Chapter 3 & 4

Indus River Valley Civilizations

Extends south from central Asia to the Indian Ocean.

Separated from the rest of Asia the Himalaya mountains.Made it difficult for

immigrants & invaders to enter.

Two rivers IndusGanges

ClimateHigh temperaturesMonsoons – heavy rain

Physical Geography & Climate

Harappan Civilization2 Ancient Cities

HarappaMohenjo Daro

Both cities were carefully plannedHad intersecting streetsHad a water system

Homes were made of brick, 2 stories high, and had indoor bathrooms.

Each city had a strong central fortress called a citadel.

Rich farmland – raised wheat, barley, and rice.Developed a written language made of

pictographsEventually disappeared – possibly due to

floods, or other natural disaster.

Early Indus River Valley Civilizations

Came across the Hindu Kush mountains into northwest India around 1750 B.C.

Sheep & cattle herdersSkilled warriorsMost information about these people comes from the Vedas.Contained religious beliefs and

stories that were passed down from generation to generation.

Indo-Aryan Migrants

Early gods mentioned in the Vedas were drawn from nature.Earth, fire, light, rain, sky, storms,

sun, and water.Sky = the father; Earth = the

motherBelieve in many gods, but have one

that is above all the rest.Ceremonies performed outdoors.Special priests called Brahmins

knew the rules of the ceremonies and were very important in Indo-Aryan society.

Indo-Aryan Religion

Originally a nomadic groupAs they settled in villages they planted crops

& herded animals so they did not need to move to find food.

Settlements combined to form small, independent states.

States were ruled by a raja – or chief.Raja was the military leader, lawmaker, and

judge. Assisted by a royal council.

Complex social order – class system.Marriage important – usually arranged by

parents. Not allowed to marry outside the social order.

Strongly believed in making sacrifices to the gods.

Early Indo-Aryan Society

Grew many cropsWheat, rice, barley, sugarcane, peas, beans,

leafy vegetables.Traded these crops with surrounding villages,

but could not trade with other civilizations because of poor transportation and limitations of their location.

Indo-Aryan Economy

Ancient Indian Dynasties &

Empires

Established by Chandragupta Maurya at the end of the Magadha empire.

Empire lasted almost 150 years

Chandragupta built a palace on the Ganges River

Raised an army of 600,000 soldiers.

Expanded his territory by uniting out to the Hindu Kush mountains and the Ganges River.

Mauryan Empire

The greatest emperor of the Mauryan Empire was Aśoka.

Chandragupta’s grandson.Made the empire even

bigger by using the army to conquer other people.Eventually included all of

India except the very southern tip of the country.

Later converted to Buddhism and sent missionaries to convert people to the Buddhist faith.

Mauryan Empire

After the Asoka died and the Maurya Empire declined, a new family of rulers took over India.

Chandra Gupta I was the founder of the Gupta Empire.DO NOT confuse him with

Chandragupta Maurya – remember their names sound the same, but represent different people!!!

Caused a decline in Buddhism and a rise in Hinduism.

Early years of the Gupta dynasty is called the “golden age” of Indian civilization great achievements in the arts extreme prosperity for the people.

The Gupta Empire

Ancient Indian Life and Culture

EconomyMost people were extremely poor

Very few people were in the highest social class

Most people were farmers, except in southern India where people traded with foreign countries.

SocietyMen held social power and standing.Women did not have the same rights as men.

The law required girls to obey their fathers.

Also must obey their husbands once they were married.

If their husband died they obeyed their sons.

Not allowed to own property.Were not allowed to study the Vedas.

Economy & Society

Men were allowed to practice polygymy – having more than one wife.

Widows practiced suttee – committing suicide by throwing themselves on top of the husband’s funeral pyre.

Arts & ArchitectureMural painting in caves to tell stories.Sculpture of the Buddha showed the

importance of religion.Built many stupas – dome-shaped shrines for

Buddha.Education

Children in the higher classes received a formal educationStudied the Vedas, astronomy, math, warfare, and

government.Children in the lower classes only received

training for certain crafts or trades.Nalanda – famous Buddhist university.

Cultural Achievements

MathUnderstood abstract & negative

numbersHad a concept of zero & infinityAryabhata – famous mathematician –

first known user of algebra & quadratic equations.

MedicineIndian doctors were very advanced.Understood the importance of the spinal

cord.Had surgical procedures to mend

broken bones.Performed types of plastic surgery.Earliest forms of vaccinations.

Cultural Achievements