ancient and classical india
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Ancient and Classical India. India’s Geography Indus River flows across northwest edge of Indian subcontinent —large landmass, part of a continent Home of one of ancient world’s great river valley civilizations Indian subcontinent includes three major geographic zones: - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Ancient and Classical India
India’s Geography
Indus River flows across northwest edge of Indiansubcontinent—large landmass, part of a continent Home of one of ancient world’s great river valley�civilizations Indian subcontinent includes three major geographic �zones:
-Far north: Himalaya, Hindu Kush mountain systems, separatingIndia from rest of Asia
South: Deccan Plateau, high plateau receiving less rain �thanother parts of subcontinent
Between mountains (Valley), plateau are Northern �Plains, where society first developed in India
Geography of the Indian subcontinent• Three Regions• Monsoons• Cultural diversity
Water Critical Factor
Monsoon Winds
• Summer Monsoons broughtrain that flooded rivers; riversdeposited fertile silt in whichfarmers could grow crops• Winter Monsoons brought cool, dry air to the region. Lack of rain during this period.
Devastating Effects
• Monsoon rains too heavy—crops, homes, lives could belost• Monsoon rains too late, didnot last long enough—peoplecould not grow crops; faminebecame danger
The people of India’s first civilizations depended upon the monsoons to bring the water that their crops needed.
Indus Valley Civilization cont.
• Farming and trade– Most people were
farmers– Created dams and used
irrigation – Traded with Sumer
(Mesopotamia) – Used record keeping but
we are unable to decipher
Harappan Writing
Indus Valley Civilization cont.
• Religious Beliefs–Polytheistic–May have
worshipped sacred animals
Sanskrit
writing
The Vedas 1200 BCE-600 BCE.
written in SANSKRIT. Hindu core of beliefs:
hymns and poems. religious prayers. magical spells. lists of the gods
and goddesses.Rig Veda oldest work.
Decline and Disappearance of I.R.V.C.
• Evidence of decline by 1750 B.C.E.– Cities no longer kept up– Pottery became more
crude• Explanations for decline– Environmental damage– Volcano or earthquakes
Gupta Rulers Chandra Gupta I
r. 320 – 335 CE “Great King of Kings”
Chandra Gupta II r. 375 - 415 CE Profitable trade with
the Mediterranean world!
Hindu revival. Huns invade – 450 CE
Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE
Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta India Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the
Silk Road and visited India in the 5c. He was following the path of the Buddha. He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.
Chandra Gupta 11
International Trade Routes during the
Guptas
Extensive Trade:4c
spices
spices
gold & ivory
gold & ivory
rice & wheathorses
cotton goods
cotton goodssilks
Gupta
Art
Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art &
architecture.
Medicine Literature
MathematicsAstronomy
Printedmedicinal
guides
1000 diseasesclassified
PlasticSurgery
C-sectionsperforme
d
Inoculations
500 healingplants
identified
DecimalSystem
Conceptof Zero
PI = 3.1416
Kalidasa
SolarCalendar
The earth
is round
GuptaIndia
Gupta
Achievements
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.