The Aryans in IndiaMrs. Arbuckle7th Grade World History

Review•What is a subcontinent?•What mountain range is north of India?•What were two of the earliest cities in

India?

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

What happened to the Harappans?•The Harappan civilization collapsed

around 1500 B.C.•Historians think that floods and

earthquakes damaged the cities•The earthquakes made the Indus River

shift and change its course.•This killed many people and forced

others to leave.

New Neighbors•After the Harappans left, years later, a

new group of people moved into the area.•They were called the Aryans, and they

developed a new civilization…

The Aryans•From Central Asia•Raised and herded animals•Not really a group based on race or

ethnicity.•Could have been part of a larger group

called the Indo-Europeans▫All spoke similar languages▫Some migrated south to India, Iran, and

Europe

Prized Possessions•Cattle were the prized possession of the

Aryans.•They provided milk, butter, and meat•So important they were considered

money!•Wealth was measured by the number of

cattle a person had!

Guess what they were good at…•They Aryans were very good warriors

(bet you would have never guessed…)•Expert horseback riders and hunters•Metal-tipped spears and wooden

chariots•Sometimes invaded nearby villages for

food

On the move…•Around 2000 B.C., the Aryans began

leaving their homeland in Central Asia.•They crossed through mountain passes in

the Himalayan Mountains•Entered the Indus River valley around

1500 B.C.•Around 1000 B.C., they began to expand

to other areas of India

Bringing Change •Before the Aryans came to India they

were nomads.•Once they got to India, they settled down

and became farmers.•They continued to raise cattle, but later

believed them to be sacred and forbid them to be used for food!

Technology•Improved farming by inventing the iron

plow.▫Used to clear jungle areas and build canals

•Because India has many different climates, a lot of different crops could be grown.▫North- wheat, barley, millet▫South- spices (pepper, ginger, cinnamon)

Sanskrit•When the Aryans were nomads, they had

no written language.•When they got to India, developed a

written language called Sanskrit.▫Aryan written language

•The Aryans wrote down songs, poems, and prayers for many centuries.

Tribes•The Aryans lived in tribes, or small groups.•Each tribe was led by a raja.

▫Prince of an Aryan tribe•Rajas owned their own small kingdoms

and many times fought against one another.▫Fought over cattle, treasure, and women▫These kingdoms were around from 1000 B.C.

to about 400 B.C.

So to review…•What animal is sacred in India?•What is Sanskrit?•What caused the collapse of the Harrapan

Civilization?