World History

Chapter ThreeAncient India and China

Early Civilizations of India and Pakistan

• Subcontinent – large landmass that juts out from a continent

• Bordered by Hindu-Kush and Himalayas• Served as a partial barrier, but not complete• Three zones: • Fertile Gangetic Plains• Dry Deccan Plateau• Coastal Plains

• Plateau – raised level area of land• Monsoon – seasonal winds that blow from

certain direction for part of the year• Depending on the direction, they bring rain or

dry air• Depend on the rains for crops

Indus Civilization

• 2600 B.C. – Indus Valley Civilization• Lasted 700 years and rivaled Sumer• Have not found any records of Kings and

Queens, tax records. Only small clay seals• Harrapa and Mohenjo-Daro – two cities

considered possible sites for the capitol of Indus Civilization

Farming and Trade

• Most people were farmers• Grew wheat, barley, melons, and dates• Also were merchants and traders• Traded cotton cloth, grains, copper, pearls,

ivory

Religion

• Polytheistic – believed in many gods• Mother goddess – source of creation• Bull and buffalo considered sacred• Became part of Indian culture especially the

veneration of cattle• Veneration – special regard

Decline• Crude pottery replaced fine works from early

on• Writing stopped• Mohen-Daro – was abandoned• What happened?• Maybe deforestation

Aryan civilization

• 2000 B.C. – 1500 B.C.• Nomadic people came to India subcontinent• Built no cities and left little behind• Vedas – collection of hymns, chants, ritual

instructions, and other religious teachings• Left behind by Aryans• Became sacred teachings

• Eventually settled down and were no longer nomads

• Cultivated crops and bred cattle• Led by rajahs, or chiefs, skilled war leader,

elected to his position• Often fought with other rajahs to gain more

territory

Society

• Ranked according to occupation• Top: Brahmins – priests• Middle: Kshatriyas – warriors• Bottom: Vaisyas – herders, farmers, artisans,

merchants• Lowest: Sudras: farm workers, servants,

laborers

Aryan Religious Beliefs

• Polytheistic • Gods and goddesses embodied natural forces

like the sky, sun, storms and fire• Indra – top god- god of war• Weapon was a thunderbolt• Varuna – god of order and creation

• Brahmins offered sacrifices of food and drink to the gods

• If they practiced religion correctly – they could ask the gods for help when they needed it

• Began to believe in a Brahman – single god• Mystics – tried to have direct contact with

divine forces

Literature

• Mahabharata – India’s greatest epic• 100,000 verses• Tells of Aryan battles to win territory• Ramayana – tells of fantastic deeds of the

hero Rama and his wife Sita• Read passage from Mahabharata