After 49 days of
  meditation under a fig tree he achieved an
  understanding of the causes of suffering in the
  world. From then on he became known as Buddha,
  or Enlightened One.

12
Origins Beliefs of Buddhism

• In his first sermon, Buddha outlined the Four
  Noble Truths of his faith
• First Noble Truth Life is filled with suffering
  sorrow
• Second Noble Truth The Cause of all suffering is
  peoples selfish desire for the temporary
  pleasures of this world
• Third Noble Truth The way to end all suffering
  is to end all desire
• Fourth Noble Truth The way to overcome such
  desires and attain enlightenment is to follow the
  Eightfold Path, which is called the Middle Way
  between desires denial.

13
Origins Beliefs of Buddhism

• Like Hinduism, Buddha accepted reincarnation, but
  he rejected the multiple representation of one
  god. He shared the concept of enlightenment by a
  belief in nirvana, or a release from selfishness
  and pain.
• The final goals of both Hinduism and Buddhism are
  similar both involve a perfect state of
  understanding and a break from the chain of
  reincarnation (Nirvana).

14
The Eightfold Path

• What is the Middle Way? It is the Noble
  Eightfold Path Right Views, Right Resolve,
  Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livlihood,
  Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right
  Concentration. This is the Middle Way.
• Buddha, from Samyutta Nikaya

Dharma Wheel, often used to symbolize the
Eightfold Path
15
The Eightfold Path

• Wisdom
• Right View know the truth
• Right Intention resist self-centeredness
• Ethical Conduct
• Right Speech refrain from unkind, negative
  speech
• Right Action respect all life
• Right Livelihood work for the good of others
• Mental Discipline
• Right Effort exert oneself in freeing the mind
  of evil (egocentric thought)
• Right Awareness elevate ones thoughts beyond
  the haze of emotion and mood
• 8) Right Meditation practice the discipline of
  meditation

16
Indias First Empires
17
The Mauryan Empire is Established

• In 321 BC, Chandragupta Maurya overthrew the
  Nanda king and established the Mauryan Empire.
• He defeated several of Alexander the Greats
  generals to unite north India.
• He divided the empire into 4 provinces, each
  headed by a royal prince. Each province was
  divided into districts, where officials taxed
  enforced the law.

18
Buddhism is Promoted

• Chandraguptas grandson Asoka assumed the throne
  in 269 BC. He promoted Buddhism as the state
  religion to atone for a bloody battle he waged on
  Kalinga that killed over 100,000 people.
• Across the empire he erected stone pillars with
  his non-violent edicts and laws urging religious
  tolerance. He also built roads so he could visit
  the far corners of his empire.
• As noble as his intentions were, they failed to
  hold the empire togetehr after his death in 232
  BC.

19
A Period of Turmoil

• Asokas death left a power struggle the kingdom
  of central India regained its independence under
  the Andhra Dynasty.
• Northern India had to face a flood of refugees
  from other areas of Asia that were in political
  turmoil. These people disrupted Indian society
  but also brought new elements to the culture.
  Southern India was home to three kingdoms that
  had not been conquered by the Mauryans the Tamil
  people. They were often at war with each other
  and with other states.

20
The Gupta Empire is Established

• Chandra Gupta arose after 500 years of turmoil.
  He did not come to power through battle, but
  rather through marrying into an influential
  family.
• His empire included Magadha and the area north of
  it.
• His son, Samudra, expanded the empire through 40
  years of conquest
• Chandra Gupta II added coastal territories to the
  empire, allowing them to trade with people to the
  west he also strengthened the empire through
  peaceful means through weddings and diplomacy.

21
Spread of Indian Trade

• India has always been known for natural
  resources, especially spices, diamonds,
  sapphires, gold, pearls, and beautiful woods.
• Trade was carried out along routes that carried
  as far west as Turkey (map, p. 196). One of
  these routes was the Silk Road from China to
  Rome.
• Sea trade encouraged the spice trade to Europe
  Indian success at sales was such that Roman
  leaders complained at the amount of gold that was
  spent on Indian luxuries.
• Increased trade led to the rise of banking in
  India, including credit accounts much like credit
  cards.
• Hinduism spread to Nepal and Sri Lanka Buddhism
  to China.