1. Early Indian History Indus River Valley Civilization Vedic (Indo-Aryan) Civilization

2. Indus River Valley Civilization – 2000 BCE

3. Indus River Valley The Indus River Silt-enriched water from mountains Cultivated cotton before 5000 BCE

4. Writing Good News Literate culture Bad News We can’t read it Writing on bricks Similar to cuneiform

5. Reasonable Generalizations Developed rapidly Existed with Egypt and Mesopotamia Developed agriculture Domesticated animals Changed from village to city life

6. Mohenjo-Daro Ruins Population roughly 40,000 Regional center Layout and architecture suggests well- developed government Broad streets, citadel, pool, sewage system Specialized labor (Artisans) Trade (Merchants)

7. Mohenjo-Daro : Aerial view

8. Citadel

9. The Great Bath

10. Well

11. Granary

12. Torso Mohenjo-Daro Third millennium BCE

18. The Aryan Invasion Aryans, lighter-skinned invaders from the north Not to be confused with Hitler’s “Aryans” These Aryans spoke a dialect, related to Greek and Latin

19. The Aryans Fond of: Fighting Drinking Chariot racing Gambling Chasing women Bragging about their spears A psychedelic drug called soma Caste system Polytheistic Basis for Hinduism

21. The Vedas “Knowledge” Sanskrit Sacred, oral poetry Rituals/Sacrifice Many Gods

22. Sacred Texts Rig Veda 1028 hymns to Gods Upanishads Epic, mystical poems Right & Wrong Two Great Epics Mahabharata Ramayana

23. Vedic Civilization Social Status of Women Equal access to learning Right to speak in public Right to inherit property

24. Vedic Civilization Social Status of Women Marriage was the main institution Patriarchal family structure Could choose husband Emphasis on reproduction

25. Vedic Civilization Social Status of Women Eventually social status declined: Organized state Caste system Women barred from religious ritual