Ancient India 3000B.C. to A.D.500

Chapter 6.1

Wednesday, November 11

6.23 & 6.24

• I can locate and

describe the

Himalayas and the

Indus and Ganges

River.

• I can analyze the

impact of the Aryan

Invasion

BELLWORK:

Get your four square

sheet from my

desk.

I will check for this

instead of your

agendas!

ON YOUR 4SQUARE:

Choose ONE assignment below:

Option 2

Draw a picture that

illustrates your

knowledge of the

significance

(importance) of

Moses.

Option 1

Use 20 words (no

more, no less)

to explain the

significance

(importance) of

Moses.Why am I

important?

Get your grade sheet:If you don’t have it, just sit quietly.

You’re getting back two assignments:

1. Egypt Test – Put in TEST category.

2. Egypt Afterlife Essay – Put in OTHER

category.

Turn to your world map from the

beginning of the year.

• It looks like this:• ****if you can’t find it OR don’t have one, raise your hand. =

The Geography of India

• India is a subcontinent– Large landmass– Smaller than a

continent– Part of the continent

of Asia

Mountains, Plains, and Rivers

Monsoons

• Monsoons -seasonal winds– Winter-monsoons blow cold, dry air from

Himalaya east to west– Summer-warmer land temperatures cause the

winds to change direction. Winds blow west to east-bring warm, wet air and pouring rains

Mountains

• Himalayas– Tallest mountain range in the world– Contains Mt. Everest

• Tallest mountain peak in the world• 29,000 feet tall (5.5 miles)

Mountains

• Hindu Kush– Border India to the northwest

Plains

• Fertile plains at the foot of the mountains– Owe rich soil to 3

great rivers• Indus River• Ganges River• Brahmaputra River

– Rivers provide farming, transportation, trade

Rivers

• Indus River - major river in Asia• Flows through Pakistan• Fed from glaciers in Himalayas

Ganges River• Located in plains of northern India • Holy River of Hinduism• For most of its course it is a wide and sluggish stream, flowing through one

of the most fertile and densely populated regions in the world. Despite its importance, its length of 1,560 miles (2,510 km) is relatively short compared

with the other great rivers of Asia or of the world.

The Indus Valley Civilizations

• About 5,000 years ago, nomads settled in Indus River

• Modern day Pakistan• Spread over western India and Pakistan

Mohenjo -Daro

• 2600 BC and 1900 BC• 35,000 residents• Streets paved with tan colored bricks• Houses made with oven-baked bricks

Harappaaka – “The Happenin’ Harappans”

• Wells supplied water• Every house had one indoor bathroom• Wastewater flowed outside city walls• Houses had garbage chutes

What was life like?

• Palaces and temples were enclosed in a fortress– Shows importance of

religion and government

– Farming villages– Grew rice, barley,

wheat, peas and cotton

– Merchants traveled to Mesopotamia to trade

Aryan Migrations and Settlements

• Around 1900 B.C. people abandoned Indus River Valley Civilizations

• Archaeologists found several causes– Severe drought– Earthquakes– Floods– Aryans migrated to India

Friday, November 13

• 6.24

• I can analyze the impact of the Aryan

Invasion

The Indo-Europeans

• Aryans were not a race or ethnic group• Part of a language family-group of similar

languages• Lived in central Asia• Aryans moved to India

Aryans• Mixed with people from India• Lived in tribes

– Tribe led by raja or prince– Had no written language

• Developed a written language called Sanskrit– Gave people a way to record sales, trade, land

ownership, poems, hymns, stories, prayers– Sacred texts known as Vedas

DON’T FREAK OUT!!!!

We will do #4-5 tomorrow!

Thursday, November 12

• 6.26

• I can outline the social structure of the

Caste System and explain its effect on

everyday life.

G.R.A.P.E.S.

Time to beat – 6:00

CASTE SYSTEMPriests are not SUDRAS

Farmers are not KSHATRIYAS

VAISYAS are not the lowest or highest

Rulers are not the highest

BRAHMINS are above warriors

Servants are below farmers

Craftworkers are higher than servants but lower than BRAHMINS

Merchants are higher than SUDRAS but not higher than warriors

VAISYAS are not rulers

Choose one question.

Answer on your paper.

1. What social class do you

think this man could be

a part of? Prove your

theory with EVIDENCE.

2. How did the beliefs of

karma and dharma

support the caste

system?

Example:

What were the Varnas?

• India is divided into four social classes• People were members of the varna into

which they were born• Bramins-priests• Kshatriyas-warriors• Vaisyas-commoners• Sudra-manual workers

Ancient Indian Society

Caste System

• Varna system is known as a caste system– People remain in caste for life– Untouchables

• Lowest level of society• They did work that Indians would not do

– Collecting trash– Skinning animals– Carrying dead bodies

Untouchables

• Indian men had more rights than women• Males inherited property• Boys had a guru-teacher• Parents arranged marriages• Boys often married in their teens• People could NOT get divorced