Ancient IndiaAncient India

GEOGRAPHYGEOGRAPHY India is a subcontinent, India is a subcontinent,

a large land mass that a large land mass that is somewhat separated is somewhat separated yet still part of a yet still part of a continent.continent.

The Indus River Valley The Indus River Valley was an ideal place for was an ideal place for people to settle because people to settle because the river flooded often—the river flooded often—spreading fertile soil—spreading fertile soil—and the monsoons and the monsoons brought regular rain brought regular rain fall.fall.

The Indus Valley The Indus Valley CivilizationCivilization

Supported by a Supported by a stable food supply, stable food supply, people settled in people settled in the Indus River the Indus River Valley and Valley and eventually built eventually built cities.cities.

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

The Indus River The Indus River Civilization probably Civilization probably had a strong central had a strong central government with government with information flowing information flowing freely between towns.freely between towns.

Trade took place with Trade took place with communities as far communities as far away as Mesopotamia away as Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf.and the Persian Gulf.

Contributions of the Indus Contributions of the Indus River Valley PeopleRiver Valley People

After lasting 1000 years, After lasting 1000 years, the Indus River Valley the Indus River Valley civilization finally civilization finally declined.declined.

The Indus River Valley The Indus River Valley people were the first to people were the first to raise chickens for food. raise chickens for food. Today chicken is eaten Today chicken is eaten worldwide.worldwide.

The Indus Valley people The Indus Valley people made jewelry and cotton made jewelry and cotton cloth, both of which are cloth, both of which are still made today.still made today.

The AryansThe Aryans The Aryans were part of a The Aryans were part of a

larger semi nomadic group larger semi nomadic group we now call the Indo-we now call the Indo-Europeans.Europeans.

The Indo-Europeans left The Indo-Europeans left their homeland around their homeland around 2000 B.C. and migrated 2000 B.C. and migrated throughout Europe, Asia, throughout Europe, Asia, and India.and India.

Aryan beliefs and daily life Aryan beliefs and daily life were described in Vedas, a were described in Vedas, a collection of sacred hymns collection of sacred hymns and poems, passed down and poems, passed down orally from generation to orally from generation to generation.generation.

Social StructureSocial Structure

As the Aryans and As the Aryans and the Indus Valley the Indus Valley people combined people combined cultures, they cultures, they ended up with a ended up with a four -class system.four -class system.

Divisions within Divisions within classes were called classes were called castes. People did castes. People did not change castes.not change castes.

ReligionReligion

The Aryans The Aryans worshipped a worshipped a number of nature number of nature gods, and priests gods, and priests became very became very powerful in their powerful in their society.society.

Contributions of the Contributions of the AryansAryans

Sanskrit, the Sanskrit, the language spoken by language spoken by the Aryans, is the the Aryans, is the root of Hindi, one of root of Hindi, one of the most common the most common languages of modern languages of modern India.India.

Many people in Many people in modern India still modern India still follow the caste follow the caste system created by system created by the Aryans thousands the Aryans thousands of years ago.of years ago.

The Beginning of The Beginning of BuddhismBuddhism

Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha Gautama established Buddism, one established Buddism, one of the world’s major of the world’s major religions.religions.

After much searching and After much searching and meditation, Siddhartha meditation, Siddhartha reached a height of reached a height of understanding that understanding that Buddhists call Buddhists call enlightenment.enlightenment.

After his enlightenment, After his enlightenment, Siddhartha was called the Siddhartha was called the Buddha. He preached Buddha. He preached Buddhist dharma for Buddhist dharma for many years until he died.many years until he died.

Teachings of BuddhismTeachings of Buddhism

The Buddha The Buddha preached that preached that everyone could find everyone could find peace, without the peace, without the Vedic priests or Vedic priests or animal sacrifices.animal sacrifices.

The Buddha’s The Buddha’s teaching centered teaching centered on how people on how people should think and should think and act.act.

The Buddha taught The Buddha taught that the Eightfold that the Eightfold Path leads to Path leads to enlightenment.enlightenment.

Buddhism gradually Buddhism gradually traveled to China, traveled to China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Burma and other Burma and other areas of Southeast areas of Southeast Asia.Asia.

A Great Buddhist RulerA Great Buddhist Ruler Asoka, a powerful Asoka, a powerful

emperor, converted to emperor, converted to Buddhism and sent Buddhism and sent missionaries around missionaries around and beyond the and beyond the subcontinent.subcontinent.

Asoka announced his Asoka announced his Buddhist beliefs to his Buddhist beliefs to his people in edicts, and people in edicts, and ordered his empire to ordered his empire to follow them.follow them.

HinduismHinduism Hinduism is both the Hinduism is both the

major religion of India major religion of India today, and a way of life, today, and a way of life, with roots in the Vedic with roots in the Vedic religion of the Aryan religion of the Aryan people.people.

Hinduism teaches its Hinduism teaches its followers to do the followers to do the duties of their caste.duties of their caste.

Certain Hindus go Certain Hindus go through different stages through different stages of life: the last stage is of life: the last stage is as a wandering holy as a wandering holy person.person.

The Gupta EmpireThe Gupta Empire Both India and Hinduism Both India and Hinduism

grew and flourished grew and flourished under the Gupta Empire.under the Gupta Empire.

Under the Guptas, India Under the Guptas, India traded with Rome and traded with Rome and the rest of the the rest of the Mediterranean, Saudi Mediterranean, Saudi Arabia, Central Asia, Arabia, Central Asia, China, and Southeast China, and Southeast Asia.Asia.

Guilds grew as trade Guilds grew as trade increased under the increased under the Guptas.Guptas.

Achievements of Ancient Achievements of Ancient IndiaIndia

Under the Guptas, Under the Guptas, two important epics two important epics of Hinduism were of Hinduism were written down for the written down for the first time.first time.

An Indian astronomer An Indian astronomer determined the world determined the world was a sphere that was a sphere that rotated around the rotated around the sun and accurately sun and accurately calculated the length calculated the length of a solar year.of a solar year.

Indian Indian mathematicians mathematicians devised the devised the number system we number system we use today, use today, featuring nine featuring nine numerals, the zero, numerals, the zero, and the decimal.and the decimal.