Chapter 5: Empires of Ancient India

Lesson 1: Early Times in India

Basic Geography Subcontinent – a large landmass that is smaller than a continent. Contains the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. India is separated from the rest of Asia by the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush. Center – vast plateau, known as the Deccan Plateau South – tropical

3 Main Rivers The ice from the Himalayan mountains melts and becomes India’s three main rivers: Indus River (northwest, flows into the Arabian Sea) Ganges (northeast, flows into the Bay of Bengal) Brahmaputra (northeast, flows into the Bay of Bengal)

Indus River Valley 4500 B.C. Bronze tools Baked mud brick houses

Cities Cities were laid out in rectangular grids. All houses were the same, constructed the same way. We’ve found no large palaces or temples. Examples would be Mohenjo-daro and Harappa (the Indus Valley Civilization is sometimes called the Harappan Civilization).

Caste System Caste – any one of the Hindu social classes into which a person was born and which ruled his or her relations with others. Untouchable caste – a group of families who were considered low in status and were discriminated against.

3 Main Empires Maurya Gupta Chola

Mauryan 322-185 B.C. Reign – a period of royal authority, power, or rule.

Gupta 240-580 A.D.

Chola 300s -1279 A.D.

Refocus Comprehension 1) How do the summer and winter monsoons affect India’s climate? - Rain in the summer and dry winds in the winter. 2) Explain the system of four mythical classes. - The four classes were the Brahmans, or priests, the warriors, the traders and landowners, and the peasants.

Lesson 2: Religions of Ancient India

Refocus Comprehension 1)What are the main beliefs of the Hindu religion? - Hindus believe in one god but worship him in many forms; they believe in reincarnation and karma. 2) Why was Siddhartha Gautama called Buddha? - He was enlightened by discovering how to overcome selfishness.

Lesson 3: Worship, Work and Play

Refocus Comprehension 1) Who were the heads of the family in ancient India? - The grandparents. 2) What role did the temple play in village life? - People go to the temple to ask favors of the god or goddess who lives there. Villagers bring gifts to the temple.

Lesson 4: Outstanding Leaders

Refocus Comprehension 1) How did the teachings of Buddha influence Asoka? - Asoka governed with kindness instead of force. 2) How did Rajendra help spread the influence of Indian culture? - He extended the empire and built a powerful navy, which helped spread Indian culture.

Lesson 5: Tales of Travelers

Refocus Comprehension 1) What seems to have surprised Megasthenes most about the lives of people in India? - Their moderation and good sense. 2) What was Fa Xian studying at the university? - Buddhism.

Do You Remember…Comprehension 1) Which four modern nations are found on the Indian subcontinent? - India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh 2) What details do we know that tell us the earliest civilization in the Indus Valley was highly developed? - The people had brick houses, cotton clothes, and bronze tools; streets were laid out in a grid with sewers and drain pipes. 3) What were four mythical classes of Indian society, and what were members of each class supposed to do? - The four main castes were the Brahmans, or priests; the Kshatriya, or warriors; the Vaishya, or traders and landowners; and the Shudra, or peasants.

Do You Remember…Comprehension 4) What did the Maurya achieve in ancient India? - The Maurya united most of India’s small kingdoms into one large empire. 5) What are the three forms of God in Hinduism? What is the role of each? - The three main forms of the Hindu god are Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; and Shiva, the destroyer. 6) According to Hinduism, what is the goal of a religious life? - For a Hindu, the goal of the religious life is to end the cycle of rebirth and reach perfection.

Do You Remember…Comprehension 7) What did Buddha teach about the way to a satisfying life? - The Buddha discovered that the way to a satisfying life was to forget oneself and overcome all selfishness. 8) Describe the typical Indian household during the Gupta empire. - The typical Indian household included the grandparents, their sons and wives, and all the sons’ children. 9) How did the Maurya leader Asoka rule India? - Asoka set out to govern with kindness, not force, in order to prevent unecessary suffering. 10) What did the Greek traveler Megasthenes admire about life in early India? - Megasthenes admired the happy lifestyle of the Indians, their honesty, and the simplicity of their laws.