Chapter 7 Section 3 Chapter 7 Section 3 Study GuideStudy Guide

Early Civilizations of IndiaEarly Civilizations of India

Indus Valley civilizationIndus Valley civilization

► 2500-1500 BCE2500-1500 BCE Planned citiesPlanned cities FarmingFarming Trade with MideastTrade with Mideast

Mysterious declineMysterious decline

►Decline of urban Decline of urban civilization, 2000 civilization, 2000 BCEBCE

►Natural Causes?Natural Causes? Climate became Climate became

drier?drier? Low crop yieldsLow crop yields

►Less taxesLess taxes►Can’t maintain citiesCan’t maintain cities

Change in Indus Change in Indus River courseRiver course

Exhausted soil?Exhausted soil?

►Dravidians?Dravidians?►New arrivals: the New arrivals: the

AryansAryans Originally from north Originally from north

central Europecentral Europe Swept eastward over Swept eastward over

centuriescenturies Crossed Khyber Pass Crossed Khyber Pass

over Hindu Kushover Hindu Kush

The AryansThe Aryans► Iron weapons Iron weapons

technologytechnology►Oral religious Oral religious

traditions: the traditions: the VedasVedas Hymns, prayers, Hymns, prayers,

ritualsrituals 1500-1000 BCE1500-1000 BCE

►Written Written language: language: SanskritSanskrit

► Village lifeVillage life Farmers & Farmers &

herdersherders The rajahThe rajah Cattle Cattle

► Social classesSocial classes► ““varna” = colorvarna” = color

Sanskrit: "the mother of all Sanskrit: "the mother of all languages"languages"

► Sanskrit meaning 'perfected' or 'refined' Sanskrit meaning 'perfected' or 'refined'

► One of the oldest of attested human languages. (One of the oldest of attested human languages. (≈2000 BC)≈2000 BC)

► The oldest form of Sanskrit is The oldest form of Sanskrit is Vedic Sanskrit believed to date back believed to date back to the 2nd millennium BC.to the 2nd millennium BC.

► Belongs to the Belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European family of branch of the Indo-European family of languages. languages.

► One of the 22 official languages of India. One of the 22 official languages of India.

► It is also the liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and It is also the liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Jainism.

The varnaThe varna

Brahmans(priests)

Kshatriyas = warriors

Vaisyas = landowners & merchants

Sudras = servants & peasants