Ancient India

Geography• The highest

mountains in the world, the Himalayas, are in the north.

• Two rivers:– Ganges– Indus

• The rest of India is the Deccan Plateau.– Hilly and Dry interior– Lush coastal plains

Climate• India’s climate is

dominated by the monsoon cycle.– Seasonal winds that

bring heavy rains.

• Farmers depend on the monsoons.– If they come too

early or late, or bring too much or too little rain, crops are destroyed and thousands starve.

Indus Valley Civilization• There were thousands of settlements

in the Indus Valley.– Two major cities:

• Harrapa• Mohenjo Daro

• Between 3000BC and 1500BC– Sumer?– Egypt?– China?

Harappa and Mohenjo Daro• Populations:

– Harappa – 35,000– Mohenjo Daro –

40,000

• Cities were highly organized:– Built in a grid pattern– Public wells supplied

water for all– Wastewater and

garbage systems took water and garbage out to the streets.

Public Well in Harappa

Sewer System in Harappa

Mohenjo Daro

Rendition of Mohejo Daro

Government• Theocracy

– Royal palace and holy temple were combined in the same fortress

• Economy was based on farming and trade.– Later, will trade

as far away as Mesopotamia.

Citadel in Mohenjo Daro

Disappearance and Immigration• Indus Valley cities

began to gradually decay around 1800BC.– Floods– An earthquake– Course of the Indus

River changes.• Final blow was an

influx of new people called Aryans.– Bring major

changes to India’s culture

A New Way of Life• Indus Valley had a

simple written language.– Aryans develop

Sanskrit in around 1000BC.

• Record all oral legends and traditions in the Vedas.– Holy text of Hinduism

• Indus Valley and Aryan religions blended together.

Aryan Government and Life• India was broken

into many small kingdoms.– Led by rajas

(maharajas).

• Society was centered around the family.– Extended family all

under the same roof.

• Patriarchal– Ritual of Suttee– Arranged marriage

Social Structure in India• The Social

Structure reflected the Aryan ideas of an ideal society.– Caste System

• Every Indian is born into a caste.

– Determines…• What job people

could have.• Whom they could

marry.• What groups they

could socialize with.

Social Structure in India• A persons caste is based

on beliefs about religious purity.– Greater religious purity =

higher caste.– Bottom castes = impure

• Connects to beliefs about reincarnation

• Lowest level – “untouchables”– So impure, they are outside

the caste system completely.– Were given degrading tasks

like collecting trash and handling dead bodies.

Social Structure in India

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BHS Caste SystemBIG QUESTION:Is there a “Caste

system” at BHS?– Things to think about:

• Who is where in the hierarchy?

• Can a student move from one “varna” to another?

• Can students interact/date with other “varnas?”

• Can students join clubs or sports viewed as being outside of their “varna?”

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