Chapter 5 - Ancient India

Section 1: Geography and Indian Life Part 1

Chapter 5: Ancient India

India is a subcontinent that is sometimes called South Asia.

Subcontinent = a large landmass that is part of a continent but is considered a separate region.

India used to be a separate landmass, but it collided with Asia, forming mountains.

The subcontinent includes present-day Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and most of Pakistan.

A Subcontinent

Northern India is separated from China and Asia by the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas mountain ranges.

The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world.

Important rivers are the Ganges and Indus, which provide water for irrigation and silt for farming.

In ancient times, the Saraswati river area was home to great cities, but the river dried up.

Mountains and Rivers

India is surrounded by the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Bay of Bengal.

Ancient Indians sailed these waters to trade with other lands.

Bodies of Water

The tall m0untains in Northern India block cold winds, so temperatures are generally warm.

Seasonal wind systems called monsoons produce a wet or dry season in a region.

The summer monsoon provides rain for India’s crops, but these rains can also cause severe flooding.

Climate

Huge earth mounds dot the Indus River Valley.

Archaeologists have explored these mounds and uncovered the ruins of ancient civilizations.

The Indus River Valley

History in the Indus River Valley followed the same pattern as in Sumer and Egypt.

Civilizations began with agriculture, and the earliest farmers raised wheat and barley.

By 3000 B.C., they were growing cotton, domesticating cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, and making tools from copper and bronze.

Over time, trade was built up and culture became more complex.

Early Inhabitants of Indus Valley

By 2500 B.C., the Indus and Saraswati valleys contained hundreds of cities.

At least 35,000 people may have lived in the largest and best-known cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.

Today, the ancient culture that developed along the Indus River is called the Harappan civilization.

Great Cities

The Harappan civilization featured planned cities, which are built according to a specific design.Surrounded with heavy brick protective

walls.City streets crossed over each other in a

neat grid with square corners.Along the streets were homes, shops, and

factories.Cities had large public buildings for

religious and government functions.

Planned Cities

People in large cities always have to deal with the problem of removing human waste.

In most ancient cities, people dumped waste into open drainage ditches or carted it out of town.

What’s the problem?

What’s That Smell?

In contrast to other ancient cities, Harappan cities were very advanced in waste removal.

Almost every house contained a bathroom and a toilet.

Underground sewers carried away the waste.

No other civilization achieved this level of convenience until the late 1800s (4000 years later!).

Harappan Waste Removal

Section 1: Geography and Indian Life Part 2


One kind of artifact found in the ruined cities of the Harappan civilization were stone seals.

On the seals were pictures and a mysterious form of writing.

No one has yet figured out how to read the writing of the Harappan civilization.

Until they do, the only way we can learn about the civilization is by studying artifacts.

Harappan Writing

Archaeologists have found evidence of religion in the Harappan civilization.Mohenjo-Daro had a huge public bath

that may have been used for religious rituals.

Figures of animals, such as bulls, that Indians still regard as holy.

Clay figurines that may be deities or simply dolls.

Many figurines that have been found show links to modern Indian culture.

Harappan Religion

Harappan cities spread across an area that was about 500,000 square miles in size.

That was twice as big as Texas is today!Even though they were so spread out,

all Harappan cities shared a common design.

That shared design showed how widely the culture had spread.

Widespread Culture

Harappan people used standard weights and measures.

Across the region, they made similar bronze statues and clay toys.

These artifacts show that the Harappans could afford more than just basic necessities.

Aspects of Culture

Bronze Statues

Clay Toys

The Harappans gained their wealth from agriculture and trade.

One of the groups they traded with was the Mesopotamians.

The Harappans traded timber, ivory, and beads.

The Mesopotamians sold them silver, tin, and woolen cloth.

Harappan Trade

Harappan Beads

Around 1700 B.C., the great cities of the Indus Valley began to fall into decay.

Historians didn’t know why until the 1970s.

Satellite images of the subcontinent showed evidence of ancient movements in the earth’s crust.

This movement probably caused earthquakes and floods, and altered the course of the Indus River.

The Culture Declines

Some cities along the Indus survived this natural disaster, others were destroyed.

Harappan agriculture would have been affected, causing food shortages.

This also may have forced people to leave the cities, leading to the decline of the Harappan civilization.

Impact of Disaster

A nomadic people from north of the Hindu Kush mountains swept into the Indus Valley around 1500 B.C.

Indian civilization would begin to grow again under the influence of these nomads.

We will discuss this more later!

Influence of Nomads

Section 2: The Origins of Hinduism – Part 1


The Harappan civilization began to decline around 17oo B.C., probably because of earthquakes and flooding.

Around 1500 B.C., a nomadic people from north of the Hindu Kush mountains swept into the Indus River Valley.

Indian civilization began to grow again under the influence of these nomads.

Review

The nomads who came to the Indus River Valley were Indo-Europeans.

Indo-Europeans are people who speak dialects of a language called Indo-European.

Dialects = “varieties of a language spoken in different regions or countries”

The Indo-Europeans

Scholars believe that the Indo-Europeans may have originally come from Central Asia.

Most of them were nomads who lived in family groups or clans, and herded cattle, sheep, and goats.

They were also warriors who rode horse-driven chariots, and fought with long bows and arrows, and bronze axes.

Who Were the Indo-Europeans?

Around 2000 B.C., the Indo-Europeans left Central Asia in a wave of migrations.

Historians aren’t sure why they left, but different groups moved to different regions.

The Hittites went to Southwest Asia, many other groups settled in parts of Europe.

One group, the Aryans, migrated to the Indian subcontinent.

Migration

Unlike the Harappans who lived in cities, the Aryans lived in simple houses.

They spoke an Indo-European language called Sanskrit.

For years, historians thought the Aryans conquered the Harappans.

Now historians believe the Harappan civilization had already declined before the Aryans got there.

The Aryans

The Aryans entered India gradually.They practiced a religion that appealed to the

people living in India at the time (Dravidians).As a result, Aryan religion and language

spread.In return, the Dravidians taught the Aryans

about city life.As a result of interactions between the Aryans

and Dravidians, India developed a complex, blended culture.

A Blended Culture

Aryan society was organized into classes:WarriorsPriestsCommoners

Social Structure

Aryan Warriors

As Indian society grew more complex, these classes developed into what was later called the caste system.

Caste = “a social class that a person belongs to by birth”

These castes became associated with different jobs.

The jobs fell into four categories…

Caste

Brahmans > priests, scholars, teachers

Ksatriya > rulers, nobles, warriors

Vaisya > bankers, farmers, merchants

Sudra > artisans and laborers

The Caste System

Centuries later, another group developed that was considered below all other groups. This group was called the untouchables.

They did the jobs no one else wanted to do:ButcheringRemoving trashDisposing of dead bodiesCleaning sewers

The Untouchables

In modern times, the Untouchables are called the Dalit, and in some Indian states they make up 20% of the population.

Discrimination based on caste has been prohibited, and “untouchability” has been abolished, but prejudice against Dalits remains.

This prejudice is often seen in rural areas in matters such as access to eating places, schools, temples and water sources.

The Dalit

Section 2: The Origins of Hinduism – Part 2


After the decline of the Harappan civilization, an Indo-European group called the Aryans began to move into northwest India in 1500 B.C.

Because of the influence of the Aryan’s language and religion, Indian culture became blended and complex.

As society became more complex, the caste system developed.

Review

Brahmans > priests, scholars, teachers

Ksatriya > rulers, nobles, warriorsVaisya > bankers, farmers,

merchantsSudra > artisans and laborers

-----------------------------------------------------Untouchables

The Caste System

The early religion of the Aryans is now called Brahmanism.

This name comes from the Aryan priests, who were called Brahmins.

The Aryans were polytheistic. They worshiped many nature deities, and made sacrifices to those deities by offering animals to a sacred fire.

Their most important gods were Shiva, Indra, Varuna, and Surya.

Aryan Religious Beliefs

Shiva

Indra

Varuna

Surya

Over time, Indians began to believe that all deities were really the expression of one deity.

Later, Indians wrote about their ancient history in works like the Mahabharata.

One part of the Mahabharata is called the Bhagavad Gita.

The Bhagavad Gita is an important sacred text of Brahmanism and Hinduism.

Brahmanism to Hinduism

Hinduism is the modern name for the major religion of India, which developed from Brahmanism.

It is the third largest religion in the world today.

Hindu belief varies widely. Some Hindus are monotheistic, some are polytheistic, and some are even atheistic!

Hinduism

Most Hindus believe in many gods, but they also recognize one supreme God or life force.

Hindus consider the other deities to be parts of the one universal God.

The three most important other deities are:Brahma – The CreatorVishnu – The ProtectorShiva – The Destroyer

Hindu Gods

Brahma

Vishnu

Shiva

Other Hindu BeliefsHindus believe in reincarnation, which

means that each person has many lives.According to a belief called karma,

what a person does in each life determines what he or she will be in the next life.

Reincarnation creates a repeating cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.

The cycle ends when a person achieves a mystical union with God.

Hindus believe they connect to God by following their own path.

This includes working at a job that is linked with their place in the caste system.

Devout Hindus must faithfully carry out their assigned duties in life.

Many Paths to God

Hindus use different spiritual practices to grow closer to God. Two examples are meditation and yoga.

Meditation is the practice of making the mind calm.

Yoga is a complex practice that includes exercise, breathing techniques, and diet.

Other Hindu Practices

Section 3: Buddhism and India’s Golden Age – Part

1


Besides Hinduism, other religions had their beginnings in India as well.

One of these is the religion of Jainism, which teaches ahimsa (nonviolence).

Jains practice ahimsa very strictly. They believe that every living thing has a soul and should not be hurt.

Some Jains even wear masks to avoid breathing in insects!

Jainism and Ahimsa

Buddhism, the fourth largest world religion, also began in India.

Buddhism is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.

He was a prince who gave up his wealth and position to try and understand the meaning of life.

He later became known as the Buddha, or “enlightened one.”

The Rise of Buddhism

See explanation of symbols on page 129.

Siddhartha was born a Hindu prince, and was sheltered by his father.

He did not see old age, illness, death, or poverty until he was 29.

When he finally did see these things, they upset him greatly.

He set out to search for peace in a world of suffering.

Who was Siddhartha?

Siddhartha starved himself (“fasted”) for six years, but did not find the answers he sought.

While meditating under a fig tree, Siddhartha gained insights into reality.

He called these insights the Four Noble Truths.

Under the Fig Tree

The Four Noble Truths1. Existence is suffering.2. Suffering comes from wanting

what you don’t have, or wanting life to be different.

3. People can stop suffering by not wanting.

4. People can stop wanting by following the Eightfold Path.

The Four Noble Truths

Following the Eightfold Path could lead to nirvana, the end of suffering.

Reaching nirvana broke the cycle of reincarnation.

After the Buddha died, his followers gathered his teachings (the dharma) to pass on to others.

The Eightfold Path

Around 550 B.C., the Aryan kingdom of Magadha began to gain strength in northeast India.

About 321 B.C., Chandragupta Maurya became king of Magadha and conquered much territory.

His Maurya empire soon covered much of the India subcontinent.

A United India

Chandragupta controlled his empire by using spies and an army of soldiers to keep order.

His army included 600,000 foot soldiers, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 elephants.

Legend says that he became a nonviolent Jainist monk at the end of his life.

Controlling the Empire

The greatest Maurya king was Chandragupta’s grandson, Asoka.

After fighting a bloody war and conquering a neighboring kingdom, Asoka decided to rule by Buddhist teachings.

He gave up constant warfare, and tried to rule peacefully by law instead.

The Buddhist King

Asoka had his policies carved on rocks and pillars.

The pillars advised people to be truthful and kind, and not to kill living things.

Because of Asoka’s influence, many people were attracted to Buddhism.

At the same time, he let people of other religions worship freely.

Asoka’s Policies

As Buddhism became more popular, fewer people worshiped the Hindu deities.

Hindu poets began to write hymns of praise to Vishnu and Shiva in the languages of the common people, instead of Sanskrit.

As the poems were shared across India, Hinduism regained popularity.

Eventually, Buddhism lost most of its followers in India, but it spread to many other countries in Asia.

Hinduism Regains Popularity

Section 3: Buddhism and India’s Golden Age – Part

2


Buddhism, the fourth largest religion in the world today, started in India.

Buddhism is based on the teachings (the dharma) of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha (“enlightened one”)

One of the greatest early empires in India was the Maurya Empire, founded by Chanragupta Maurya around 550 B.C.

Review

The greatest king of the Maurya Empire was Chandragupta’s grandson, Asoka.

After conquering like his grandfather, Asoka converted to Buddhism and decided to rule his kingdom based on Buddhist teachings.

Because of his influence, Buddhism became extremely popular for a time, though it eventually fell out of favor and Hinduism became the most popular religion again in India.

More Review

Shortly after Asoka died, the Maurya Empire collapsed because of poor rulers and enemy invasions.

500 years of conflict followed, until the Gupta family took control.

The Collapse of the Maurya Empire

The Gupta empire began with Chandra Gupta I (no relation to Chandragupta Maurya!) in A.D. 320.

He married a king’s daughter and gained new lands, and his son expanded the empire by fighting wars.

Chandra Gupta’s grandson, Chandra Gupta II, was the greatest ruler of the Gupta family.

During his reign (A.D. 375 – 415) India experienced a golden age.

The Gupta Empire

Under Chandra Gupta II, Indian arts flourished.

Architects built gracefully designed temples, and artists painted murals and sculpted statues.

Many plays based on the Mahabharata were written during this time.

Poetry also flourished under the Guptas.

Art and Literature

Indian mathematics was among the most advanced in the world.

Indian scholars invented:The numeral system we use todayThe decimal systemThe symbol for zero

One mathematician figured out the length of a solar year, and estimated the value of pi.

Mathematics

During the Gupta Empire, knowledge of astronomy increased.

Almost 1,000 years before Columbus, Indian astronomers proved that the earth was round by observing a lunar eclipse.

Doctors also added new techniques to the ancient practice of Ayurvedic medicine, which promotes health through diet and exercise.

Science

Indian artisans developed advanced methods of metallurgy (metal working).

There is an iron pillar outside of Delhi, India that is over 20 feet high and has been standing since A.D. 400.

No one else was able to make such a large piece of iron for at least another 1,000 years.

Unlike most iron, the pillar has resisted rust for 16 centuries.

Metal Working

Traders of the Gupta Empire sold Indian goods such as cotton and ivory to foreign merchants.

Indian merchants bought Chinese goods, such as silk.

Both traders and missionaries spread Indian culture and religious beliefs.

Trade Spreads Indian Culture

Section 4: The Legacy of India


Two of the greatest empires of Ancient India were the Maurya and Gupta empires.

In the Gupta empire, under the reign of Chandra Gupta II, Indian arts flourished.

There were also many advances made in the fields of mathematics, science, and medicine.

Review

Indian achievements have influenced the whole world in many ways.

In ancient times, Indian religion and art was spread to other parts of Asia by traders and merchants.

Indian culture continues to influence our modern world in the areas of religion, art, and mathematics.

The Legacy of India

Two of the world’s largest religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, both began in India.

Some Hindu religious practices, like yoga and meditation, are popular throughout the world today.

In the mid-1900s, Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi used ahimsa (nonviolence) in his fight for India’s independence from Britain.

Gandhi’s life was an inspiration to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Legacy of Religion

One of India’s greatest writers was Kalidasa, who is known for his skillfully written and emotionally stirring plays.

He may have been the court poet for Chandra Gupta II.

Kalidasa’s most famous play is called Shakuntala.

Artistic Legacy: Literature

Kalidasa

In addition to literature, drama was also very popular in ancient India.

In southern India, traveling actors put on performances in cities across the region.

Many modern dance forms in India come from ancient Indian techniques.

Plays based on the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, are performed today in many Southeast Asian nations.

Artistic Legacy: Drama

Both Hindu and Buddhist art were important in the development of art in India.

The main difference between Hindu and Buddhist art was the subject matter.Buddhist art – portrayed the

Buddha or potential BuddhasHindu art – Hindu deities such as

Vishnu and Ganesha

Artistic Legacy: Art

Many Indian architectural trends began in Gupta times:Building with stone rather than

woodPyramidal roof instead of flatSculpting elaborate decorations on

the roofSome of these trends can be seen in

the Hindu temple complex called Angkor Wat in northwestern Cambodia.

Architecture

People in India have been using the numerals 1-9 for more than 2000 years.

Because Arab traders brought these numerals to the West, they are sometimes called Arabic numerals.

Today, they are more often called Hindu-Arabic numerals.

Legacy of Indian Mathematics

The Decimal SystemThe decimal number system was also

first developed in India.The name comes from the Latin word

decem, which means “ten”Each place value is worth ten times as

much as the place value to the right (Example: 5,555)

In order for the decimal number system to work, a zero is needed

In India, the use of the zero goes back about 1,400 years

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Chapter 5 - Ancient India