Chapter 4 Section 1

INDIA’s Geography  Subcontinent: A large landmass that is part of a continent.  Most of the Indian subcontinent is occupied by the country of India.  The Indus River, home of one of the ancient world’s great river valley civilizations, flows across the northwest edge of the Indian Subcontinent.  Three major geographic zones  Far North are the Himalaya and Hindu Kush(separate India from the rest of Asia)  South is Deccan Plateau, receives less rain that other parts of the subcontinent  Northern Plains- where society first developed in India.

3 rivers 1.Indus 2.Ganges 3.Brahmaputra  Enrich the soil of the plains, making it very fertile.

Monsoons  Heavy rains added to the fertility of the northern plains  Much of the rain was brought by seasonal winds/storms called Monsoons. Summer months: monsoons winds from the southwest bring WARM air and heavy rains from the Indian Ocean. **most of India’s annual rainfall occurs at this time** Winter months: northeast monsoons blow cool, dry air from Central Asia, resulting in drier months.

Monsoons & First Civilizations  India’s first civilization depended upon the monsoons  Rain flooded rivers, which deposited fertile silt  Threat of devastation- how?  Historians date the beginnings of this civilization to 2500 BC  Two large cities discovered Harappa Mohenjo Daro “Mound of the Dead.”

First Civilizations  Indus settlements were well planned and carefully laid out  Streets ran in a grid pattern: North  South, East  West  CITADEL--a walled, elevated, fortress enclosed buildings such as granaries (A building for storing threshed grain), warehouses and meeting halls.  This planning suggests that a central authority held power over the civilization.

Economy & Society & Decline  Relied on agriculture and trade  Traded goods with nearby communities and distant civilizations  Civilization was a single society rather than a collection of independent city-states. (remember, what is a city-state?)  Indus Valley civilization thrived from 2500 BC to 2000 BC.  No one knows what led to the decline.  Evidence from Mohenjo Daro suggests that the city suffered repeated flooding.

The Vedic Period Sometime after 2000 BC, new people took control of India. Aryans: “Nobles” This group is referred to as the Aryans: “Nobles” Vedas : Sacred writings Vedas : Sacred writings Include Aryan History and society Include Aryan History and society This time became known as the This time became known as the Vedic Period RAJAs: Leader of a group of villages banded together. - Primarily a war leader who was responsible for protecting the people. - Received payment for food and money.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE  Varnas- Social Classes -- Society was divided into 4 varnas— Brahmins  High Ranking, smallest, priests/teachers Kshatriyas  warriors and rulers Vaisyas  common people, traders, farmers, herders. Sudras  servants

SOCIAL STRUCTURE Over centuries, the four varnas were divided into hundreds of smaller divisions called CASTES Membership in a caste determined what jobs one could hold and whom one could marry. Social hierarchy developed in which some castes had more privileges than others. A group referred to as the UNTOUCHABLES: No protections of caste law and could perform only jobs that other castes did not, such as handling dead animals.

CHINA’S FIRST DYNASTIES  Two Rivers: Huang He & Yangzi Both flow east to the Yellow Sea  South: Rainy, rice  North: Cooler/dryer, wheat

SHANG  Combination of rivers for irrigation and fertile soils for planting allowed china to thrive  Relative isolation helped early civilization develop and grow  Based on archaeological discoveries, historians believe that civilization started around 9,000 years ago

SHANG BELIEFS  What we know comes from royal tombs  Most contained valuable items made of bronze and jade  Hundreds of sacrificed prisoners of war buried with ruler Still needs riches and servants

SHANG BELIEFS

ZHOU DYNASTY

NEW PHILOSOPHIES  CONFUCIANISM Treat others humanely Express love and respect Confucius sought to restore respect for tradition Rulers should treat subjects fairly Subjects should reward their ruler with respect/loyalty Led to rulers appointing well-informed advisors

DAOISM  DAOISM Encourages people to retreat from laws of society Yield to laws of nature DAO=THE WAY ○ Limitless force, part of all creation ○ All things in nature are connected ○ Find your place in nature, find harmony with universe Yin & Yang: balance, perfect harmony with nature