India… why study India?

India Statistics• India is the 2nd most populous country in the world (1.15

billion). In 10 years it will be the MOST populous country in the world.

• India is the world’s 6th largest consumer of oil.

• India exports over $200 billion worth of goods to the USA annually.

• India has the 3rd largest army on earth (over a million active service personnel)

• India has at least 100 active nuclear weapons

• Pakistan borders India

• Pakistan has the 7th largest army in the world

• Pakistan has at least 90 active nuclear weapons

China has the world’s largest military (over 200 nukes)

N. Korea is currently trying to make nuclear weapons

Iran may be trying to create nuclear

weapons

There are over 100 suitcase sized nuclear weapons missing from

former USSR

There are over 50,000 US troops in Afghanistan now.

Indo-European Migration

MAIN IDEAS• Culture: A group of nomadic people moved

into India and took over what was left of Harappan civilization

• Government: Under Aryan rule, Indian society developed a distinct system of social classes that still affects India today.

• Belief Systems: Over time, the belief of the Aryans developed into the religion of Hinduism.

The Indo-European Migrations • Hittites (who fought Egyptians) belonged to Indo-

European group• Indo-Europeans all spoke dialects of Indo-

European language• Most were nomads, lived in family clans, herded

livestock• warriors rode horse-driven chariots, used long

bows, bronze axes• Indo-Europeans fled homeland around 2000

B.C. for unknown reason• Hittites went to Southwest Asia, many others

settled in Europe

The Indo-European Migrations

The Aryan Invasions

• Aryans—Indo-European herders who went east to India about 1500 B.C.

• lived in simple houses, spoke Indo-European language of Sanskrit

Indo-European Language Family

Indo-European language

Sanskrit Persian

Spanish

Hindi

English

German

Changes to Indian Life• Aryan Society organized into caste system• Aryans spread language, religion to India’s

Dravidian people• • Aryan’s warrior, priest, commoner classes grew

into caste system• - caste—social class whose members are

identified by their jobs• - thousands of caste groups organized into four

categories• - untouchables—fifth group later formed below

others, did unwanted jobs

Caste System

Aryan Kingdoms

• Magadha: name of Aryan empire that expanded throughout India, spreading new ideas

• Mahabharata: longest poem in the world. Tells story of Aryan conquest of India

Contributions of Aryan invaders

• Language

• Caste-system

• Religion

• Technology