Transcript India History Overview

Overview
of
India’s History
Created by Ms. Susan M. Pojer
Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY
Modified by Mr. Ken Barrett
The Harappan Civilization
3300 BCE - 2400 BCE
Citadel
Of
MohenjoDaro
1. Great River Civilization-Indus River
Characteristics:
2. Major Complex Cities (Mohenjo-Daro
& Harappa)
a) huge cities (three miles in
circumference)
b) planned streets & indoor
plumbing
3.Written Language
4.Declined after 2000 BC
5.Language remains a mystery
6.Similarities to Sumerian culture
but also clear differences
Aerial View of MohenjoDaro
Wide View, Mohenjo-Daro
The Great Bath,
Mohenjo-Daro
Granery, Mohenjo-Daro
pottery, Mohenjo-Daro
Bison Seal, MohenjoDaro
A Horned-God Seal,
Mohenjo-Daro
A Male Head, MohenjoDaro
Dravidian
A Priest-King, MohenjoDaro
Necklace, Mohenjo-Daro
Unicorn Seal, Harappa
Female Figures, Harappa
Bull Figurine, Harappa
Elephant Figurine,
Harappa
Burial Pottery, Harappa
Male Skeleton, Harappa
Female Skeleton with
Child, Harappa
Harappan Writing
Undecipherable to date.
Aryan Invasions
1. Indo-Europeans
2. Sanskrit language
3. Brahman Religion-developed into
Hinduism
4. Lighter skinned rulers over darkerskinned peoples-origin of Caste
System
Aryan Migration
 pastoral  depended on their cattle.
 warriors  horse-drawn chariots.
Sanskrit
writing
The Vedic Age
The foundations for
Hinduism were
established!
Development of Empires
Maurya Empire-300 BC
Founder: Chandragupta Maurya
Greatest Ruler: Emperor Asoka
(Height of Buddhism in India,
reflected in Asoka’s laws)
Decline followed Asoka-Cruel, harsh
rulers
Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCE
 Unified
northern India.
Divided his empire into
provinces, then districts
for tax assessments and law
enforcement.
301 BCE  gave up his throne &
became
a Jain
The Maurya Empire
321 BCE – 185 BCE
Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)
 Religious conversion
after the gruesome
battle of Kalinga in
262 BCE.
 Dedicated his life to
Buddhism.
 Built extensive roads.
 Conflict  how to balance methods of
keeping power and Buddha’s
demands to become a
selfless person?
Asoka’s
Empire
Asoka’s law code
 Edicts
scattered in
more than 30 places
in India, Nepal,
Pakistan, & Afghanistan.
 Written mostly in
Sanskrit, but one was in
Greek and Aramaic.
 10 rock edicts.
 Each pillar [stupa] is 40’-50’ high.
 Buddhist principles dominate his laws.
One of
Asoka’s
Stupas
Disintegration and
Reorganization
185 BC- 320 AD
Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE
Golden Age of India
The Gupta Empire
320-647
• Supported learning and the arts
• Developed the concept of Zero and
the numbers symbols 0-9
• Medical achievements
• Astronomy-knew of gravity and that
the earth was round
International Trade Routes during the Guptas
Extensive Trade:
Century
th
4
spices
gold & ivory
Gupta
Art
Greatly influenced
Southeast Asian art & architecture.
500 healing
plants identified
Printed
medicinal guides
Plastic
Surgery
Gupta
Achievements
1000 diseases
classified
Kalidasa
Literature
Medicine
Inoculations
C-sections
performed
Decimal
System
Gupta
India
Mathematics
Concept
of Zero
PI = 3.1416
Solar
Calendar
Astronomy
The earth
is round
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.
Muslim India
• Muslims arrive from Middle East in
the 600’s and 700’s
• 1200- Turkish Muslims invade
• Capital: Delhi
• Mogul Dynasty established under
Babur
• Akbar the Great ruled most of India
• Akbar’s grandson Shah Jahan built
Taj Mahal
The British Raj
1. 1400’s & 1500’s Arrival of Europeans
2. Mogul Empire Declines in the 18th
Century
3. Small kingdoms (Rajahs) emerge as
Mogul Empire Breaks apart
4. The British Empire fills the power
vacuum left by the Moguls
5.
Initially dominated by the East India
Company
6. Company’s policies led to unrest and
the Sepoy Mutiny (1859)
7. British Government ended Company
rule and assumed direct control of
India
India: 18c-early 19c