Chapter 6 Part 1: India’s First Civilizations



Chapter 6 Part 1: India’s First Civilizations

I. The Land of India

-subcontinent b/c separated from rest of Asia by Himalayas (highest mtn. in world)

-5 nations: India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, & Nepal

-2 fertile river valley created by Ganges River and Indus River

-monsoon- brings rain in summer

-1st civilization arose near Indus River after flooding left fertile soil

-Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro – large, well-planned cities in ancient India

-cities: wells, drains for wastewater, garbage chutes, organized government

-houses made from baked mud bricks

-most people farmers: grew wheat, barley, peas, & cotton

-city dwellers: artisans (made jewelry, pottery, tools, & cloth)

-Harappans traded with other lands

II. The Aryans Invade

-hunters, raised and herded cattle

-nomads and expert warriors; metal-tipped spears & wooden chariots

-destroyed Harappa; conquered Indian subcontinent except southern tip of India

-became farmers and raised cattle; declared cattle sacred

-invented iron plow & built canals

-Sanskrit- written language

-tribes led by a raja (prince)

III. Society in Ancient India

-caste- social group born into & cannot change

-4 levels of society:

-top- priests & warriors

-2nd- common people, such as merchants & farmers

-3rd- laborers & servants

-4th- Untouchables- did work others did not want to do

-men more important than women

-in most cases only men could inherit property, go to school, or become priest

-parents arranged marriages, divorce not allowed

Chapter 6 Part 2: Hinduism and Buddhism

I. Hinduism

-3rd largest religion in world

-roots in Aryan religion, which changed after borrowing ideas from conquered people of

India

-Brahman- universal spirit made up of thousands of gods & goddesses

-Upanishads- ancient religious writing- describe search for Brahman

-Reincarnation- pass through many lives to reach Brahman

-Dharma- divine laws of Hindus- you must perform duties of caste

-karma- consequences of how a person lives

II. Buddhism

-religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama- man who became known as Buddha

“Enlightened One”

-Gautama- prince- left family & wealth to travel- saw suffering & questioned its need-

meditated for 49 days- travel rest of life

-Nirvana- state of wisdom, occurs when give up all desires

-core of teachings in Four Noble Truths; Eightfold Path describes steps to eliminate

suffering

-Theravada Buddhism- Buddha was great teacher, not god

-Mahayana Buddhists- Buddha was a god who came to save people

-Tibet- country in central Asia; Mahayana Buddhism mixed with traditional Tibetan

religion & Hinduism create a special kind of Mahayana Buddhism

-Tibet- lamas (religious leaders) head gov’t; Dalai Lama gov’t leader; Panchen Lama

religious leader

-theocracy- form of gov’t where religious leaders head gov’t

Chapter 6 Part 3: India’s First Empires

I. The Mauryan Dynasty

-Chandraqupta Maurya- Indian prince, founded first empire after Alexander the Great

left; called Mauryan dynasty

-dynasty- series of rulers from same dynasty

-Chandraqupta- retained strong army & used spies

-Asoka- greatest king; turned away from violence; follow Buddhism; built hospitals,

roads, teachers sent throughout India to teach Buddhism

-empire weakens after Asoka’s death; dynast falls

II. The Gupta Empire

-500 yrs. fighting; another Ghandraqupta took power- founded Gupta dynasty

-son Samudraqupta will expand empire

-Gupta’s rule 200 yrs; wealthy from trade with China & kingdoms in southeast Asia &

Mediterranean

-Pilgrims used trade routes to travel to a religious shrine or site; pilgrims helped maek cities wealthy

-Guptas were Hindus; made Hinduism official religion

-golden age of art & learning in India

III. Indian Literature and Science

-Vedas- hymns & prayers; recorded in Sanskrit after Aryans came to India

-epic Mahabharata & Ramayana- poems still famous today; tell about warriors & their

brave death

-Kalidasa- writer; lived during Gupta dynasty; The Cloud Messenger; most popular

Sanskrit poem

-Aryabhata- mathmatician during Gupta dynasty- one of 1st to use algebra

-mathematicians in Gupta empire developed symbols for numbers 1 to 9 used today;

invented algorithms & idea of zero

-developed ideas in astronomy & medicine

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