India Tanneal Pope Stephen Lorhan Period 3 AP World History

Geography India is a subcontinent that is roughly 2,000 miles in length and breadth, it is a landmass that is physically isolated by the rest of Asia by the Himalayas. Northern India is were the Himalayas are located. The most permeable frontier into India is through the mountain barrier of the Hindu Kush and the Thar Desert east of the Indus River. Different types of terrains like mountains, river valleys, plains, forests, steppes, and deserts made transportation and communication difficult as a result various languages and cultural practices developed. India has three topographical zones. – Northern Zone which has a heavily forested foothills / high meadows which are on the edge of the Hindu Kush and Himalaya ranges. – Great Basins of the Indus and Ganges River these rivers originate in the ice of the Tibetan mountains to the north which cause them to overflow repeatedly, leaving their banks filled with silt creating large alluvial plains. – The Peninsula Proper is an arid, rocky plateau in the Vindhya range and the Deccan.

Development of the Caste System (Social Classes) The term caste – is a social class of hereditary and usually unchangeable status. The Aryans used the term varna – a Sanskrit word meaning “color,” to refer to their social classes. By 1000 B.C.E their were four major varnas. Brahmins – The highest social classes were the priests and the scholars. Kshatriya – Warriors and government officials. Vaishya – Landowners, merchants and artisans. Shudra – Peasants and laborers. Caste System was even more complex with each caste further subdivided into jati, or birth groups, each with its own occupation, duties, an rituals. Each jati had very little contact with the others, the members of the jati intermarried and followed the same occupations of ancestors.

Political Before 4 th century B.C.E. India was politically fragmented into separate kinship groups and independent groups. Mauryan Dynasty last for almost 300 years. The leader Chandragupta Maurya expanded it into India’s first centralized empire. It’s capital was strategically located along the trade routes of the Ganges River valley. He grandson Ashoka eventually ruled over the entire India subcontinent except for the southern tip of the peninsula. Ashoka died in 232 B.C.E. The Mauryan Dynasty lasted until 184 B.C.E. India was then again had regional kingdoms for more than 500 years. In 4 th century C.E. the Gupta Empire began in the same powerful area as the Mauryan Dynasty. The Gupta Empire was never as big as the Mauryan’s and it also didn’t have as much control over regional lords as the Maurya had, particularly under Ashoka.

Economic The Indus and Ganges rivers help India’s agricultural economy. In some place in India they are able to get three harvests a year. In some places like the Indus Valley they have to rely on extensive irrigation to get water due to the lack of rainfall. During the Classical Era a vast network of trade extended Southeastern China to Africa. Like traders along the Silk Road, most Indian Ocean traders only traveled back and forth on one of its three legs. – Southeastern China to Southeast Asia – Southeast Asia to the eastern coast of India – Western coast of India to the Red Sea and the eastern coast of Africa Countless products traveled along the Indian Ocean routes. – Ivory from Africa, India, and Mesopotamia – Frankincense and myrrh (Fragrances) from Southern Arabia – Pearls from Persian Gulf – Spices from India and Southeast Asia – Manufactured goods and Pottery from China

Religion Vedic Age – – 1500 to 500 B.C.E – Named after the religious texts of the Aryan’s. – The most important of these texts was called the Rig Veda. – The Vedas reflect the conflicts between the Aryans and the Dravidians. – The Aryan religion eventually blended with the Dravidians and was called Upanishads. (800 to 400 B.C.E.) – As the central belief of reincarnation grew the named changed again into Hinduism.

Religion Hinduism – – Emphasize a universal spirit that is responsible for what occurs in the universe that encompasses humankind. – Each person has karma or a destiny that has been shaped by years of cause and effect. – From karma their comes dharma or a set of duties that the individual must fulfill. If the person fulfill his/her duties they will be reincarnated into a higher caste. Higher castes have the opportunity to attain moksha or reunion with the universal spirit. – Hinduism is a polytheistic religion because all the gods are actually part of the universal spirit. Two supreme deities are Vishnu (the preserver) and Shiva (the destroyer.) – Some famous doctrines that come from Hinduism are Rid Veda Mahabharata Ramayana Bhagavad-Gita

Religion Buddhism – – Began in India during the early Classical Period. – Founder was Siddhartha Gautama (563 – 483 B.C.E) – He was a prince but left his family to find the “Meaning of Life” and eventually experienced an enlightenment that became the foundation of the faith, Siddhartha was called the Buddha (“Enlightened One”) spent the rest of his life in the Ganges River valley spreading his wisdom to others. – Although Buddhism spread, most Indians remained faithful to the old beliefs, and by 3 rd century B.C.E. Buddhism was destined to be a small regional religion. – Siddhartha taught Nirvana which is a rough equivalent to moksha in Hinduism, but this can only be achieved by the upper classes, not the people of ordinary castes. Nirvana can be reached through an understanding of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. – Four Noble Truths - 1) All of life is suffering. 2) All suffering is caused by desire for things that ultimately won’t fulfill us. 3) Desire can only be overcome by ending all desire. 4) Desire can only be ended by following the Eightfold Path. – Eightfold Path – is composed of eight steps that must be mastered one at a time. Right Knowledge Right Purpose Right Speech Right Action Right Living Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Meditation