Early India

Vocabulary Subcontinent River system Monsoon Caste Reincarnation Meditate Nirvana

India’s Geography India is known as a subcontinent which means it’s a large piece of land that is separated from the rest of the continent of Asia. India takes up most of south Asia and is almost 2000 miles from north to south and from east to west.

India’s Geography India has two main mountain ranges that separates it from the rest of Asia, the Himalayas and Hindu Kush mountains. India also has a very important river system called the Indus river system.

Indus River System The Indus River starts from the NW part of India and travels across the subcontinent. The river begins from the foot of the mountains as the melted snow gives it its water, then splits into different parts of India as smaller rivers.

India’s 1st Civilization India’s 1st civilization formed near the driest part of the Indus River. The Indus River flooding allowed the land to produce rich soil. The same thing happens in the Ganges Plains as the Ganges River (1500 miles long) provides fertile soil.

India’s 1st Civilization Climate also was a huge part of India’s 1st civilization. India is hot most of the year with dry winters and little rain but the summers are very wet. Monsoons are the reason why India is wet as it brings in rain.

India’s 1st Civilization The first record of people in the Indus Valley were said to appear as early as the 7000s BCE and developed cities around the 3000s BCE but by 1700 BCE the civilization disappeared.

India’s 1st Civilization The Indus cities built with brick walls, contain bathrooms, and a sewage system. The Indus people were advanced in math with enabled them to construct such an advance city.

Indus Valley Farming The main crops used for farming in the Indus Valley was wheat and barley. They also came up with a irrigation system to store water and raised cattle, sheep, goats, and chicken.

Indus Valley Trading Trading was also a high priority in the Indus Valley as they had many resources such as teak wood and jewelry. The Indus people would trade as far as Mesopotamia and also place a special stamp or seal on all of their goods.

Indus Valley Mysteries Historians still don’t know why the civilization disappeared. They also don’t know much about their government because they can’t trace a distinct leader or king but the organization of trade, agriculture, and cities show they had some type of government.

Indus Valley Religion Mysteries Archeologist also can’t point to a specific religion for the Indus people because no signs of temples or priests but they have found statues and carvings that favor Hinduism and people meditating.

Indus Citadels Though there is no clear cut religion or government archeologist have discovered citadels which were brick platforms in the city in which many believe was the center of religious and government activity.

Indus Valley Writing Historians also have not discovered how to read the writings and symbols of the 1st Indus Civilization. They know they had a written language because of the findings of symbols and carvings by archeologist.

Reasons for Disappearance Mosquito outbreak Deforestation Over grazing of cattle Climate change Foreign invasion

Indo-Aryans By the 1500s BCE a new group of people called the Aryans rose and brought a new social structure and religion. The religion main component were their Vedas which contain their holy scriptures.

Theories of Existence There are 3 theories of how the Indo-Aryans arrived Violent nomads who crossed the mountains into India Original inhabitants of India Nomads who migrated from the grasslands of present day Afghanistan and Central Asia

Indo-Aryan Religion Indo-Aryan religion was based on the Veda. The lessons from the Veda was passed down oral tradition and was memorized and chanted by priests in a language called Sanskrit (bases of most Indian languages).

Writing of the Veda Around 500BCE the Indo-Aryans began writing and put the Veda into writing. This book now consisted of thousands of hymns and the history of the Indo-Aryans. The most known part of the Veda was the Rig Veda which praised certain parts of nature such the sky, sun, and fire.

Indo-Aryan Life Most Indo-Aryans were herders who raised cattle, horses, goats and sheep. They eventually settled and began to build an agriculture system.

Indo-Aryan Art & Architecture The Indo-Aryans were also skilled warriors who were some of the first people to use chariots. They also enjoy the pleasures of life such as music and dancing.

Indo-Aryans Government The Indo-Aryans started as clans and grew over time into cities in the Ganges Plains. The leaders of the clans decided laws in assemblies and they eventually became kings. By 500BCE the Indo-Aryans finally developed in a republic.

Indo-Aryan Social Structure In the Indo-Aryans social structure was set up in Caste System: Brahmins- Priests Kshatriyas- Rulers & Warriors Vaishya- landowners, bankers, merchants Sudras- farmers, laborers, servants Dalit- workers of dirty jobs