Ancient Indian Civilizations

2500 B.C. – 500 A.D.

Indus River Valley

South of the HimalayasDifficult to enter valley

Ganges River flows through fertile valleyIndus River flows across drier plain

Indus River Valley (cont)

Monsoons are winds that mark the seasonsFall/Winter = little rainSpring/Summer

heavy rainsToo little/late = crops fail

Early Civilizations

Harappa and Mohenjo DaroLarge cities, carefully plannedWater systems, public baths, and brick sewersStrong central fortress or citadel

Early Civilizations (cont)

Indo-AryansFrom central Asia Written language, SanskritCaste System

Class structure that determines a person’s occupation, economic potential, and social statusIn part, based on skin color

Early Civilizations (cont)

Mauryan EmpireStrong army equipped with elephants and chariotsRigid bureaucracyAśoka

Greatest ruler, converted to BuddhismSet up hospitals for people and animalsOrdered a system of shade trees and shelters for travelers

Early Civilizations (cont)

Gupta RulersEra of prosperity/tradeHinduism becomes dominant religion

Religious tolerance of Buddhism

Later extravagance by rulers led to decline

232 B.C.Chandragupta II

Chandragupta Maurya becomes founder of Mauryan Empire

Hinduism

Appears polytheistic, but it is monistic

God is one, but goes by many names

Hinduism (cont)

Believe in reincarnationSouls are reborn into another bodyDharma – person’s moral duty in this lifeKarma – good/bad force created by actionsLive until you get it right, Nirvana

Practice yoga, mental/physical exercises that bring the body and soul together

Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha or “Enlightened One”Led privileged life until he became aware of human sufferingTaught ethics and selflessnessReincarnation and nirvana were available to everyone

Siddhartha Gautama’s

eight not carrying out harsh or mean thoughts

Cultural Achievements

EducationHigher castes = formal educationLower castes = crafts and trades

AlgebraAstronomyMedicine – inoculations from diseases