India’s First Civilizations

Chapter 6, Section 1, page 194

Chapter 6, Section 1 Objectives

• After this lesson, students will be able to:– describe how the climate and geography of India

influenced the rise of civilization there.– explain how the Aryans conquered India and introduced

new ideas and new technologies.– explain the caste system introduced by the Aryans.

The Land of India – page 195

• subcontinent – large landmass that is part of a continent but distinct from it

• other important features:– the Himalaya Mountains– Ganges and Indus Rivers– Deccan Plateau– monsoons

The Land of India – page 195

• monsoon – winds that blow one way in the summer and another way in the winter

The Land of India – page 195

India’s First Civilization – page 196

• first Indian civilizations grew up near the Indus River– farmers and traders

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro – page 196

• Harappa– The Harappans were a

peaceful people who farmed and traded with their neighbors.

– advanced city planning including indoor toilets and garbage collection

Harappan Society – page 197

• religion and politics closely connected?

• trade thrived• one rare item: weapons• decline– c. 1750 B.C. – tectonic shifts →

earthquakes/floods?– soil exhaustion

The Aryans Invade – page 198

The Aryans Invade – page 198

• Aryans – nomadic herders who were expert horsemen – invaded Indus River Valley c. 1500 B.C.– eventually conquered everything short of the southern

tip of India

The Aryans Bring Change – page 199

• Aryan changes– iron plow– Sanskrit – written language developed by the

Aryans– rajas – princes who led Aryan tribes

The Aryans Bring Change – page 199

Society in Ancient India – page 199

• caste – a social group that someone is born into and cannot change– determines a person’s job, social group, and even

marriage– Aryans used it to help control the people who

outnumbered them

Society in Ancient India – page 199

• pariahs – “untouchables,” who do work Indians consider unclean

The Role of Men and Women – page 201

• men valued more than women by society– only boys could go to school or be educated• gurus – teachers to boys from high caste families

– arranged marriages (90% even today)– divorce not allowed; men could take a second wife if a

couple could not have children– suttee – practice of high-caste women leaping into

the cremation fires of their husbands• refusing to do so was shameful

Chapter 6, Section 1 Questions

1. What makes India a subcontinent?2. What is a monsoon?3. What evidence suggests that the Harappans were

probably a peaceful people?4. How did the Aryans use the caste system to

control the people they conquered?5. What does the practice of suttee say about the

relative values of men and women in ancient Indian culture?

Hinduism and Buddhism

Chapter 6, Section 2, page 202

Chapter 6, Section 2 Objectives

• After this lesson, students will be able to:– explain how Hinduism grew out of the ancient beliefs of

the Aryans.– describe why a new religion, Buddhism, appealed to

many in India and other parts of Asia.

Hinduism – page 203

• Hinduism– grew from a mixture of Aryan beliefs and those of

the Harappans– all life considered sacred– third largest religion in the world

Hinduism – page 203

• Hinduism– extremely complex– thousands of gods and

goddesses; considered to be different parts of one universal spirit – the Brahman• the Upanishads

– ultimate goal for the soul is to be reunited with Brahman

Hinduism – page 204

• Hinduism– reincarnation – the belief that a soul must pass

through many lives to reach the Brahman– dharma – meaning “divine law,” that requires people

to perform the duties of their caste– karma – the consequences of how a person lives his

or her life

Who Is the Buddha? – page 205

• Buddhism– founded by Siddhartha Gautama – Gautama was a prince who witnessed suffering.– decided to meditate on why people suffer– became known as the Buddha, means “Enlightened

One”– became popular because it rejected the caste

system

Buddhism – page 205

• Buddhism– religion that believes that the only way to stop

suffering is to stop desire– Four Noble Truths – the heart of Buddha’s teaching

1. Life is full of suffering.2. People suffer because they desire worldly things and self-

satisfaction.3. The way to end suffering is to stop desiring things.4. The only way to stop desiring things is to follow the Eightfold

Path.

Buddhism – page 206

• The Eightfold Path1. Know and understand the Four

Noble Truths.2. Give up worldly things and don’t

harm others.3. Tell the truth, don’t gossip, and don’t

speak badly of others.4. Don’t commit evil acts, like killing,

stealing, or living an unclean life.5. Do rewarding work.6. Work for good and oppose evil.7. Make sure your mind keeps your

senses under control.8. Practice meditation as a way of

understanding reality.

Buddhism in Southeast Asia – page 206

• Theraveda – “teachings of the elders”; Buddha seen as a teacher – not a god

• Mahayana – Buddha is seen as a god– theocracy – government

by religious leaders

Chapter 6, Section 2 Questions

1. Explain how Hinduism developed.2. What is reincarnation?3. Who founded Buddhism?4. What is the difference between an oligarchy, a

democracy, and a theocracy?

India’s First Empires

Chapter 6, Section 3, page 209

Chapter 6, Section 3 Objectives

• After this lesson, students will be able to:– describe how the Mauryan dynasty built India’s first

great empire.– explain how the Gupta empire reunited much of northern

India.– list the important contributions in literature, mathematics,

and science made by the Mauryan and Gupta empires.

The Mauryan Dynasty – page 210

• setup: Alexander’s invasion of and withdrawal from India

• Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire– achievements include a

centralized government and a postal system

The Mauryan Dynasty – page 210

• Asoka – rejected violence; first great Buddhist king– religious tolerance– stupas – Buddhist

shrines have the shape of a dome or mound

The Gupta Empire – page 213

• Chandragupta founded the Gupta Empire, during which the golden age of Indian culture came.– Hinduism was made the official religion.

Indian Literature and Science – page 214

• Indian poetry– literature stresses dharma– Vedas – ancient hymns and prayers for religious

ceremonies– epic: Mahabharata – longest poem in any written

language• Bhagavad Gita – (“Song of the Lord”) speaks of doing

one’s duty

Indian Math and Science – page 215

• important Indian contributions to math:– developed the idea of zero and a symbol for it– developed the symbols for the numerals 1-9 that we use

today– invented mathematical algorithms (steps to solve a

problem), which computer programmers use to tell computers what to do

• important Indian contributions to science:– astronomy – mapped movement of the stars, the earth

was round, the earth revolves around the sun– idea of atoms– medicine – could set broken bones and perform

operations (even plastic surgery)

Indian Math and Science – page 215

Chapter 6, Section 3 Questions

1. Name two achievements of the Mauryan Empire.2. What is a stupa?3. During which empire did the golden age of Indian

culture come?4. Name two ways that the Indians contributed to

computer science.