AP World History: Ancient IndiaHarappa Civilization, Maurya, and Gupta Empires

Presentation Outline1. Geography of India2. Harappa Civilization3. Aryan Invasion4. Caste System5. Hinduism6. Maurya Empire7. Gupta Empire

1. Geography of Ancient India• The Indian subcontinent has the following geographic features which

have contributed to the development of civilization• Monsoonal rains can help sustain life but can also cause disastrous

flooding• Three River valleys: Indus, Brahmaputra, and Ganges rivers• To North: Impassable Himalayas• To East: Passable low hills• To Northwest: Passable Hindu Kush, Khyber Pass• To West: Arabian Sea

2. Harappa Civilization• 3000 B.C.E- 1500 B.C.E• Located along the Indus River Valley in modern day Pakistan/India• Wheat and barley were cultivated in Indus valley • Harappa and Mohenjo-daro

• Possibly served as twin capitals • Each city had a fortified citadel and a large granary • Broad streets, market places, temples, public buildings • Standardized weights, measures, architecture, bricks

• Specialized labor and trade • Domestic trade, items inc. pottery, tools, metals • Trading with Mesopotamians about 2300 to 1750 B.C.E

• After years of natural disasters (earthquakes and flooding) Harappa Civilization began to decline• People began to flee their cities• Unable to defend their civilization, Harappa civilization was vulnerable

to invaders

3. Aryan invasion• Between 1750 and 1500 B.C.E

Aryan invaders from Central Asia and Eastern Europe invaded India• They brought with them a new

language (Sanskrit), a social order (caste system), and a new religion (Hinduism)

4. Caste System• Caste and varna • Caste: • Hereditary, unchangeable social classes • Sanskrit word varna, "color," referring to social classes • Social distinctions based on racial skin colors

• Social distinctions in the late Vedic Age • Four main varnas, recognized after 1000 B.C.E. • brahmins (priests) • kshatriyas (warriors and aristocrats: rulers) • vaishyas (cultivators, artisans, and merchants) • shudras (landless peasants and serfs) • Later, the category of the pariah (untouchables) was addedCaste and social mobility

• Caste system was capable of accommodating social change • Social mobility was very difficult but still possible • Foreign peoples could find a place in society of the castes

5. HinduismThe Upanishads

• Works of religious teachings, 800 to 400 B.C.E. • The religious forums: dialogues between disciples and sages

Brahman: the universal soul • Brahman was the only genuine reality • Highest goal: to escape reincarnation and join with Brahman

Atman: The individual self-soul that is part of BrahmanTeachings of the Upanishads

• Samsara: An individual soul was born many times • Dharma: Caste duties • Karma: specific incarnations that a soul experienced • Moksha: permanent liberation from physical incarnation

Religion and Vedic Society • Samsara and karma reinforced social hierarchy • Upanishads were also spiritual and intellectual contemplations • Taught to observe high ethical standards • Respect for all living things, a vegetarian diet

Hindu godsHinduism is a polytheistic religion

6. Mauryan Empire• 322 B.C.E to 185 B.C.EChandragupta united India in 322 B.C.E after defeating the Persians (from modern day Iran)• Divided empire into districts and collected taxes• Enforced strict adherence to caste system

Asoka took over as ruler of Maurya around 252 B.C.E• converted to Buddhism• Dedicated to building roads and improving education

Chandragupta

Asoka

After Asoka’s death, the Maurya Empire weakens and India is divided into separate states

7. Gupta Empire• A revived Indian Empire was

established under Chandra Gupta I in 320 C.E.• The Gupta Empire allowed a degree

of religious toleration, allowing both Hinduism and Buddhism to coexist• Extensive trade networks were

established• Many scientific and artistic

achievements

Extensive trade with other empires

Extensive Trade:4c

spices

spices

gold & ivory

gold & ivory

rice & wheathorses

cotton goods

cotton goodssilks

Gupta

Art

Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art &

architecture.

Medicine Literature

MathematicsAstronomy

Printedmedicinal

guides

1000 diseasesclassified

PlasticSurgery

C-sectionsperforme

d

Inoculations

500 healingplants

identified

DecimalSystem

Conceptof Zero

PI = 3.1416

Kalidasa

SolarCalendar

The earth

is round

GuptaIndia

Gupta Achieveme

nts

• Gupta India declined around 400 C.E. during the White Hun invasions• India would again be divided into separate states and only later

unified again after Muslim invaders in the 7th and 8th centuries