classical india foundations: 8,000 bce – 600 ce origins in india
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Classical IndiaClassical IndiaFoundations: 8,000 BCE – Foundations: 8,000 BCE –
600 CE600 CE
Origins in IndiaOrigins in India
‘‘Periods’Periods’•Harrapans (river valley) Harrapans (river valley)
•Aryans (invasion from NW) 1700-500 BCEAryans (invasion from NW) 1700-500 BCE
•Invaded by Alexander the Great 327-325 Invaded by Alexander the Great 327-325 BCEBCE
•Divided into regional statesDivided into regional states
•United; Mauryan Dynasty 321 – 230s BCE United; Mauryan Dynasty 321 – 230s BCE
•Invaded by Kushans (ended by 220 CE)Invaded by Kushans (ended by 220 CE)
•Divided into regions Divided into regions
•Gupta Dynasty 320 - 450 CE Gupta Dynasty 320 - 450 CE
•Huns invade 450 CE Huns invade 450 CE
Influences of GeographyInfluences of Geography• Partially separated Partially separated from Asia by from Asia by Himalayas (Khyber Himalayas (Khyber Pass - Indo-Pass - Indo-Europeans)Europeans)
• Monsoon: wind Monsoon: wind patternspatterns; cause rain ; cause rain in summer essential in summer essential for farmingfor farming
• Close proximity to Close proximity to Middle East Middle East
• Himalayas - herding Himalayas - herding society society
Aryan Migration/invasion
Years vary from book to book but approximately 1700- 500B CE
Chandragupta: Chandragupta: 321 -321 -298 BCE298 BCE
Chandragupta: Chandragupta: 321 -321 -298 BCE298 BCE
Unified northern India - Created the Unified northern India - Created the Mauryan DynastyMauryan Dynasty
Before: 16 major states; led by Before: 16 major states; led by warriors, princes and priestswarriors, princes and priests
Autocratic, military based ruleAutocratic, military based rule
Divided his empire intoDivided his empire into provinces, then districts provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law for tax assessments and law enforcement. enforcement.
Bureaucracy Bureaucracy
301 BCE 301 BCE gave up his throne & gave up his throne & becamebecame religiousreligious
Ashoka Ashoka (273 – 232 BCE)(273 – 232 BCE)Ashoka Ashoka (273 – 232 BCE)(273 – 232 BCE)
Religious conversion Religious conversion after the gruesome after the gruesome battle of battle of KalingaKalinga in in 262 BCE. 262 BCE.
Dedicated his life to Dedicated his life to Buddhism - Promoted Buddhism; Buddhism - Promoted Buddhism; tolerated Hinduism tolerated Hinduism
Built extensive roads for tradeBuilt extensive roads for trade
ConflictConflict balance methods of balance methods of keeping power and Buddha’s keeping power and Buddha’s demands to of a selfless person?demands to of a selfless person?
Invaded by Kushans, then Invaded by Kushans, then a power Vacuuma power Vacuum: 220 BCE – : 220 BCE –
320 CE320 CE
Invaded by Kushans, then Invaded by Kushans, then a power Vacuuma power Vacuum: 220 BCE – : 220 BCE –
320 CE320 CE
Tamils
Tamils
The Maurya Empire is divided into many The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.kingdoms.
The Gupta EmpireThe Gupta Empire
•Height of Classical India Height of Classical India
•320 CE - 450 CE320 CE - 450 CE
•Favored negotiations over warFavored negotiations over war
•Greatest period of political Greatest period of political stabilitystability– Still dependent on regional princesStill dependent on regional princes– No powerful individual rulersNo powerful individual rulers
MedicineMedicineMedicineMedicine LiteratureLiteratureLiteratureLiterature
MathematicsMathematicsMathematicsMathematicsAstronomyAstronomyAstronomyAstronomy
PrintedPrintedmedicinal medicinal guidesguides
1000 diseases1000 diseasesclassifiedclassified
PlasticPlasticSurgerySurgery
C-C-sectionssectionsperformedperformed
InoculatiInoculationsons
500 healing500 healingplants plants
identifiedidentified
DecimalDecimalSystemSystem
ConceptConceptof Zeroof Zero
PI = PI = 3.14163.1416
KamasutraKamasutra
SolarSolarCalendarCalendar
The The earthearth
is roundis round
GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia
Gupta Gupta AchievemenAchievemen
tsts
Gupta Gupta AchievemenAchievemen
tsts
Extensive Extensive Trade:Trade:
4th century CE4th century CE
Extensive Extensive Trade:Trade:
4th century CE4th century CEspices
spices
spicesspices
gold &
gold &
ivoryivory
gold & gold & ivoryivory
rice & rice & wheatwheathorseshorses
cotton g
oods
cotton g
oods
cotton g
oods
cotton g
oodssilks
silks
What is the Caste What is the Caste System? How was Society System? How was Society
Divided?Divided?•Created by the Indo-EuropeansCreated by the Indo-Europeans
•Organized into special groups Organized into special groups (castes) that determined (castes) that determined everything from your job, to everything from your job, to your political rights, to your your political rights, to your religious beliefs, and who you religious beliefs, and who you would marry would marry
Varna (Social Hierarchy)
ShudrasShudras
VaishyasVaishyas
Kshatriyas Kshatriyas
BrahminsBrahmins
Pariahs- Untouchables
priests, scholars and teachers
warriors and rulers
traders and agriculturists
manual workers
Within each Varna are Jati, smaller groups which you are to socialize and marry
within, often based on jobs