Indus Valley Civilization Built along the banks of the river system Because of the huge mountains north and west of the Indus River, contact w/ other civilizations was limited The Khyber Pass through the Hindu Kush Mountains provided a connection Used by merchants and traders Later it was used by invaders

Indus Valley Civilization 2500 to 1500 B.C.E. stretched for 900 miles Two major cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were home to about 100,000 people Enormous cities for ancient standards

Indus Valley Civilization Cities were master- planned, uniformly constructed, and had sophisticated wastewater systems Strong centralized government, led by priest-king Polytheistic Potter’s wheel Farmers grew cotton

Indus Valley Civilization Sometime around 1900 B.C.E. the cities of the Indus Valley were abandoned, for reasons that remain unknown today All that is known is that, by 1500 B.C.E. the civilization crumbled with the arrival of the Aryans

The Arrival of Aryans The Aryans were a nomadic tribe from north of the Caucasus Mountains Used horses and advance weapons to easily defeat the populations of the Indus Valley They gave up their nomadic lifestyle and settled in the Indus Valley

The Arrival of Aryans Aryan conquest of the Indus Valley established their religious beliefs on the Indian subcontinent, in particular their belief in reincarnation They recorded their beliefs and traditions in the Vedas and Upanishads Later formed the basis for Hinduism

The Arrival of Aryans The Aryan social system also had a major impact on India. Caste system Initially it was divided into 3 classes (warriors, priest, and peasants) In early days there was movement in the classes but eventually social mobility was prohibited

The Mauryan Empire Around 321 B.C.E. the largest empire arose in India Spanning from the Indus River Valley eastward through the Ganges River Valley and Southward through the Deccan Plateau Founded by Chandragupta Maurya but it would be his grandson Ashoka Maurya who would take the empire to new heights

The Mauryan Empire Became very powerful and wealthy due to trade and the military Indian merchants traded cotton, silk, and elephants to Mesopotamia and eastern Roman Empire Military used elephants in fighting

The Mauryan Empire Ashoka was successful only after a savage war, whose consequences changed Ashoka's views on war and led him to pledge never to wage a war. Stricken with remorse for a very violent and bloody victory his forced claimed in Kalinga in southeast India, Ashoka converted to Buddhism.

Battle of Kalinga It is said that in the aftermath of the Battle of Kalinga the Daya River running next to the battle field turned red with the blood of the slain; about 100,000 Kalinga civilians and more than 10,000 of Ashoka's own warriors were among those slain.

Rock and Pillar Edicts The Edicts reminded Mauryans to live generous and peaceful lives. Following Ashoka’s conversion and commitment to Buddhism, the religion spread to Southeast Asia. After Ashoka’s death 232 B.C.E. the empire began to decline rapidly mainly because of economic problems and attacks from the northeast.