Ancient India

6th grade

Preview

• Determine if each of the following are true/or false:1. The Himalaya Mountains were the second highest

mountain range in the world.2. Farming is possible in the plains of northern India

because of the Indus and Ganges rivers3. Because of India’s Indus river often flooded, the rulers

of the ancient city of Mohenjo-Daro built the citadel on a high mound of earth

4. Under the caste system of social classes, people always had to stay in the same caste as their parents

Warm-Up (February 2, 2011)

1. What mountain ranges separate India from Asia?

2. How has India’s geographic setting affected the life of its people?

3. Answer the Target Reading Skill question on page 110 (top left corner).

Geography

• India is a subcontinent meaning

• Himalayan mountains and the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean separated India with the rest of the world.– However, India was not completely isolated. Why?

Monsoons

• From October to May– Winter monsoons from northeast, dry air across

the country• Mid-June– Wind from Indian Ocean– Picks up moisture=causes rain everyday

• Why is this important?

Two Important Rivers in India

Warm-Up (February 3, 2011)

1. What was life like in Mohenjo-Daro?

2. Who are the Aryans? How was their society organized?

3. What are the advantages/disadvantages of the caste system in India?

Indus River Valley

• Reached its height between 2500-1500 BC• Two important cities– Harappa– Mohenjo-Daro• Larger city• Well-planned city: built above ground level• Highest point= citadel• Drainage system• System of canals

Mohenjo-Daro• Life – Shops for merchants and artisans– Traders from Mesopotamia– Homes opened to courtyards

• Unknowns– Language, system of government and religion– However, they were most likely polytheistic

Decline

• Around 2000 BC, farmers began to abandon their land

• Between 2000-1500 BC new people from the north entered into the Indus river valley– Called themselves Aryans

Aryans

• Means noble or highborn• Life is known from the Vedas meaning

“knowledge”– Early Aryans=herders and warriors– Society organized in three classes:• 1. Brahmans- Aryan priests

– Preformed religious services and created hymns and prayers

• 2. Warriors and Nobels• 3. Artisans and merchants• **later came 4. farmers, laborers and servants

Caste System

• 500 BC-strict division of classes• People always had to stay in the same caste as

their parents• Eventually made up of hundreds of different

groups• Still exists in India today– Less rigid, more interaction among castes

Group Activity-February 4, 20111. Create your own travel advertisement encouraging people to

come to Mohenjo-Daroa. Use the information from your book (including pages 114-115) and

the atlas we used yesterday in classb. Try to use illustrations and maps in your advertisements

Warm-Up (February 8, 2011)

• What two cultures blended to form the basis of Hinduism?

• List and describe the three main Hindu gods.

• What are some differences between Hinduism and other major religions?

Hinduism History

• Grew out of a blend between existing Indian culture and Aryan culture

• Took about 3,500 years to develop• Complex religion that appeals to each

individuals approach to god• Not just a religion, but also a way of life for the

people of India

Hindu Gods/goddesses

• Stand for different parts of brahman• Take many forms called avatars

• each god has their own families which are also worshipped by the Hindus

Main Hindu gods

– Vishnu “the Preserver”• Kind god who cares about the humans• Visits earth to guide humans or protect from disaster

– Shiva “the Destroyer”• Very powerful• Responsible for creative and destructive forces of

nature

– Brahman “the Creator• No physical form

Hindu Beliefs

• Hindu texts:– The Upanishads- “sitting near a teacher”– Mostly in the form of question/answer

• Duties or dharma – Must be followed by each Hindu to escape

reincarnation– Depends on class, age, and occupation

• Ahimsa – All living things must be treated with respect

Reincarnation

• When a person dies, the soul is reborn into another body

• Every living thing has a soul (including animals) • Actions of a persons life affect his/her fate– The faithful will be reborn into higher positions

• Salvation is achieved when a person leads a perfect life and his/her soul become one with Brahman

Practices

• The Yogas– Exercises to help free the soul from the cares of

the world– yoga= “union” – Main types• Physical • Selfless deeds• Knowledge-writings• Devotion-honoring a personal god

Practices (continued)

• Worship in public by praying and performing rituals in temples

• Private devotion– In homes– Choose a personal god to honor by offering food,

gifts and prayers – Devotion to god=closer to brahman

Warm-Up (February 14, 2011)

1. Name two of the yoga poses that we performed on Friday.

2. What did Gautama do for 49 days and what was his resolution?

3. What is the Middle Way and how did Buddha believe one should go about finding it?

Buddhism

• Founder: Siddhartha Gautama– Not satisfied with Hindu ideas because he believed that

others, not just priests should be able to pass on knowledge

• His Search– Meditated and fasted for 49 days– Was able to discover the roots of suffering

• human selfish desire for power, wealth, and material happiness

– Spent time sharing his knowledge and became known as Buddha meaning “the enlightened one”

Practice: The Eightfold Path

• Also known as The Middle Way – Way for a person to avoid either extreme

happiness or extreme unhappiness• Eightfold path-– way for humans to learn to be wise, behave

correctly and to develop knowledge– People must act unselfishly and treat others fairly– Tell the truth – Avoid violence (especially killing)

End of Reincarnation

• Believed by Buddha that if people followed The Path they will achieve Nirvana – therefore being released from the cycle of

reincarnation

Warm-Up (February 15, 2011)

1. Which steps of the Eightfold path direct followers to lead a moral life?

2. Why do Buddhists try to follow the Middle Way?

3. Name at least two metaphors or similies that were described in your homework on page 266.

The Farmer

• What should the farmer do?

Warm-Up (16 February 2011)

1. How did Buddhism spread through India into other countries?

2. Using the map on page 124 answer the following questions:

1. When did the people of Japan learn about Buddhism?

2. How might geography have affected the spread of Buddhism from India to Japan?