Mr. KochWorld History AForest Lake High School

Hindu Kush & Himalayas Barrier from other

cultures Develop distinct

culture

Indus & Ganges

Within itself very diverse Large, hard to unite

~2500 B.C. Shows limits of

archaeology

Very well-planned cities

= well-organized govt?

Mohenjo-Daro

Most people were farmers Made first cotton clothing

Traders made contact with Sumer Inspiration to create own

writing? Polytheistic – mother

goddess, sacred animals (bull)

Civilization eventually deteriorated, disappeared (~1500 B.C.)

Aryans eventually overran and replaced earlier civilizations Nomadic warriors in chariots

Left little archaeological evidence

Hierarchical society Brahmins – priests Kshatriyas – warriors Vaisyas - herders, farmers,

artisans, merchants Sudras – Dravidans/non-Aryans,

farmworkers, servants, laborers Caste – social group to which a

person is born and cannot change

Polytheistic – gods represented by natural forces

Main god was Indra, god of war Brahman – single spiritual

force in all things Mystics – people who devote

lives to seeking spiritual truth Eventually adopted settled

lifestyle Cultures blended together

gradually Developed Sanskrit (written

language) Helped unite area