The Bronze AgeIndus Valley

GeographyJust south of the Himalaya is the rich valley

of the Ganges River, one of the most important regions of Indian culture.

Monsoons are the most important feature of Indian Climate, they are seasonal winds, Southwest monsoons bring heavy spring rains

GeographyThe Indian

subcontinent is located along the southern edge of Asia.

In the north are the highest mountains in the world, the Himalaya Mountains separate India from Asia

Indus Valley CivilizationEarly civilization in

India developed in the Indus River valley.

A civilization flourished there from 3000 to 1500 B.C.

The advanced civilization that flourished for hundreds of years in these cities is called the Harappa or Indus civilization.

CitiesTwo sites have ruins

of the major cities Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.

The cities had a grid of streets and were divided into walled neighborhoods.

Ruins of Indus River City

CitiesBuildings were

constructed of mud bricks.

Public wells supplied water, and bathrooms used an advanced drainage system.

A chute system took household trash to public garbage bins.

Young man walking through ruins of Indus City.

Indus Valley EconomyThe Harappa

economy depended on agriculture

The Indus valley civilization traded extensively with Mesopotamia.

Invaders change the face of Indus Valley

Aryan invaders ended the civilization of the Indus River valley by conquering the Harappa.

The Aryans were a nomadic Indo-European people living in central Asia.

Writing

As nomads, the Aryans had no written language.

They developed their first written language, Sanskrit, around 1000 B.C.

Song Written in Sanskrit

Indus Valley Social ClassesThe Aryan conquest

had a lasting effect on India.

The meeting of conquered and conqueror created a set of social institutions and class divisions that last to this day.

The caste system was one of the most important Indian social creations.

There were five major classes, or castes.

Indus Valley Social ClassesCaste System: a rigid

hierarchy of classes that determines a person’s occupation, economic potential, and social status.

You are born in to these castes.

You can not move up or down.

You must do good and be reborn in to a new caste level.

Indus Valley SocietyThe ideal was to

have an extended family of three generations under one roof.

Males dominated society – women were looked at as a burden and married off early

Indus Valley ReligionThe religion of

Hinduism is based on Aryan religious beliefs.

We know about Aryan religious beliefs from the Vedas, a collection of hymns and ceremonies.

Hinduism is the ONLY religion that evolved with no specific founder

HinduismA polytheistic religionOver time, three of

the most important gods merged together to create a three-part deity called Brahman

Brahma (creator)Vishnu (protector)Shiva (destroyer)

Indus Valley Religion“good karma”—

rewarded by improvement in status in reincarnation

“bad karma”—punished by degradation of status in reincarnation

ReincarnationEach soul is reborn in

the body of some other creature over and over again

A person’s actions (karma) determines the form of that person’s reincarnation

Indus Valley Religion

In the sixth century B.C., a new doctrine called Buddhism appeared in northern India and rivaled Hinduism.

Different Faces of Buddha

Its founder was Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (“Enlightened One”).

Siddhartha lived a privileged, sheltered life among great wealth. He was born a prince.

He took a trip and saw how people suffered & rejected the caste system

Japanese

India China

Indus Valley Religion

Gurus appear around 600 BC who argued that Hinduism had become too materialistic and that people should be more spiritual

Nirvana—permanent escape from the wheel of suffering

Attainment of permanent peace and tranquility

Included nonviolence, rejection of selfish desires, cultivating compassion and honesty, cleansing mind of evil thoughts, etc.

Buddha The ManBuddha practiced what he

preachedOnly owned simple robe, walking

stick, and wooden bowlAlways slept outside and walked

everywhere he wentPresented his creed in a simple

languageTreated all persons equallyMany people attracted to him as

a resultMillions of converts across Asia

The Replay Video!

The Replay Video! Double Feature!