Early India

India’s Geography 1) Subcontinent 2) Cut off from most of Asia because of the massive Himalayan Mountains

Geography Continue Rivers feed much of India’s landscape Monsoon A.   Dry and cool when air is rushing from the mountains over India B. Hot and Humid and a massive amount of rain when wind is coming from the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean Seasonally flooding, from both mountain runoff and monsoon

Picture of the Monsoon

India’s First Civilizations 1)   Similar Mesopotamia and Egypt- towns started in river valleys with rich soil because of annual floods A.   Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro (3000 B.C.- 1500 B.C.): large cities for their time along the Indus River B.   Fortress towns C. Conveniences

Conveniences

Aryans (1500 B.C. - 400 B.C.)- Nomads from central Asia- moved into India A.   Knew how to work iron 1.    Developed the iron plow: Effect- more settled has farmers 2.    New Language- Sanskrit. Origins related to European Languages Rajas- Aryans organized themselves in small kingdoms that often warred against each other

Pictures from Aryan Period

Aryan’s also brought the caste system, which you need to memorize Priests and educated people Rulers and Aristocrats Landlords and business men Peasants and working class Degrading jobs like sewage, many unemployed and living in ghettos and garbage dumps Considered sub-human and outside of the caste pyramid Dalit/Untouchable

Caste System Continued Way to separate Aryans from locals (skin color Fused into Hinduism Faced criticism throughout history (Buddha) Formally banned by government in the 70s but legacy lives on today especially in rural areas

The Mauryan Dynasty (327 B.C. – 183 B.C.) Alexander the Great’s Invasion 1.    Empowers Chandragupta Maurya a.   Seizes Power across India and into Persia b. Spies and the Postal Service

Asoka- Greatest Mauryan ruler (273 B.C. – 232 B.C.) A.   Followed the teachings of Buddha B.   Built hospitals (people and animals) C.   Roads and Trees D.  Spread Buddhism and built shrines E. Tolerant of other religions

After Asoka Empire began to fall apart due to poor leadership. In 183 B.C. the last Mauryan ruler was assassinated by one of his own generals.

India’s Dark Ages lasted for about 500 years after the fall of the Mauryan dynasty

The Gupta Dynasty A. Broke Northern India’s Darks Ages B. Grew prosperous by trade