Ancient India had a diverse geography that supported many civilizations. The Indus Valley civilization developed successful urban planning including drainage systems, but declined around 1700 BC due to environmental disasters. Nomadic Aryans later migrated south and their language and religion, Hinduism, spread across India. Buddhism also originated in India under Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC and flourished before declining. The Gupta Empire from the 4th to 6th centuries AD was a high point of art, literature, science, and trade, spreading Indian cultural influences across Asia. Hinduism and Buddhism still have many global influences today.

1. Chapter 5 Ancient India

2. Section 1 Geography & Indian Life

3. Physical Geography of India Subcontinent Large landmass that is part of a continent, but considered a separate region Includes: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, & most of Pakistan Referred to a South Asia Used to be a separate landmass Collided with Asia & mts. were pushed up where the two lands met

4. Mountains & Waterways Mountains Hindu Kush Mts. Himalayas Stretch along northern India & separate it from China and Asia Rivers Ganges & Indus Rivers Carry water for irrigation Deposit silt which makes land fertile Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, & Bay of Bengal surround India Ancient people sailed waters to other lands for trade

5. Climate Mts. help block cold north winds Temps are warm Seasonal wind systems (Monsoons) shape climate Produce wet or dry season Monsoons can provide rain for crops or cause floods

6. Cities in the Indus Valley Earth mounds cover Indus Valley Bricks & tiny stone seals were found Ancient civilizations discovered

7. Early Inhabitants Civilization began with agriculture Raised wheat, barley, & eventually cotton that was made into fabric Domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, & chickens Made copper & bronze tools People traded with each other & eventually with other civilizations further away Developed into more complex culture

8. Great Cities Mohenjo-Daro & Harappa Harappa is the name given to entire culture; called Harappan civilization Harappa Good city planning Partially built of mud-brick platforms to protect from flooding Thick wall 3 ½ miles long surrounded city Citadel located inside for royal family & served as a temple Wide streets were laid out in grid system Houses laid out in blocks

9. Dealing with Problems Big problem of removing human waste Harappan cities Every house had bathroom & toilet Underground sewers carries waste away Good planning to accomplish this task Must have had powerful leaders

10. Harappan Culture Mysterious form of writing was discovered 500 pictographs may stand for words, sounds, or both Not known how to read writing yet Only learn about Harappan culture through the study of artifacts

11. Harappan Religion No temples of specific deities, or gods, found yet Public baths, figures of animals, & clay figurines have been found Possible religious ties Priests Probably prayed for good harvests & safety from floods Religious objects show links to modern Hindu culture

12. A Widespread and Prosperous Culture People shared Harappan culture Cities spread Common design of cities shared

13. Culture & Trade People used standard weights & measures Made similar bronze statues & clay toys Showed Harappans could afford more than just the necessities Wealth gained through agriculture & trade Traded as far away as Mesopotamia Harappans traded timber, ivory, & beads for silver, tin, & woolen cloth

14. Indus Valley Culture Ends 1700 B.C. Quality of buildings in Indus Valley declined Cities fell to decay May Indus River changed course & floods no longer fertilized the land or people wore out the land 1970s Satellite images revealed evidence of ancient movements in the earth’s crust Probably caused earthquakes & floods Altered course of the Indus River

15. Impact of Disaster Some cities along the Indus River survived disasters while others were destroyed Saraswati River might have also dried up Trade became impossible & cities died Agriculture was also influenced Could not produce large quantities of food

16. Influence of Nomads Nomadic people from the north of the Hindu Kush mts. came into region May have been a factor on Indian subcontinent

17. Section 2 The Origins of Hinduism

18. Aryans Move Into India Indo-Europeans Nomads Lived in clans (family groups) Herded cattle, sheep, & goats Warriors who used horse-driven chariots Fought w/ long bows & arrows and axes

19. The Indo-European Migrations 2,000 B.C. Drought, a plague, or invasion forced I-E to leave homeland Different groups went to different areas Hittites = Southwest Asia Others = parts of Europe

20. The Aryan Migrations 1500 B.C. Aryans migrated to India Simple herders who lived in simple houses Spoke Sanskrit Not believed to have caused Harappans to flee

21. Changes to Indian Life Aryans Entered India gradually Practiced a religion that Dravidians liked Dravidians were people already living in India Aryan language & religion spread Dravidians taught Aryans about city life Complex blended culture developed

22. Social Structure Aryan society at first Warriors Priests Commoners As society became more complex became known as the caste system (caste = a social class that a person belongs to by birth) Brahmans = priests, scholars, & teachers Ksatriya = rulers, nobles, & warriors Vaisya = bankers, farmers, & merchants Sudra = artisans & laborers Later another group was added Untouchables = below all other groups; did jobs no one else wanted (i.e. disposing of dead bodies)

23. Aryan Beliefs & Brahmanism Early Aryans religion now called Brahmanism Named after Aryan priests or Brahmins Worshiped many nature deities Sacrificed animals on sacred fire Ceremonies became more complex over time Rituals & hymns found in ancient Sankrit sacred texts called the Vedas 4 collections of prayers & instruction for rituals most important is Rig Veda

24. Religion changed over time Began to question how world came to be Began to believe that all deities were really the expression of one deity Indians wrote about ancient history in works like the Mahabharata An epic poem that retells many legends

25. Hinduism: The Religion of India BhagavadGita is sacred text of Hinduism Modern name of religion developed from Brahmanism Many Deities Many are worshipped, but one supreme God or life force is recognized 3 most important: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the protector), & Shiva (the destroyer)

26. Many Lives Hindus believe in reincarnation Each person has many lives What a person does in each life determines what he or she will be in the next life (known as Karma) Consequences determine fate Reincarnation is a cycle of birth, life, death, & rebirth Cycle ends when a mystical union w/ God is created Person must realize their soul & God’s soul are one

27. Many Paths to God Connect w/ God by following their own individual path Part of path deals w/ one’s job (linked to the caste system) Must faithfully carry out assigned duties in life Choices of spiritual practices to grow closer to God Meditation: making the mind calm Yoga: complex practice including exercise, breathing tech., & diet

28. Section 3 Buddhism and India’s Golden Age

29. The Rise of Buddhism Based on teachings of Siddhartha Gautama Prince who gave up wealth & position to understand meaning of life Became Buddha (enlightened one) later

30. The Buddha’s life and Teachings A priests predicted Siddhartha would become holy man His father sheltered him from seeing illness, death & poverty to prevent this At 29 Siddhartha did finally see such troubles & fled his home in search of peace Starved himself for 6 years (did not find answers he sought) Then sat under a fig tree & meditated for understanding Gained insight into reality called them the Four Noble Truths 1st: existence is suffering 2nd: condition comes from wanting what one doesn’t have or from wanting life to be different 3rd: people can stop suffering by not wanting 4th: people can stop wanting by following the Eightfold Path

31. The Eightfold Path Right opinions, desires, speech, actions, job, effort, concentration, and meditation Path could lead to nirvana (the end of suffering) Reaching nirvana broke the cycle of reincarnation Buddha believed in the practice of ahimsa, but didn’t worship Hindu deities After Buddha’s death Followers gathered teaching to pass on to others Collections called the dharma

32. The Maurya Empire Buddhism became influential because famous Indian king ruled by its teachings A United India Separate Aryan kingdoms battled each other Magadha gained strength around 550 B.C. 321 B.C. Chandragupta Maurya became king of Magaha Formed Maurya Empire Controlled empire using spies to learn what people did & army to keep order (600,000 soldiers, 30,000 cavalary, & 9,000 elephants) Many officials ran gov’t Heavily taxed land and crops of people

33. Asoka, the Buddhist King Asoka Grandson of Chandragupta Became emperor in 272 B.C. Ruled by Buddhist teachings Gave up warfare; ruled peacefully & by law Policies were carved on rocks and stone pillars along main roads One edict was for people to show obedience to mother and father Others joined Buddhism Missionaries were also sent to carry the ideas of Buddhism to other parts of Asia Asoka’s officials planted trees, dug wells, set up hospitals, & built rest houses along roads Improvements allowed more comfort for travelers Policies were noble, but they failed to hold the empire together after his death

34. Changes to Hinduism Hindu deities were not worshiped by as many people anymore People turned to Buddhism instead Shift back to Hinduism began Poets wrote hymns of praise to deities Vishnu & Shiva Wrote in languages of common people (instead of Sanskrit) Renewed love for Hindu deities followed

35. The Golden Age of the Guptas Gupta family took control five centuries after Asoka died The Gupta Empire Began as leaders in Magadha Chandra Gupta I became king in A.D. 320 Fun expanded empire by fighting wars His grandson Chandra Gupta II was greatest ruler of family Gupta II During reign India experienced a golden age or a time of great accomplishment

36. Art & Literature Flourished under Gupta II Gracefully designed temples Murals & statues were created Plays were written Poetry flourished

37. Mathematics & Science Math: number system still used today; developed decimal system & symbol for zero; figured out length of a year, estimated value of pi Astronomy increased; proved earth was round Doctors promoted health through diet and exercise

38. Metal Working Advanced methods of metallurgy Large iron pillars were erected

39. Trade Spreads Indian Culture Gupta royal court was a place of excitement & growth More territory was added to empire Expansion & profits from foreign trade was a result Merchants bought Chinese silk & resold them to traders traveling west Traders & Missionaries spread Indian culture & beliefs Hinduism spread to Southeast Asia, Buddhism spread

40. Section 4 The Legacy of India

41. Hinduism & Buddhism Today 4 out of 5 people in India are Hindus Also found in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, & many other countries 1 million in the U.S. Buddhism didn’t remain strong in India Not even 1% of people are Buddhists Religion is popular in Asia, Western Europe, & the U.S.

42. Hindu & Buddhist Influences Mid 1900s Mohandas Gandhi used ahimsa (nonviolence) to fighting against British rule Martin Luther King Jr. was inspired by Gandhi Today many influences present like religious meditation & yoga

43. India’s Artistic Legacy Literature Kalidasa: great writer of India; possibly the court poet for Chandra Gupta II; created many skillfully written & emotionally stirring plays Drama Popular in ancient India Traveling actors put on performances across the region Combined drama & dance (many are basis of techniques used today) Art & Sculpture Has influenced art in other cultures Differences in Buddhist & Hindu art Related to subject matter Buddhist: often portrayed the Buddha Hindu: portrayed Hindu deities Artistic styles not influenced by Hindu or Buddhist beliefs

44. Architecture Influenced by Hindu traditions Many began in Gupta times Buildings with stone rather than wood, erecting a high pyramid roof instead of a flat one, & sculpting elaborate decorations on the roof

45. The Legacy of Indian Mathematics Numeral we use originated in India Used numerals 1 to 9 for more than 2,000 years Decimal system originated in India Would not work without a symbol for zero This goes back 1,400 years in India