1. Ancient India and the Indus Valley
6th Grade World History
Ancient India and the
Indus Valley
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”
Buddhist viewpoint

2. Vocabulary

3. ahimsa
The Hindu idea of non-violence

4. avatar
A representation of a Hindu god or goddess in human or animal form

5. brahman
A single spiritual power that Hindus believe lives in everything

6. caste
A social class of people

7. citadel
A fortress in a city

8. convert
To change one’s beliefs in particular, to change one religion to another

9. The religious and moral duties of Hindus
dharma
The religious and moral duties of Hindus

10. Maurya Empire
Indian empire founded by Chandragupta, beginning with his kingdom in northeastern India and spreading to most of northern and central India

11. meditate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyApagXF3ms
To focus the mind inward in order to find spiritual awareness of relaxation

12. migrate
To move from one place to settle in another area

13. missionary
A person who spreads his or her religious beliefs to others

14. monsoon
A strong wind that blows across East Asia at certain times of the year

15. nirvana
The lasting peace that Buddhists seek by giving up selfish desires

16. reincarnation
The rebirth of the soul in the body of another living being

17. subcontinent
A large landmass that juts out from a continent

18. tolerance
Freedom from prejudice

19. Where is India?
India is a subcontinent of Asia and is located west of China and east of Pakistan.
Comprehension Check
What is a subcontinent?

20. Early Civilizations of India
Section 1: The Geography of South Asia
• Natural barriers strongly influenced the development of civilization in South Asia.
• The Indus River valley supported the growth of early civilization on the Indian subcontinent.
• Early agriculture in South Asia depended on the rains of the summer monsoon.

21. Indus River Valley and Mesopotamia
Students will draw a a diagram comparing and contrasting the Indus River valley and the Mesopotamian region
Indus Valley
Mesopotamia No
Natural Barriers
Natural Barriers
Indus River vs.
Mesopotamia
Near Rivers
Near Rivers
Unpredictable
floods
Predictable Floods

22. Early Civilizations of India
Section 2: The Indus Valley Civilization
• Studies of archaeological sites have provided information about the Indus Valley civilization.
• This civilization demonstrated central planning, as well as an extensive trade network.
• The reason for its decline is one of several mysteries surrounding the Indus Valley civilization.

23. Mohenjo-Daro Very carefully planned out city
The language of the people who lived in Mohenjo-Daro remains a mystery. Unlike the Egyptian society where we found the Rosetta Stone we have nothing to help us translate this unknown language

24. Monsoons The monsoons occur in the summer and the winter months.
The summer monsoons are wet blowing north east and originate in the Indian Ocean
The winter monsoons originate in the Himalayan Mountains and blow southwest
The winter monsoons are dryer and contain less rain

25. Section 1: The Origins of Hinduism
Hinduism evolved from Brahmanism into the major religion of India.
Hinduism continues to change over time.
There is a close spiritual tie between the followers of Hinduism and the Ganges Rivers

26. Section 2: The Beliefs of Hinduism
• The four main goals that Hindus want to achieve during their lifetimes are contained in the concepts of karma,
dharma, reincarnation and nirvana.
• Hindus believe that there are three different paths to becoming one with God: the way of knowledge, the way of works, and the way of devotion.

27. Beliefs Continued
The Hindus have a religious text similar to the other religions we have studied (The book of the Dead and the Torah (Old Testament)). These sacred text are known as Vedas
Vedas are a series of conversations between teacher and student that helps guide students to the understanding of Hinduism
The term Upanishads means “sitting next to the teacher”

28. Section 3: The Spread of Hinduism
• Today, Hinduism is the third-largest religion in the world.
• Hinduism has spread to many places outside India, including the United States.

29. Caste System
Another unique aspect of Indian culture and religious beliefs is the development of the cast system. Under this caste system people have special duties or jobs and they stay in the caste as their parents. There is movement within each level of the caste system but not from level to level.

30. The Development of Buddhism
Section 1: The Origins of Buddhism
• When Siddhartha Gautama saw people’s suffering and sadness, he began to search for truth. Siddhartha was 30 years old when he began his search for enlightenment
• Siddhartha studied with Hindu gurus and later joined a group of ascetics in his search for enlightenment.
• After achieving enlightenment, the Buddha spent his life teaching others what he had learned.

31. The Development of Buddhism
Section 2: The Beliefs of Buddhism
• The teachings of the Buddha formed the basis of Buddhism. He advised following a Middle Way between pleasure and self-denial.
• The Buddha described the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path that leads to nirvana.
• Some Buddhists join religious communities and become monks or nuns, but anyone may study Buddhist texts.

32. The Eightfold Path
Right Understanding – Having faith in the Buddhist view of the universe
Right Intention – Making a commitment to practice Buddhism
Right Speech – Avoiding lies and mean or abusive speech
Right Action – Not taking life, not stealing and not hurting others
Right Livelihood – Rejecting jobs and occupations that conflict with Buddhist Ideals
Right Mindfulness – Being aware of one’s own body, feelings and thoughts
Right Concentration – Thinking deeply to find answers to problems

33. The Development of Buddhism
Section 3: The Spread of Buddhism
• After the Buddha’s death, missionaries spread his teachings from India to many parts of Asia. These missionaries traveled as far south as Java and as far east as Japan
• Two major schools of Buddhism developed, Theravada and Mahayana. But as Buddhism reached other countries, it declined in India.
• Today, many people besides Buddhists respect the Buddha’s moral teachings. Buddhism has also influenced art and literature throughout the world.

34. India’s Empires and Achievements
Section 1: The Maurya Empire
• Chandragupta conquered many kingdoms to create India’s first empire.
• Chandragupta established a bureaucracy to govern the regions and provinces of his empire.
• A spy network kept the emperor informed of dangers.

35. India’s Empires and Achievements
Section 2: Asoka’s Rule of Tolerance
• Chandragupta’s grandson Asoka came to power during a time of conflict.
• After he had conquered Kalinga, Asoka converted to Buddhism. The Battle of Kalinga created a drastic change in Asoka’s view of life and he eventually converted to Buddhism because of the death and dying he saw during this battle.
• During the rest of his reign, Asoka practiced tolerance and worked for the welfare of his people.

36. India’s Empires and Achievements
Section 3: India’s Classical Age
• The Gupta Empire was founded by Chandra Gupta. It arose during a time of increased learning and culture.
• The classical age saw growth in arts, entertainment, and science.