The Indus Valley civilization flourished between 2500-1500 BCE along the Indus River valley. Two major cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, exhibited advanced urban planning with grid layouts, public wells, and drainage systems. The civilization made contributions to math, writing, and plumbing but declined due to floods and climate change. Around 1500 BCE, Indo-Aryan invaders known as Aryans conquered the region and established a rigid caste system that divided people by occupation and social status. Hinduism and Buddhism later emerged as major religions during this period in ancient India's history.

2. INDUS VALLEY
• 2500-1500 B.C.E.
GEOGRAPHY
• The mountains guard an enormous flat and
fertile plain formed by two rivers –
–The Indus and Ganges Rivers
• Modern day India, Pakistan, Nepal, and
Bangladesh
• Seasonal winds called monsoons dominate
India’s climate.

3. GOVERNMENT
• Rulers based their power on a belief of
divine assistance.

4. CITY PLANNING
• No one is really sure how human settlement
began in India – perhaps they arrived by
sea from Africa and settled the south.
• Archaeologists have found the ruins of
more than 100 settlements along the Indus.
• The largest cities were Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro.
• The people of the Indus laid out their cities
on a precise grid system.
• Buildings were constructed of oven-baked
mud bricks.

5. • Public wells provided a regular supply of
water for all inhabitants.
• Bathrooms featured an advanced drainage
system.
• Wastewater flowed out to drains located
under the streets and then was carried to
sewage pits beyond the city wall.
• Only a well-organized government could
have maintained such carefully structured
cities.

6. CONTRIBUTIONS
• 1ST plumbing system
• Vedas (collection of hymns)
• Math and writing system
–concept of zero, decimal system

7. What happened to the Indus Valley people?
• Floods, and earthquake, changes in climate,
and even a change in the course of the
Indus River weakened the civilization.
-- Invaders – the Aryans – brought its final
end.

8. ARYANS
Who were the Aryans?
• Around 1500 b.c.e., they crossed over the
northwest mountain passes and conquered
the Harappans.
• The Aryans excelled in the art of war.
GOVERNMENT
• Various Aryan leaders were known as rajas
(most skilled leader)

9. SOCIETY & RELIGION
• Out of the clash between conqueror and
conquered came a set of social institutions
and class divisions that has lasted in India,
with only minor changes, to the present day.
• The caste system was a set of rigid social
categories that determined not only a
person’s occupation and economic
potential, but also his or her position in
society.
• It was based in part on skin color.

10. The Caste System
1. Brahmans -- priestly class
2. Kshatriyas -- warriors
3. Vaisyas -- commoners
4. Sudras -- dark-skinned peasants; did the work
that the above three would not do; made up a
large percentage of the Indian population
5. Untouchables -- Those who were considered
impure because of their work (butchers,
gravediggers, collectors of trash); were not
considered human; made up 5% of the
population

11. Family
• Life in ancient India centered on the family,
the most basic unit in society.
• The ideal was an extended family, with three
generations – grandparents, parents, and
children – living under the same roof.
• The family was patriarchal.

12. HINDUISM
• Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion.
• Hindus worship many gods, which
represent different forms of Brahman (most
divine spirit in the Hindu religion)

13. Basic Belief
• Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are the three
main gods of Hinduism:
–Brahma – creator of the universe
–Vishnu -- preserver of the universe
–Shiva -- destroyer of the universe
• The Vedas contains prayers and hymns (the
oldest Hindu scriptures)

14. • They believe in reincarnation.
• The soul’s karma – good or bad deeds –
follows from one reincarnation to another.

15. BUDDHISM
• Buddhism appeared in 6 b.c.e. and became
a rival to Hinduism.
• Founder – Siddhartha Gautama, known as
Buddha “Enlightened One”
• According to Buddhism, achieving wisdom
is a key step to achieving nirvana, or
ultimate reality -- the key to happiness was
detachment from all worldly goods and
desires.

16. Rituals
• They have a special regard or veneration to
cattle.
• Each year, thousands of Hindus make a
pilgrimage to India’s Ganges River.
• The Ganges is considered a sacred site in
the Hindu religion.

17. CONTRIBUTIONS
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Epic Mahabharata
–Mix of history, mythology, religion