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Published byKerrie Hardy Modified over 9 years ago
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Review Ancient Mesopotamia – Sumerians > Akkadians > Babylonians Ancient Egypt – Old Kingdom > Middle Kingdom > New Kingdom Indo-Europeans – Nomads – Hittites – Phoenicians – Israelites New Empires – Assyrians – Persians
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Ancient Civilization in India
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Early Civilization in India 3000-1500 BCE in the Indus River Valley (“Indus River Valley Civilization”) Over a thousand settlements, two major cities (that we know of): – Harappa – Mohenjo-Daro
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Cities Harappa: 35,000 people Mohenjo-Daro: 35,000-40,000 people Carefully planned cities – broad streets (north/south) and smaller roads (east/west) Walled neighborhoods, “large” houses (3 stories high) constructed of mud bricks Public wells, bathrooms, drainage, trash chutes
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Government & Economy Connection between religious & political power – Rulers based on divine power – Royal palace and holy temple combined into a citadel (fortress) Economy based on farming (relied on annual Indus River floods) Traded with city-states in Mesopotamia via ship over the Persian Gulf
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Decline of Indus Valley Civ. Floods, earthquakes, change in climate, and change in course of Indus River caused decline Final collapse came from Aryan invaders
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Aryan Invasion (1500 BCE) Indo-European nomadic people moved from central Asia – conquered Indus Valley Civ. Excelled at art of war (common to nomadic people) and slowly conquered most of India Major contributions to culture: – Sanskrit – Caste System – Hinduism
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Aryan Society Pastoral nomads – gave up for farming settlements in India Developed written system of Sanskrit (1000 BCE) Early India was “a world of warring kingdoms and shifting alliances” – competition between different rajas (princes) and chieftains
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Family in Ancient India Extended family, patriarchal Women – Could not inherit property, serve as priests, or be educated – Suttee: dead are burned on funeral pyres and the wife was required to throw herself on her dead husband’s flaming pyre
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Hinduism Vedas – written collection of religious beliefs Belief in single force in the universe: Brahman 6 th century BCE – idea of Reincarnation* – *Reincarnation provides a spiritual justification for caste system. Goal: to merge with Brahman after death Karma: what people do in their current lives determines where they will be in their next lives Dharma: the divine law that must be followed Yoga: method of physical training to lead to “oneness with God”
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Brahma the Creator Vishnu the Preserver Shiva the Destroyer
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Buddhism 6 th c. BCE – Siddhartha Gautama founds a new religion
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Buddhism Goal: to achieve nirvana (the end of the self and a reunion with the Great World Soul) Four Noble Truths – Ordinary life is full of suffering. – This suffering is caused by our desire to satisfy ourselves. – The way to end suffering is to end desire for selfish goals and to see others as extensions of ourselves. – The way to end desire is to follow the Middle Path.
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The Middle/Eightfold Path Right views Right aspirations Right speech Right conduct Right livelihood Right effort Right mindfulness Right contemplation Dharma Wheel
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Transition Aryans brought little political unity – faced threats from Persia, the Greeks, and the Macedonians Alexander the Great (Macedonian king) conquered India (327 BCE) but they soon left and gave rise to a new dynasty – the Mauryan Dynasty
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Mauryan Dynasty Founded by Chandragupta Maurya who drove out foreign forces and established capital at Pataliputra (northern India) – Highly centralized, provinces ruled by governors, large army, secret police – Always feared assassination
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Reign of Asoka Flourished under grandson of Maurya “Greatest ruler in the history of India” Expanded trade – India became crossroads between East and West Used Buddhism to guide his rule – Hospitals – Trees and shelters along road for travelers Died in 232 BCE – decline – eventual collapse
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Kushan Kingdom 1 st century CE – founded by nomadic warriors in north (rest of India – fighting kingdoms) Masters of trade route: Silk Road – Route from eastern China to Mesopotamia (4,000 miles) – Carried luxury goods via camel caravans Invaded by Persia in 3 rd century CE
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Kingdom of the Guptas 320 CE – new kingdom in central Ganges Valley by Chandragupta – capital at Pataliputra Empire expanded by son Samudragupta Dominant political force throughout northern India; also established loose control over central India New age of Indian civilization – Tolerance of Buddhism – Prosperity/trade – Large cities with temples along trade routes – Kings lived in luxury Invaded by Huns (nomadic people from the northwest)
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Ancient Indian Literature – Vedas (earliest; religious text) – Historical epics: Mahabharata and Ramayana Bhagavad Gita (most famous section; sermon by Krishna setting forth emphasis on moral rightness)
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Ancient Indian Architecture Mauryan Dynasty – spread of Buddhist architecture (especially reign of Asoka)
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Ancient Indian Science – Recognized the Earth was round – Charted movements of the heavens – Mathematics Aryabhata: most famous mathematician of Gupta Empire – one of the first scientists to use algebra – introduced the concept of zero
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