India Review

India is located in Southern Asia

2 - Himalayan Mountains Label the mountain range on your map The Himalayan Mountains were created by the collision of the Indian Subcontinent and the Asian Plate – The plates are still running into each other and the Mountain Range continues to rise It is the tallest mountain range in the world – The top 98 out of 100 tallest mountains in the world

Mt. Everest (view from a plane)

4- Indus River Label the river on your map Located in modern-day Pakistan Starts in the Himalayas and empties into the Arabian Sea This is where the Indus Valley Civilization originated

5- Arabian Sea Label on your map

6- Ganges River Label the river on your map Located in modern-day India and Bangladesh The most populated river in the world – 400 million people live along the Ganges Empties into the Bay of Bengal

7- Bay of Bengal Label on your map

Climate of India

What is climate? Climate- Weather conditions over a long period of time – (how much rainfall each year, average temperature for a place) – Climate and weather are similar, but not the same thing! Climate= Long period of time Weather = Right now

Monsoons Monsoon- Seasonal winds that produce wet and dry seasons in India

Floods In the summer months, the rains from monsoons can cause floods – Floods caused by monsoons- New Report Floods caused by monsoons- New Report

Drought Sometimes the summer monsoons don’t bring the rain that is expected This can lead to a severe shortage of food, also known as famine News Report- Drought in India

Cyclones Similar to a hurricane Violent storm with fierce rotating winds – Winds can reach up to 200 mph About 5-10 tropical cyclones affect South Asia every year On your map, draw a cyclone in the Indian Ocean Cyclone Phailin hits India

Tsunamis Giant ocean waves caused by earthquakes and landslides On your map, draw a giant ocean wave that symbolizes a tsunami

The Aryans

Aryan Invasion The Aryans were a group from Eurasia – They were nomads who traveled from place to place Around 1500 BCE, they settled in India around the Indus River

Aryan Invasion The Aryans conquered and took control of the cities of the Indus Valley – The people of the Indus Valley had been weakened by famine The Aryans were strong warriors and also had advanced weapons and tools

Cultural Diffusion Cultural Diffusion- The spreading of culture – Ideas, technology, food, music, clothing, etc. The Aryans gave up their nomadic lifestyle and settled in India – They brought their culture to India Over time, Aryan culture merged with the local culture

Impact of Aryan Culture The Aryans had major influence on Indian culture in 3 major areas Religion: Hinduism Written Language: Sanskrit Social Structure: Caste System

Hinduism The Hindu religion is based off several Aryan beliefs: – The belief in many gods and that these gods lived in nature – The Vedas are sacred texts (similar to the Bible)

Sanskrit- A written language When the Aryans came to India, the people in India did not have a universal language The Aryans introduced Sanskrit and it spread throughout India – The Vedas were written in Sanskrit

Caste System The caste system in India has been around for over 2,000 years People are divided into groups based on their occupation People remained in their castes for life There are 5 different levels within the Caste System

Caste System Brahman- Priests and other holy men

Caste System Kshatriyas- Rulers, warriors, and land owners

Caste System Vaishyas- Merchants and traders

Caste System Shudras- Artisans and farmers

Caste System Harijans- Outside the Caste System, known as “Untouchables”

Time Period Add these events to your timeline. Mark the year and the event BCE- Indus Valley civilization begins 1500 BCE-Aryans invade (bringing hinduism, sanskrit and the caste system) 1498 CE- Vasco DeGama arrives in India 1653 CE-Taj Mahal is completed 1920 CE- Gandhi begins his non-violent campaign