1. A Mad Dash Through History
India
A Mad Dash Through History

2. Geography SOUTH Asia – The “Indian Subcontinent”
3 Topographical Regions
Northern India: Mountain Zone & Indus/Ganges Basins
Southern Peninsula: Flatlands & Sri Lanka
Separated from the north by Deccan plateau

3. The Vedic Age ( BCE)
Invasion by Aryans into N. India (1000 BCE)
Indo-European nomads (Central Asian)
Warrior people
Domesticated horse
Early iron workers

4. Aryan Control in India Politics: Economy: Religion:
Individual city-states with local rulers
Aryan language (Sanskrit) in the North – Dravidic languages continue in the South
Economy:
Small, self-sufficient communities
Introduction of iron technology
Religion:
Local Indian gods continue to be worshipped
Aryan scriptures = Vedas (thus “Vedic Age”)
Combined elements create Hinduism

5. Aryan Social Structure
Varna = Color (came to mean class)
Brahmins – scholars & priests (classes occupied by Aryans)
Kshatriyas – government officials & warriors
Vaishyas – merchants, artisans, & farmers
Shudra – peasants & laborers
Dalits (untouchables) – not part of the class structure, did most demeaning work
Strict segregation; little/no mobility
Reincarnation/karma beliefs helped justify/explain the class structure

6. Challenges to Brahmin Power
Aryan religion/social structure placed Brahmin priests on top
2 challenges to this structure: Jainism & Buddhism
Jainists – ascetics, practiced non-violence
Buddhists – followers of Siddhartha Gautama
Focused on the individual, less emphasis on the gods
Brahmin response: codified religious traditions into Hinduism

7. Vedic Age Ends With Darius & Alexander

8. The Mauryan Empire
Greek control of India ended with Alexander’s death in 324 BCE
Power vacuum filled in N. India filled by Chandragupta
Centralized government control over regional kingdoms
Territory expanded by grandson Ashoka

9. Ashoka Major figure in classical Indian history:
Early career: brutal military commander, extended the empire into S. India
Battle of Kalinga – 260 BCE
100,000 Kalingans died; 150,000 driven from home
More died from disease/starvation in the aftermath
Ashoka was overwhelmed by brutality, converted to Buddhism & preached non-violence, morality, moderation, religious tolerance
Published this program on rock pillars spread throughout empire

10. Trade & Economy Economy based on agriculture
United India increased trade
Roads were renovated, towns built textile industries
Uniform system of currency, weights & measures
Provinces ruled by governors who collected taxes and enforced laws
Taxes rose to pay for Ashoka’s projects
Trade: silk cotton and spices to Mesopotamia, China, Egypt, and Rome

11. Social Structure
Varna (caste) system still in place – limited social opportunities and controlled who people could marry
Patriarchal society – eldest male controlled family
Laws limited women’s opportunities
Sati was practiced: widows burned themselves on their husband’s funeral pyre
Buddhist women had more rights
Single women could become nuns

12. Political Fragmentation
After Ashoka’s death, Mauryan Empire declines
Trade network/roads allow small kingdoms to maintain contact
Merchants become politically powerful
Small kingdoms rose in Central/Southern India
Deccan Plateau: Andhra dynasty
Southern India: Tamil Kingdoms

13. Reunification Under Gupta (320-550 CE)

14. Gupta Politics
Grew out of kingdom of Magadha, capital at Pataliputra (former home of the Mauryans)
Modeled after Mauryan Emperors:
Chandra Gupta, Samudra Gupta, Chandra Gupta II
Never had the military might of Mauryans
“persuaded” territories to join the empire
Married neighboring princess
Splendor, beauty, orderliness of life at the capital
Rituals and ceremonies meant to impress
“Theater-state”

15. Gupta Economy
Government owned mines (metals & salt), collected rent money from farmers
Trade along the Silk Roads went through Gupta territory
Indians: ivory, jewels, textiles, salt, iron
Romans: glass, jewels, clothes
China: silk, spices, tea, porcelain
Additional profits from religious trade & religious pilgrims

16. Gupta Social Structure
Gupta returned Hinduism to primary religion
Change in architecture as Hindu styles became more prominent
Loss of status for women
Could not own property
Could not study sacred texts or participate in rituals
Women expected to obey father  husband  sons
Child marriage became common (sometimes as young as 6 years old)
Sati became more common

17. Gupta Math/Science
Astronomers, mathematicians, scientists received government support
Developed concept of zero; “Arabic” numerals
Charted star movements; earth is round
Developments in medicine