Unit 1: From Pre-History to Early Civilizations

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Unit 1 From Pre-History to Early Civilizations

• Chapter 3 Ancient India

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Section I Indus Valley Civilization(Pages
48-55)

• This section is about
• The development and the decline of the Indus
  Valley civilization.
• The archeological evidence of the economic and
  cultural life of the people of Harappa and
  Mohenjo Daro.

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• Some questions for our class
• Who am I? (you - not this guy)
• What am I to do?
• How should I see things?
• Read the text on page 48 in our books.
• And, look at the picture on page 49
• What else should we do before we move on?

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Lets be active readers (top right of page 50)

• What else should we do?
• Look at vocabulary words
• Look at the Main Ideas
• Check out the pictures
• Check out the headings (in red in our book)

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What we often call the India sub-continent is
really 3 places today India / Pakistan /
Bangladesh
The South-Central section of Asia
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The Himalaya Mountains (biggest mountains on
earth)
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Indo-Gangetic Plain (Farming Indus and Ganges
Rivers)
The Western Ghats
The Eastern Ghats
Desert
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Deccan Plateau (raised area of level land)
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The weather in this region

• Has a lot of monsoons heavy winds with very
  heavy rainfall.
• Last from early June to early October
• Some places (East side) get as much as 450 inches
  of rain a year.
• The people depend on the rain for water for their
  farms, but too much rain is a problem.
• The rest of the year has cooler, dryer weather
• India can also get very hot up to the 120s in
  the desert

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Indias first great civilization (3500 B.C.) is
called

• The Indus Valley Civilization they were around
  for about 1000 years and then vanished.
• Traders wove cotton, made jewelry and
  furniture, cooking utensils, writing sticks, back
  scratchers, dice, and game pieces.
• Famers grew wheat, barley, cotton, and fruit
• Both used stone, copper, and bronze tools.
• It seems they also traded with other cultures at
  times.

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Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro(archeologists started
digging at the oldest Indian settlements we know
of about 1921)

• Both about 1 square mile, similar layouts, and
  careful planning.
• In the center a huge fortress on a hill
  called a citadel
• Inside a bath house, grain storage area, and a
  residential building
• Why are these inside?
• Streets ran parallel to each other - to do all
  this must have taken great planning.

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• Brick homes
• Some small (one room) others large (even with
  court-yards and private wells for drinking and
  bath water).
• People lived in areas according to their jobs.
• The most advance plumbing in the world water
  and sewer pipes running under the streets

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These people must have also been traders
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• Indus Valley goods have also been found in other
  areas and goods from other areas have been found
  there.
• They must have used the oceans and the many
  rivers in the area.
• Indian pottery even has been found in
  Mesopotamia.
• Archeologists have also found games, toys (clay
  monkey that would slide down a string and a clay
  bull that wiggled its head), marbles, and dice
  (the same kind we use today)

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• Writing / Language
• They had some writing, but we dont know what
  language they spoke.
• When we do find writing, we dont know how to
  read it.

• Religion
• Were not sure what role religion played in their
  lives.
• Some figurines (mostly female) look like
  gods/goddesses.
• The bodies of the dead were buried with heads to
  the north, so ?

• Decline /Disappearance
• Change in climate and people moved?
• River changed and not enough water?
• Earthquake / flood / disease?
• Invaded and conquered?
• Some remains have been found that werent buried
  so what might that mean?

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Lets finish being active readers (top right of
page 50)
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Stop here for now
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Section II Aryan Civilization(Pages 56-60)

• This section is about
• Who the Aryan people were.
• How Aryan culture was preserved through oral
  traditions and sacred writings (the Vedas).
• The changes to Aryan society and religion that
  happened at this time.

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• What happened to the Indus civilization?
• Some people think they were invaded by the
  Aryans. They were from southern Russia and may
  have been looking for land for their sheep, goats
  and cows.
• The Aryans were fierce, skillful fighters who
  eventually conquered northern India.
• Their descendants built many civilizations in the
  area.
• We dont know much about the Aryans because they
  seem to be nomads, and wouldnt live in one place
  long enough to leave a lot of artifacts.

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The Aryans did leave The Vedas

• Most of what we know about them comes from this
  collection of hymns, prayers, and religious
  teachings.
• Memorized by priests and orally told for about
  100 year before they were written down.
• The message of the Vedas is one of peace and
  harmony.
• Another sacred writing the Upanishads (complex
  explanations of the Vedas) hard to understand
  though so people usually just use the Vedas.

http//www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm
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The Aryan Caste System

• The Aryans divided people up into groups called
  the Caste System. This divided people up into
  groups based on their place in society.
• There were 4 main groups (and actually a 5th).
• You were born into your caste for life.
• It determined your job, who you could marry,
  where you could worship, who you could eat
  with..
• It shaped every part of your life

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The varnas
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The Aryans worshipped many gods and goddesses

• Many of their beliefs influence Asia even today.
• Nature Gods are some of the earliest divinities
  (gods/goddess) mentioned in the Vedas.
• They combined human characteristics with nature.
• Brahmin Priests had a lot of power (they
  interpreted the Vedas, performed rituals and made
  sacrifices (food and drink) to the gods.
• They were thought to be able to get help from the
  gods if it was needed, so you needed to keep the
  Priests happy.

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Indra the God of War

• His weapon the thunderbolt.
• He used it to destroy demons and announce the
  arrival of needed rain.
• Varuna God of order and creation
• Agni the God of Fire and communicator between
  humans and Gods

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Poems about the Vedas

• Some of the stories appear in two long poems
  called epics called the Ramayana and the
  Mahabharata.
• Their stories are still popular today in
  Southeast Asia

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The Ramayana

• About a hero Rama and his bride Sita.
• Right after their wedding, Sita is kidnapped by a
  demon king (Ravana).
• Rama is helped by a monkey-general named Hanuman.
  Ravana tries to trick Rama (kills a copy of Sita
  in front of Rama), but hes not fooled.
• Rama continues to fight and eventually wins back
  his wife.
• This today symbolizes the ideals of husband and
  wife and their duty and devotion to each other
  through many hardships.

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The Mahabharata
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• One of the worlds longest poems - about 100,000
  verses (and Indias greatest poem even today)
• Describes a war between Aryan cousins for control
  of the kingdom.
• Problems increase when the Pandavas lose their
  kingdom to the Kauravas (in a dice game) and they
  have to fight to get it back.
• Just before the battle, Arjuna (a Pandava)
  confesses to his charioteer that he doesnt want
  to fight his cousins, even though he has a just
  cause. But hes told its his duty to fight.
• After 18 days, he and his brothers are
  victorious.

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During the time the Aryans controlled India
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• Many cultures were blended together.
• Aryans eventually gave up nomadic life and
  settled down as farmers.
• Villages began trading and bartering with each
  other.
• They then learned things from each other.
• But the Aryans also continued to expand their
  territory.

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The Aryan influence

• shapes India and Asia even today.
• The Caste System still is an influence in India.
• Aryan beliefs also end up evolving into Hinduism
  and Buddhism.

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Section III Hinduism and Buddhism(Pages 61-64)

• This section is about
• How Hinduism became the dominant religion in
  India.
• The religion of Jainism (founded on the Hindu
  tradition of non-violence).
• The religion of Buddhism and how it arose as an
  alternative to the formal religion of Buddhism.

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• On page 61 Compare and Contrast well do this
  at the end.
• The Main Ideas
• And In India Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism
  are have some similarities, but some differences
  in beliefs and practices.

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Meanings of all the above symbols
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Hinduism

• One of the most complex religions in the world.
• Has no single father
• No sacred text.
• No identifiable beginning.
• No authority or organization.
• Came from the many cultures who settled in India.
• Its a religion, a history, and a way of life.

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Hinduism accepts many gods and goddesses

• but are all part of one universal spirit
  called Brahman.
• The most important
• Brahma the creator of the universe
• Vishnu The preserver
• Shiva the destroyer
• All of these are part of Brahman who is
  everlasting and endless.
• Brahman is the cause, source, and reason for all
  existence.

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Hindu Beliefs
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• Reincarnation you have a spirit that is
  re-born into another life form after you die.
• Karma are the actions of your life and
  determines where your spirit will be re-born.
• Dharma is your religious and moral duties.
• And dont forget the caste system (which is a big
  part of this) you cant move your standing in
  this life, but your spirit can move after you
  die.
• Ahimsa non-violence to all living creatures
  the absence of desire to harm any living thing
  (even yourself)

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Jainism (another religion from India)

• A religion that comes from ahimsa.
• Its a religion of non-violence.
• This includes EVERY living thing even insects
  and worms.
• So that kind of limited their lives (cant be a
  farmer).
• Some people are still living parts of their lives
  based on Jainism.

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• The internal austerities are
• Atonement of sinful acts
• Practice politeness and humility - in spite of
  having comparatively more wealth, wisdom, social
  status, power, etc.
• Service to others, especially monks, nuns, elders
  and the weaker souls without any expectations in
  return
• Scriptural study, questioning and expanding the
  spiritual knowledge
• Abandonment of passions  especially anger, ego,
  deceit and greed
• Meditation
• The external austerities are meant to discipline
  the sensual cravings.
• Fasting
• Eating less than one's normal diet
• Abstention from tasty and stimulating food
• Practicing humility and thankfulness  by seeking
  help and offering assistance without egoistic
  tendencies
• Practicing solitude and introspection
• Mastering demands of the body

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The Rise of Buddhism

• Began about 500 B.C. (a time of great social
  change and religious activity).
• Many people wanted a simpler way of life than
  Hinduism and all their rituals.

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• Buddhism accepted some (but not all Hindu ideas).
• Karma and Reincarnation were kept.
• The caste system was rejected by Buddhists they
  said all people had great potential.
• Buddhism is founded by Siddhartha Gautama
  (known as the Buddha which means awakened
  one or enlightened one)

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Buddhist tradition

• Says the Buddha lived many lives before his birth
  as Siddhartha Gautama.
• Before he was born, his mother had a dream about
  a white elephant descending from heaven.
• Brahman priests told her it meant her son would
  either be a ruler or a wandering holy man.

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So his father raised him well and hoped he
would be happy living a rich life at home.

• But, when he was 29, Siddhartha left home to see
  how others lived.
• He saw a very old man, a sick man, and a dead
  man. He was so unhappy that others were
  suffering that he decided to leave home and go
  look for the way of truth.
• He wandered for 6 years giving up all comforts
  and pleasures.
• One day he decided he was going to sit under a
  tree until he understood the mystery of life.

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All of a sudden, one day he figured it out and
became the Buddha

• For the rest of his life he taught the four
  noble truths
• All human existence is full of pain and
  suffering.
• The cause of suffering is selfish desire.
• The only freedom from suffering is to overcome
  desire.
• The only way to overcome desire is to follow the
  eightfold path.
• and not worry about worldly cares any more.

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Section IV Ancient Indian Dynasties(Pages
65-69)

• This section is about
• The rise and fall of Chandragupta and his Mauryan
  Empire.
• The Gupta Empire.
• The great advances in arts and sciences at this
  time.

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• Two of the best known of the ancient Indian
  cultures are the Mauryan and the Gupta Empires.
• The first great empire of India was formed by
  Chandragupta Maurya.
• He took control and united many kingdoms in the
  Indus River valley about 321 B.C.

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The Mauryan empire worked well because it was a
bureaucracy.

• Appointed officials were in charge of different
  responsibilities (building roads, running towns,
  collecting taxes).
• There were even spies keeping track that
  everything was done correctly.
• Chandragupta had a huge army 700,000 men, 9,000
  elephants, and 10,000 chariots.
• He also improved business and trade for the
  empire, built canals, created jobs, built roads
  to link everything, and traded everywhere they
  knew of.

• (a government system of departments run by
  appointed officials)

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Chandraguptas grandson (Asoka)

• was the most admired of the empires rulers.
• After losing more than 100,000 men in a battle,
  Asoka changed his mind about violence and became
  a Buddhist.
• He won the support of Indias people through
  kindness and now saw himself as the protector of
  his people.
• He tried to lead his people by example (and not
  by force).
• He began placing edicts (orders) around places
  people would gather- promoting goodness,
  compassion, truthfulness, purity, tolerance, and
  gentleness.

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Mauryan society was greatly improved by Asokas
changes. He

• Dug wells along major roads for travelers.
• Grew herbs and provided medical care.
• Prohibited the slaughter of animals for food
  (Buddhism).
• Tried to get ministers to help him make a more
  caring, tolerant society -even among different
  castes.
• Promoted religious tolerance.
• Gave assistance to the elderly.
• Personally donated large sums of money.
• All this helped spread Buddhism
• to other parts of Asia

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The empire failed when it couldnt unite the
entire sub-continent into one group.

• Fifty years after Asoka died, the empire was
  pretty much gone.
• Were not sure why, but
• May have been too spread out to be united
• The economy may have weakened.
• Agriculture may not have been able to keep up
  with the population.
• But about 500 years later, a new empire would
  rise up in India.

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The Gupta Empire (about 320 A.D.)

• Was not as large as the Mauryan Empire.
• Because it had good military leaders, no one
  bothered them for about 300 years.

• Because it was peaceful, the people could
  concentrate more on developing art, music,
  writing, literature, and architecture.

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The empire was set up different than the Mauryan
Empire

• Divided into territories each governed by a
  member of the royal family,
• The people in these individual territories worked
  together pretty well they all had mostly common
  interests.
• Chandragupta I and his son Chandragupta II (not
  related to the Mauryan ruler) helped build up the
  Gupta empire.
• The empire lasted until about 650 A.D. (when the
  Huns invaded from the north). There were many
  kingdoms at that time who wanted to control India

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Gupta Art and Architecture
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• Art, architecture, math, and science were huge in
  the Gupta Empire.
• They also supported both Buddhism and Hinduism.
• Mural paintings and sculpture from the time show
  details of how the people lived.
• They also built magnificent stone temples
  usually simple buildings with heavy walls that
  had an image of a deity (god).
• Some also had elaborate carvings that told the
  story of the Buddha.

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Literature

• The Gupta wrote in Sanskrit their official
  language.
• Indias greatest Sanskrit poet was Kalidasa who
  wrote The Cloud Messenger about a man who
  misses his wife and shares his sadness with a
  passing cloud.
• There was another set of stories called the
  Panchatantra a collection of animal fables.

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Science, medicine, and education also flourished
in the Gupta Empire
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• They even had centers of learning or
  universities probably the first of their kind
  in the world.
• Students were taught medicine, physics,
  languages, mathematics, and literature.
• In mathematics, they came up with the idea of
  using a number system with a decimal point and a
  zero. Aryabhata also probably came up with the
  ideas for Algebra and a decimal system that
  counted in tens.
• They also studied astronomy and knew the earth
  had a round shape and rotated on an axis.

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