Transcript Indian Civilization

Indian Civilization
India’s Geography
• India was hard to get to because of the big
mountain ranges in the Northern part of
India
Himalayan Mountains
Hindu Kush Mountains
Hard to Invade—but
not impossible
• Invaders came through the Khyber
Pass
Aryan Invaders
• They migrated through the Khyber Pass
• They took power
• They brought the idea of the social caste
system
Many Rules
• Social caste
told people
what job they
could have
• Social caste
told rules for
social
interaction—
who you could
be friends with
Indus and Ganges
• Important
rivers in the
Indian subcontinent
Indus River
Ganges River
Two important
river-valley
civilizations:
Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro
Harappa
• Archeologists study
artifacts and
settlements
• Writing has been
discovered, but
nobody can read it
• We need a Rosetta
Stone
Mohenjo-Daro
• Carefully
planned
• Citadel—
fortress for
protection
• Big mystery—
in about 1900
BCE great
cities
disappeared
?????????
Contributions of the Mauryan EmpireEmperor Asoka
• Spread of Buddhism
• Brought India together into one civilization
(political unity)
Other Mauryan Contributions
• Free hospitals
• Veterinary clinics
• Good roads
Gupta Empire—Golden Age of India
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Math—idea of 0
Textiles
Literature
Medicine—
setting broken
bones
• Astronomy—
idea that earth
is round
Hinduism
• Belief in many forms of one god
Karma
• All actions have
consequences
• If you do good things,
good things will happen.
You will be reincarnated
at a better level.
• If you do bad things,
bad things will happen.
You will be reincarnated
at a lower level.
Reincarnation—Cycles of death
and rebirth
Two important books
• Vedas
• Upanishads
Spread of Hinduism
• Hinduism spread along trade routes
Buddhism
• Founder—Siddhartha Gautama
• Spread by Asoka’s Missionaries
Four Noble Truths
• All humans suffer (feel pain)
• The reason humans suffer is they desire
(want things)
• Humans can end suffering by ending
desire
• The way to end desire and to reach
Nirvana (perfect understanding) is to
follow the Eightfold Path
Eightfold Path
1. Right Views:
Seeing life as it really is
2. Right Intentions:
Living a life of good will;
striving toward perfection
3. Right Speech:
Avoiding lies and gossip
4. Right Action:
Trying to be law-abiding and honest
5. Right Living:
Avoiding work that harms others
6. Right Effort:
Seeking to prevent evil
7. Right Mindfulness:
Constant awareness of one’s self
8. Right Concentration:
Directing the mind in meditation