1. Ancient and Classical India

2. India’s Geography
Indus River flows across northwest edge of Indian
subcontinent—large landmass, part of a continent
— Home of one of ancient world’s great river valley
civilizations
— Indian subcontinent includes three major geographic zones:
-Far north: Himalaya, Hindu Kush mountain systems, separating
India from rest of Asia
— South: Deccan Plateau, high plateau receiving less rain than
other parts of subcontinent
— Between mountains (Valley), plateau are Northern Plains, where society first developed in India

3. Geography of the Indian subcontinent
Three Regions
Monsoons
Cultural diversity

4. Water Critical Factor
The people of India’s first civilizations depended upon the monsoons to bring the water that their crops needed.
Monsoon Winds
Devastating Effects
• Summer Monsoons brought rain that flooded rivers; rivers deposited fertile silt in which farmers could grow crops • Winter Monsoons brought cool, dry air to the region. Lack of rain during this period.
• Monsoon rains too heavy— crops, homes, lives could be lost • Monsoon rains too late, did not last long enough—people could not grow crops; famine became danger

6. Indus Valley Civilization cont.
Farming and trade
Most people were farmers
Created dams and used irrigation
Traded with Sumer (Mesopotamia)
Used record keeping but we are unable to decipher
Harappan Writing

7. Indus Valley Civilization cont.
Religious Beliefs
Polytheistic
May have worshipped sacred animals

8. Sanskrit writing

9. The Vedas 1200 BCE-600 BCE. written in SANSKRIT.
Hindu core of beliefs:
hymns and poems.
religious prayers.
magical spells.
lists of the gods and goddesses.
Rig Veda  oldest work.

10. Decline and Disappearance of I.R.V.C.
Evidence of decline by 1750 B.C.E.
Cities no longer kept up
Pottery became more crude
Explanations for decline
Environmental damage
Volcano or earthquakes

11. Gupta Rulers Chandra Gupta I Chandra Gupta II Hindu revival.
r. 320 – 335 CE
“Great King of Kings”
Chandra Gupta II
r CE
Profitable trade with the Mediterranean world!
Hindu revival.
Huns invade – 450 CE

12. Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE

13. Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta India
Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Road and visited India in the 5c.
He was following the path of the Buddha.
He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.

14. Chandra Gupta 11

15. International Trade Routes during the Guptas

16. Extensive Trade: 4c spices silks cotton goods rice & wheat spices
horses
gold & ivory
gold & ivory
cotton goods

17. Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.
Gupta Art
Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

18. 500 healing plants identified Printed medicinal guides
1000 diseases classified
500 healing plants identified
Gupta Achievements
Printed medicinal guides
Kalidasa
Literature
Plastic Surgery
Medicine
Inoculations
Gupta India
C-sections performed
Solar Calendar
Astronomy
Mathematics
Decimal System
The earth is round
PI =
Concept of Zero

19. The Decline of the Guptas
Invasion of the White Huns in the 4c signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even though at first, the Guptas defeated them.
After the decline of the Gupta empire, north India broke into a number of separate Hindu kingdoms and was not really unified again until the coming of the Muslims in the 7c.