Ancient India

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Ancient India Geography Early Civilizations
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Importance of Geography

• Natural/Physical Barriers of Protection
• Mountain ranges in Northern India Himalayas and
  Hindu Kush
• Khyber Pass provided entrance routes for people
  to migrate into the Indian subcontinent.
• India Ocean isolated India by water.

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Geographical (Natural) Protection
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• Rivers
• Ganges and Indus River provided fertile farmland
  and ready supply of water.
• Monsoons came from India Ocean and provided
  rainfall.

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Indias River Valleys
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Early Indus River Valley Civilizations

• Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations
• Discovered by archeologists in the 19th century,
  settled in 2500 BCE in the Indus River Valley
  (modern day Pakistan)
• Cities were 350 miles apart from each other, but
  they shared many common characteristics.

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• Sophisticated urban planning city streets,
  pools, sewer system plumbing
• Buildings made of mud brick
• Controlled the Indus River through levees and
  dykes for crops.
• Used irrigation grew many crops such as wheat,
  barley, and rice.
• Collapsed around 1500 BCE

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Aryans

• Invasion
• Invaded the Indian Subcontinent in 1500 BCE,
  possibly through the Khyber Pass.
• Easily took over due to advanced military
  technology, the chariot.
• Asserted their dominance early through military.

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• Culture and Language
• Politically unstable civilization Divided into
  smaller kingdoms.
• Ruled by local chiefs who were military in
  nature.
• Great Cultural influence
• Sanskrit Aryan language, becomes a written
  language.
• Poems written in books called Vedas.

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• Social System
• Caste System social class system based on
  heredity
• People were born into the class of their birth
  parents and could not change their caste or class
  through any means.
• Brahman, kshatriyas, vaisyas, pariahs.
• Caste system is found in Hinduism.

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Mauryan Empire

• Beginnings
• Established by King Maurya in India in 321 BCE.
• Believed war would give him fame, he amassed a
  huge army to conquer India.

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• King Ashoka
• Grandson of Maurya, took power of Mauryan Empire
  in 268 until 232.
• Early years of rule, very militaristic.
  Estimated killing at least 100,000 people.
• Experience a life change that changed his life
  and kingdom converts to Buddhism.

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• Follows Buddhist (Siddharthas) teachings.
• Spreads Buddhism, constructs hospitals,
  veterinary clinics, builds roads.
• Rule brought peace and prosperity to India.

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Gupta Empire

• Existed from 320 CE to 550 CE in India
• Empire only lasted for 200 years or so, but it
  was considered Indias Golden Age

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• Golden Age
• Mathematics (concept of zero)
• Medical advancements (setting of bones)
• Astronomy (concept of round earth)
• New textiles and literature