a mad dash through history
DESCRIPTION
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 plateauTRANSCRIPT
IndiaA Mad Dash Through History
GeographyGeography
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
The Vedic Age (The Vedic Age (1500-1500-500500 BCEBCE))
Aryan Control in Aryan Control in IndiaIndia
Politics: 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
Aryan Social Aryan Social StructureStructure
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
Challenges to Brahmin Challenges to Brahmin PowerPower
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
Vedic Age Ends With Vedic Age Ends With Darius & AlexanderDarius & Alexander
The Mauryan EmpireThe 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
AshokaAshoka 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
Trade & EconomyTrade & 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
Social StructureSocial 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
Political Political FragmentationFragmentation
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
Reunification Under Reunification Under Gupta (320-550 Gupta (320-550 CECE))
Gupta PoliticsGupta 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”
Gupta EconomyGupta 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
Gupta Social Gupta Social StructureStructure
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
Gupta Math/ScienceGupta Math/Science Astronomers, mathematicians, scientists received government support Developed concept of zero; “Arabic” numerals
Charted star movements; earth is round
Developments in medicine