1. Identify geographic factors - the Indus and Ganges rivers, the Himalayas, and the Khyber pass.

2. Identify key terms: Indo-Europeans, Aryans, Caste system.

3. Explore the contributions of the first Indian civilizations at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.

4. Explore the accomplishments of the Hittites and the Indo-European/Aryan invaders.

5. Students will learn to read a migration chart and a language chart.

•Ganges river – forms a fertile farming valley.

•Indus river- farming region that produces wheat.

•Climate is impacted by monsoons.

•The two key mountain chains are:

• Hindu Kush –this includes the Khyber Pass

• Himalayas-highest mountains in the world.

Balto-Slavik

Slavik Baltic

Germanic Celtic ItalicLatin

Indo-Iranian

Indic IranianArmenian

Greek

Hittite

Polish

Czech

Russian

Ukrainian

Macedonian

Latvian

Lithuanian

Danish

Swedish

Norwegian

English

Dutch

Afrikaans

German

Breton

Welsh

Irish Gaelic

Scottish Gaelic

French

Portuguese

Spanish

Italian

Romanian

Hindi

Urdu

Punjabi

Bengali

Persian

Kurdish

•India’s 1st civilizations.

•Populations of 35,000-40,000.

•Carefully planned and developed.

•Advanced drainage and sewage systems.

Images of ancient Mohenjo-Daro.

•Rulers were both the religious and political leaders.

•Palace and temple combined in the Citadel or fortress.

Streets in Mohenjo-Daro

•Believed in many gods and goddesses.

•Most important were the gods of fertility and the harvest.

•Strong farming regions near the Indus that produced wheat, barley and peas.Shiva and Mother Parvati

What does it mean to migrate?

•Anatolia was their capital, and they also controlled the ancient city of Babylon

•Spoke the Babylonian language – Akkadian.

•Adopted the Babylonian culture

•Ruled for 450 yearsMap showing the extent of the Hittite empire. Courtesy

Wikipedia commons.

•Legal code was more lenient than Hammurabi’s code.

•Iron chariots and weapons of iron gave them an edge.

•Negotiated an alliance or treaty with the Egyptians.Hittite soldiers above.

•The Vedic Period - 1500-1000 BC- Invaders breached the Khyber Pass in the Hindu Kush Mtns.

•Conquered the Indus valley region of India.

•War-like and pastoral people.

•Aryan Kings or Leaders were called “Rajas” – (“princes”)

•India was made of warring kingdoms and shifting alliances.An Indian Raja and Princess.

•Iron tools – plow, etc, made them good farmers.

•They produced: rice, wheat, barley, millet.

•Spices included: cinnamon, pepper, and ginger.

•Writing – Sanskrit

•Top works include: The Vedas - A collection of hymns that form the foundation of the religion of Hinduism.

Selections from the Rig Veda above, courtesy Wikipedia Commons.

•The dominant religion in the region is Hinduism which was brought in by the original Aryan invaders.

•With the birth of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) in 600 BC, the religion of Buddhism was also introduced in India.

•Aryans brought with them a strong oral tradition, and religion.

•These became the foundation for the religion of Hinduism.

•They established a social institution and class system – caste system.

Impact of the Caste System

•Position in society based on skin color.

•Occupation, and economic status are determined by your caste.

•This will also determine who you marry.

1. Brahmins – priests

2. Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors

3. Vaishyas – peasants and traders

4. Shudras - laborers

•You are born into a caste for life.

•It determines: who you will marry, the job you will have, and the people you are allowed to associate with.

•Higher castes are concerned with ritual purity.

The lowest social class were known as untouchables because they did the dirtiest work that was considered

unclean and impure. They were butchers, gravediggers, and trash collectors.

•Patriarchal – men are educated and allowed to inherit.

•Women - no status, and daughters were an financial drain. (Dowry).

•Suttee – wife throws herself onto the pyre of her dead husband.

A Hindu widow commits

sati above.

A Rajput girl – right.

•One of the most influential leaders of India for all times, was the 5th century ruler, Asoka.

•During the reign of Asoka, Buddhism spread to different parts of the world, and large parts of India were united for the first time.

Asoka Maurya above. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Commons.

•Babur was the leader of the Mughal Empire. It was the last great native ruling family in India prior to the British takeover.

•The Mughals or Moguls were Islamic and very warlike.

Map showing the expansion of territory under the Moguls.

Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

•“Poetry in marble.”The most famous tomb in the world.

•Built in 1631-38 AD by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his beloved wife.

•She asked him “to build a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen before.”

1. Name the two rivers that supported the first civilizations in India.

2. Describe what could be found in Mohenjo-Daro.

3. What key contribution do we get from the Aryans?

4. What is the caste system?

5. What two religions came out of this culture?