Mr. Koch World History A Forest Lake High School
Hindu Kush & Himalayas Barrier from other cultures Develop distinct culture Indus & Ganges Within itself very diverse Large, hard to unite
~2500 B.C. Shows limits of archaeology
Very well-planned cities = well-organized govt? Mohenjo-Daro
Most people were farmers Made first cotton clothing Traders made contact with Sumer Inspiration to create own writing? Polytheistic – mother goddess, sacred animals (bull) Civilization eventually deteriorated, disappeared (~1500 B.C.)
Aryans eventually overran and replaced earlier civilizations Nomadic warriors in chariots Left little archaeological evidence Hierarchical society Brahmins – priests Kshatriyas – warriors Vaisyas - herders, farmers, artisans, merchants Sudras – Dravidans/non-Aryans, farmworkers, servants, laborers Caste – social group to which a person is born and cannot change
Polytheistic – gods represented by natural forces Main god was Indra, god of war Brahman – single spiritual force in all things Mystics – people who devote lives to seeking spiritual truth Eventually adopted settled lifestyle Cultures blended together gradually Developed Sanskrit (written language) Helped unite area