Ancient India had several influential civilizations and empires. The Indus River Valley was home to the early Harappan civilization between 2500-1500 BC, which had large planned cities with water and sewage systems. Later, Indo-Aryan peoples migrated into northern India around 1750 BC, bringing their Vedic scriptures and Sanskrit language. Major religions that developed included Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Powerful empires like the Mauryan under Asoka and Gupta dynasty promoted trade and cultural growth across India between 300 BC-550 AD. Ancient Indian society had a caste system and advanced mathematics, medicine, and education.

1. Ancient India
Textbook pages 44-
49,60-71,189-192.

3. Importance of Geography:
--The first Indian Civilization developed in the Indus River Valley.
--Mountains to the North of India provided protection from
invaders. The most famous of these mountain ranges are the
Himalayas.
Rivers:
--The Ganges River flows Southeast into the Bay of Bengal
--The Indus River flows Southwest into the Arabian Sea.
Climate:
Monsoons winds that mark the seasons in India. The
warm southwest Monsoon brings warm moisture and rain up from
the Indian Ocean. This rain is very important to the crops. Too
much or too little rain can mean a bad/ruined crop.
Hot temperatures  Along the coast there are milder temps.
On the plains summer temperatures can reach 120 degrees F.

4. Harappan Civilization 2500-1500BC. Cities Harappa
and Mohenjo Daro
Large and carefully planned out cities:
--Wide streets crossed at right angles
--Water system with public baths and brick sewers
--Some homes had bathrooms and garbage chutes.
--No temples or shrines.
-- Seaports (export gold, copper, timber, ivory, cotton,
turquoise)
Each city had a strong central fortress: Citadel
--Store houses for grain. Enough to feed 35,000 people
Scared of invaders or ruined crops from monsoons

5. http://www.harappa.com/ • Fertile Farmland
• --Cotton, wheat, barley, and
rice.
• --Raised cattle, sheep, pigs,
and goats.
• --Canals and ditches to
irrigate their fields.
• --Surplus crops for storage
and trade.
• Language: Pictographs.
Scholars are unable to read
them.
• Unknown reason for
disappearing:
• Indus River changes course
because of flood?
Earthquake?

6. Indo-Aryan Migrants
1750BC tribes of Indo-European peoples cross the Hindu
Kush Mountains.
Came from north of the Black and Caspian Seas = People
are Indo-Aryans
Indo-Aryans were skilled warriors (archers/charioteers)
--nomadic sheep and cattle herders.
Travel into the Indus River Valley seeking the rich
pasturelands. Strong warriors are able to conquer all of
northern India.
1500BC – 1000BC Vedic Age
Vedas – Indo-Aryans’ great work of religious literature.
--memorized and told to the younger generations
--developed writing and recorded the Vedas. Language
called Sanskrit.

7. Religion
--gods of nature (earth, fire, light, rain, sky, sun, and
water)
--Vedas also mention one supreme god
--no temples, ceremonies held in open spaces
--process of ceremonies very particular.
Brahmins special priest who knew the proper forms and
rules.
Society
--settle in villages, continue herding, start planting
--Food (rice, sugarcane, leafy vegetables, gourds, peas,
beans, lentils)
--settle in small independent territories
--Trade/Bartering until about 500BC, since coins were not
widely used

8. --each territory ruled by a different Raja assisted by a royal
council
Raja acted as military leader, lawmaker, and judge
--sometimes territories would fight, most often remained at
peace
--the idea of sacrifice was strongly emphasized in society
--When Indo-Aryans came into the Indus River Valley the
social classes became more rigid. Social orders or classes
were created. Strict rules about marriage where observed.
* Large Mountain Ranges in India separated different groups
of people, making cultural diffusion slow and difficult

9. Harappan Society vs. Indo-Aryan Society
Dark skinned Light skinned
INDUS
Settled Nomadic/Migrants
community RIVER
Vedas-evidence of
No information on VALLEY religious belief
religious beliefs
Sanskrit
Pictographs

10. Religion in India pg. 60-65
700BC Indian Religious thinkers begin questioning the
Brahmins.
Thinkers travel around telling stories to help explain the
Vedas.
Stories- tales of heroes and great events in history or
religion retold for generations. Epics  stories put into
long poems. The Upanishads are the Epics of the
Vedas.
(1) Bhagavad Gita tells of great battle in N. India
(2) Ramayana most famous in Hindu scriptures, tells
story of Rama and wife Sita (man/woman)

11. Caste System  Broken down into 4 Varnas or social classes
*Caste system is abolished today.
BUT some places in India it
is still strongly practiced.

13. Hinduism pg. 66-68
--In everything there is a divine Essence called
Brahman. Individual Essence is called self or Atman.
These essences are one and the same.
--Things in the universe are the same essence of God.
Unity of God and creation = Monism
--Only can gain salvation if you reflect and recognize the
illusion of the world =Maya
--This can take many lifetimes to achieve Nirvana 
when the souls unites with creation / perfect peace.
*Also called Moksha in Hinduism.
-- Reincarnation – souls will be reborn into a new being
(human/animal)
--Dharma moral duty in life so soul can make it
to/advance in next lifetime
--Karma  good/bad force created by actions

14. Aspects of Creation  Monism = creation + god
Brahma  creator
Vishnu  preserver
Siva  Destroyer
Religious Practice
Caste System was practiced
Yoga  mental/physical. Bring body + mind
together
Festival  ceremonies, rituals, music, dance, food.
Help bring in the seasons
Cows  sacred animal. Pull plows, milk, butter.
Protected by law.

15. Buddhism pg. 68-71
-N.India 563BCE. Founder of Buddhism 
Siddhartha Gautama – spoiled, royal
boy.
-At 29yr. Goes out into the world shocked
to find disease, poverty, fear, and
ordinary life
-Vows to discover the reason for human
suffering.
-Great Renunciation leave everything behind in search of
truth and meaning (tries yoga, meditation, fasting)
-After 6yr. Of searching one day meditating under a tree he
feels he has come to know the truth that forms the basis of
life.
-In that moment he became the
Buddha  “The Enlightened One”

16. Beliefs
-Reincarnation  yes
Actions  good/bad rewarded/punished
-Denied importance to Caste System
-Anyone (any caste) could reach Nirvana 
-Salvation  know and follow the Four Noble Truths
1- All Human Life involves suffering and sorrow
2- Desire for a Life of pleasure and material gain
causes suffering and sorrow
3- Renouncing desire, frees people from suffering
and helps the soul reach Nirvana
4- Eight Fold Path leads to renunciation/denial of
desire and attainment of Nirvana

17. Mahayan Buddhism Thoravada Buddhism
Buddha = Buddha =
Buddha’s
Savior = God teachings Teacher +
and beliefs Spiritual Leader

18. Eight Fold Path
Right Views – seeing life as it really is
Right Intentions – living a life of good will, striving
toward perfection
Right Speech – avoid lies and gossip
Right Action – trying to be law abiding and honest
Right Concentration – directing the mind in meditation
Right Living – avoiding work that harms others
Right Effort – seeking to prevent evil
Right Mindfulness – constant awareness of one’s self
Buddhism gains followers after Buddha’s death. Religion
spreads.
Brahmins  strongly opposed Buddhism

19. Buddha

20. Happy Buddha
Swallows pride,
suffering,
anger…

21. Buddhist Prayers at Monastery

22. Ancient Indian Dynasties and Empire pg. 189-192
1 – Mauryan Empire – 150+years, `320BCE
Chandragupta Maurya – powerful adventurer
-built grand palace on Ganges River
-Army of 600,000 soldiers (chariots and elephants)
-conquered N.India up to Hindu Kush
-Standardized weights and measures
-Feared enemies  slept in different rooms
Asoka – Chandraqupta’s Grandson ~270BCE
-Bloody wars to increase Empire’s size
-conquers all India except S.tip of the subcontinent
-Becomes Buddhist. Orders stop to killing
-Sends missionaries to spread Buddhism
-Gives religious freedom
-Trade Routes  rest houses, tree for shade
-184 BCE – End of the Empire

23. 2 – Gupta Empire – 300s CE/AD Gupta family gains power
Chandra Gupta I – 320 CE
-Expands Empire (conquest and intermarriage)
-400 CE Empire expands from Bay of Bengal to Arabian Sea
-Favored Hinduism – supported Buddhism
-Early Years + “Golden Age”
-Indian civilization flourished
-Society prospered, arts increased (drama)
Chandra Gupta II (374-415 CE)
Skanda Gupta – Last Ruler, Empire Ends 550 CE/AD

24. Ancient Indian Life and Culture pg. 193-197
Society
- Raja-controlled land and collected taxes.Most people barely
got by.
-Women 
-obey males
- cannot read the Vedas
-Polygamy – men could have
more than 1 wife
-Suttee – widows committed suicide
by jumping/throwing themselves onto husbands funeral pyres.
Education – Advanced in Ancient India.
- higher castes received formal education

25. -Nalanda – Buddhist University
-Students studied: Vedas, literature,
math, science, astronomy, gov’t,
warfare, logic, grammar, and medicine
Mathematics
-understood abstract and negative #s, concept of zero +
infinity = ALGEBRA
-understood rotation of earth, sun/moon eclipses and 7
planets
Medicine – very advanced
-understood importance of the spinal chord
-surgery  bone setting + plastic surgery
-Inoculation  vaccination, giving a weakened disease to
a person to build up anti-bodies for the disease. Disease
prevention and control