India

India’s Geography Subcontinent Himalayas to North Ganges River Mountains River valleys Dry interior plateau Fertile coastal plains Himalayas to North Barrier and protector Ganges River South of Himalayas Indus Valley in West (in present day Pakistan) Deccan Plateau South of river valleys Hilly and dry Similar to Mesopotamia and Egypt: Yes! River valleys and dry

Monsoon! Seasonal winds that bring the heavy rains to Southern Asia People depend upon these rains for their agriculture

Material Culture 2600 – 1900 BCE Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro (largest and best known sites) Writing system existed, but no source to decipher it

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro 3.5 miles circ, pop 35,000 Mohenjo-Daro Several times larger Both surrounded by brick walls Streets in grid pattern Drainage / sewer systems carried away waste Citadel (fortress) center of authority Grain storage, barracks, protection Both controlled surrounding farmlands Pastoral economies

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro Trade in copper, tin, precious stones (more access to metals than Egypt of Meso.) often with nw mtn area of Afghanistan and Iran, also Meso. High degree of standardization in city planning, architecture, even size of bricks Strong authoritarian control (?) or result of extensive trade (?)

The Early Harappan Civilization 4,000 BC to 3,000 BCE

Technologies Irrigation systems Potter’s wheel, kiln Bronze metallurgy Writing system

Aryans Indo-European nomads From Central Asia Warlike Conquered Harappan civilizations

Aryan Life Aryans Economy Pastoralists (and great warriors) Became agriculturalists (farmers) Crops Wheat Barley Millet Rice (in south) Cotton Spices (pepper, ginger, cinnamon) Inventions Use of iron Iron plows Irrigation Language Sanskrit (written language by 1000 BCE) Used to pass down rituals, legends, religion) Leadership Many warrior kingdoms (switching alliances) Led by rajas (warrior princes) who controlled states

Ancient Indian Society Caste: Class (same as varna) Caste System: a rigid set of social classes (status) Based on occupation, economic potential, skin color Aryans were lighter skinned and looked down on darker skinned subjects (though more advanced than Aryans)

Caste System 1. Brahmans (priests) 2. Kshatryias (warriors) 3. Vaisyas (commoners) 4. Sudras (majority, non-Aryans, darker skinned) 5. Untouchables (not even part of system, 5%)

Ancient Indian Society Basic Unit of Society Family Extended Families 3 generations living together (grandparents, parents, children) Patriarchal!!!! (male dominated) Role of Males Only could inherit property Could only serve as priests Received education (upper class) Could take more than one wife if 1st couldn’t bear kids Role of Females Subordinate to males No education No role in politics or religion Domestic duties, family needs Marriage Arranged at young age Daughters viewed as economic drain Sent with dowry Have many children! Suttee (or Sati) Dead placed on funeral pyres and set on fire Widows expected to fling selves on dead husband’s burning pyre

Hinduism Polytheistic Main creative force in the universe Brahman (creator), Vishnu (preserver), Siva (destroyer) Reincarnation: individual soul will be reborn as another after death Karma: “You are where you deserve to be” What goes around comes around What you do in this life depends what you come back as in next life Dharma: divine law that states you must be the best you can in your given situation (status) Gives religious basis for class distinctions Temples (not like Christian masses) Main religion of most Indians today

Hinduism