South AsiaA History

Indus River Valley● Asia’s first cities 4500 years ago

o Harappao Mohenjo Dahro

Brick buildings Carefully laid out streets Ceremonial Gateways Buildings to store grain

With the growth in population the civilizationthrived by farming, trade, and the use ofsmall industry.● Copper & Bronze tools● Cotton cloth● Clay pottery

Indus River Valley● The Indus civilization declined between 1700 and 1500 BCE after nearly a thousand years of prosperity.

● It is believed that earthquakes and floods may have damaged the cities and the Indusriver itself may have changed course.

Indus Valley:http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/indus_valley/

Crash Course:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7ndRwqJYDM&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9

Aryans● 1500 BCE nomadic herders called

Aryans settled in South Asia

● Believed to have come from the Caucuses

● Developed a spoken language calledSanskrit

o Passed on hymns and teachings byword of mouth

AryansSanskrit later became a written languageand teachings were written in sacredtexts called Vedas

The Vedas show that Aryans were organized into four Varnas or social groups

1. Priests2. Warriors3. Farmers4. Unskilled Laborers/Servants

Over time a Caste system emerged. A Caste is a social group a person is born into and cannot change. The term for Caste in South Asia is Jati.

Maurya● Rise to power in 300s BCE● Founded by Maurya family● Most famous ruler Asoka

o Was a Buddhisto Let his people practice other religionso Sent Buddhist missionaries throughout Asiao Dedicated his life to peace

● Empire prospered through trade● After Asoka’s death invasions led to

Mauryan Empire’s fall

Gupta Empire● In 320 AD Gupta Empire set up in● Northern India by Chandragupta I● Under Hindu rulers contact with the

outside world led to:o Increased tradeo Academia thrived

Science Medicine Art Mathematics

● South Asian mathematicians developed the numerals 1-9 used todayo Later adopted by Muslim Arab traders and eventually

brought to Europe

Moguls● During the early 1500s Muslim warriors

known as Moguls came from the North of India.● Akbar was the greatest Mogul ruler.

o Added lands to the empireo Lowered taxeso Supported the artso Allowed Hindus to worship freely and hold

government positions● Later Mogul rulers were not as good

o Heavy taxes led to rebelliono Foreign invasions led to empires collapse

in the 1700s

Modern History

● 1600s British established the East India Trading Co.● Through trade and Military might the British became the dominant power in

South Asia by the 1800s.● As British tried to introduce European practices and ideas South Asians

became resentful.● Indian soldiers attempted revolt in 1857 but failed.● British textiles destroyed economies of the region with heavy taxes on poor● Severe famines and poor health care under British rule kept resentment

and tensions high.

Gandhi● Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi born in 1869.● Mahatma means great one.● Goal was to bring independence to India● Opposed violence of all forms.● Believed Civil Disobedience was preferable.

o Used Fasts as social protest.o Held Strikeso Refused to buy British goodso Led the Dandi Salt march in 1930.o Was imprisoned many times for many years.

● Independence gained in 1947 but as two nations.o Hindu controlled Indiao Muslim controlled Pakistan

● Assassinated in in 1948

South Asia today● Upon independence West & East Pakistan

were created.● Hindus fled the Pakistan’s to India and

Muslims fled India to the Pakistan’s.● Half a million died in fighting● In 1971 Civil War broke out between East

and West Pakistan. ● East Pakistan became Bangladesh.● In 1948 Britain gave independence to

the island of Ceylon which reclaimed it’s ancient name of Sri Lanka

● In 1965 the Maldive Islands gained itsindependence from Britain.

India & Pakistan● Tensions remain between the two

countries today.● Religious differences● Both countries claim ownership of Kashmir

in the Himalayas and Karakoram mountains● They have fought several wars over the

region.● Both countries have nuclear weapons● Through peace talks the countries have

better relations but are still in disagreementover Kashmir.

Bangladesh

Timeline: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12651483

Bhutan

Timeline: http://www.timelines.ws/countries/BHUTAN.HTML

IndiaTimeline: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12641776

http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/india/history-timeline

Nepal

Timeline: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12499391

Pakistan

Timeline: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12966786

Sri Lanka

Timeline: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12004081