6-3.3: Summarize the major contributions of India, including those of the Gupta dynasty in math, literature, religion, and science.

1. Ancient India (Indus River
Valley Civilization) & Gupta
Dynasty
6-1.3: Compare the river valley civilizations of the Tigris and Euphrates
(Mesopotamia), the Nile (Egypt), the Indus
(India), and the Huang He (China), including the evolution of written
language, government, trade systems, architecture, and forms of social
order.
6-3.3: Summarize the major contributions of India, including those of
the Gupta dynasty in math, literature, religion, and science.

2. I. Ancient India - Brief History
A. Farmers from Iran moved into the
Indus River valley around 3500 B.C.
B. The Indus River flooded leaving
behind silt that helped fertilize the land
for farming.

3. II. Geography
A. Indus River - Vital feature of the land now
covered by India and Pakistan.
B. India is part of a subcontinent - a large
landmass smaller than continent and separated by a
physical feature such as mountains.
C. Himalayan Mountain Range - separates India
from Asia and provides it protection.

4. II. Geography continued...
D. Monsoons - Seasonal winds that cause wet and dry
seasons.
1. Summer - monsoon winds blow into India from the
Indian Ocean causing heavy rains and floods. - Floods
provide silt - A mixture of fertile soil and tiny rocks that can
make land ideal for farming brought from the rivers when they
flooded.
2. winter - monsoon winds blow down from the Himalayan
Mountains, creating warm dry winters.

5. III. Groups of People Who Lived
in the Indus River Valley
A. Harappan Civilization - First group of people to
live in the Indus River Valley.
1. Built the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-
Daro.
2. Streets built at right angles, indoor plumbing,
and sewers.
3. Wells for drinking water.
4. Had citadels - fortresses built on a hill for
protection.
5. Developed a writing system, but we can't
translate it.

6. III. Groups of People Who Lived
in the Indus River Valley
Continued…B. Aryans - Next group of people to live here.
1. They were originally nomadic
and warriors.
2. Developed a written language called
Sanskrit.

7. IV. Written Language
A. Sanskrit -
1. At first, Sanskrit was only a spoken
language.
2. Eventually, however, people figured out how
to write it down so they could keep records, record
history.
3. Sanskrit is no longer spoken today, but it is
the root of many modern South Asian languages.

8. V. Government - Someone or some people
gain authority over others, laws are created.
A. Harappans had kings and strong central governments,
but we are not sure since we can’t read their language.
B. Aryans lived in small communities, based mostly on family
ties.
1. No single ruling authority existed. Instead, each group
had its own leader, often a skilled warrior
2. Aryan villages were governed by rajas (RAH-juhz). A
raja was a leader who ruled a village and the land around it.
3. Villagers farmed some of this land for the raja.
4. They used other sections as pastures for their cows,
horses, sheep, and goats.

9. VII. Gupta Dynasty - Golden
Age of India
A. Dynasty - Rulers in government from the
same family.
B. Achievements
1. Math - Hindu-Arabic Numerals (numbers we
use today), concept of zero, algebra.
2. Medical - Vaccinations (inoculations) to
prevent disease, plastic surgery

10. B. Achievements continued…
3. Metallurgy - Able to work with metals such as copper
and bronze
4. Astronomy - Study of the stars and planets - first to
discover the Earth was round and orbited around the Sun.
5. Literature - Epics - a long poem telling of the deeds of
a hero and often centering on the ideals of a nation or culture
a. Mahabharata - a long story that tells the story of a
long conflict between families.
b. Ramayana - teaches believers of Hinduism what
they must do to become one with God

11. VI. Trade Systems
A. Traded with people of
Mesopotamia and China

12. VII. Religion
A. Hinduism - World's oldest and largest polytheistic religion.
1. Polytheism - the belief in more than one god or
goddess.
2. It developed from Aryan beliefs.
B. Buddhism - Considered a religion but is a philosophy.
1. Buddhists believe that our selfish desires cause our
suffering, and the way to end our suffering is to end our selfish
desires.

13. IX. Social Order
A. Caste System - Aryans divided society into castes to keep social order
and control
1. Your place in which Caste depended on your birth, and it was a strict
social hierarchy.
2. Rules - Can only eat, live in the neighborhood, and marry people from
your caste - Don't follow the rules you would get kicked out of your caste.
3. Caste System Order
A. Brahmins - Priests
B. Kshatriyas - Warriors
C. Vaisyas - herders, farmers, merchants, craftspeople
D. Sudras - farm workers, servants, laborers
E. Untouchables - people who eat beef, butchers, fishermen, clean
sewers