Classical Civilizations:

1
Classical Civilizations

• Ancient India

2
Define the following

• Asoka Maya
• Caste system Mahabharata
• Chandra Gupta II Monsoons
• Chandragupta Maurya Nirvana
• Citadel Reincarnation
• Enlightenment Siddhartha Gautama
• Four Noble Truths Vedas
• Indo-Aryans
• Karma

3
Aryans transform India

• Early people in the Indus Valley developed
  advanced civilization including trade (sea),
  agriculture (adapted to monsoon climate),
  sophisticated cities (Mohenjo-Daro), and complex
  institutions.
• The Aryans penetrate the Indian subcontinent,
  moving along river valleys, and establish their
  kingdoms.

4

• The Aryans arrived in northern India and created
  a new social system that determined how people
  lived.
• Peoples social status affects how they live.
• The Aryans believed in four classes, or jati.
• The top two jati were Brahmans, or priests, and
  Kshatriyas, or warriors who ran the government
  and army.
• The next class included common people, such as
  merchants and farmers. Below them were laborers
  and servants.
• The lowest level did not belong to any jati.
  These people, called the Untouchables, did work
  others did not want to do.

5
Draw and complete this chart using page 63 in the
textbook. Be prepared to review in class.
Aryans Dasas
Name
Appearance
Language
Communities
Gods
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Aryans Dasas
Name The Nobles dark
Appearance Tall, fair skinned Shorter, darker skinned
Language Indo-European Non-Indo-European, written
Communities pastoral Urban
Gods Indra, Angi Shiva, mother goddess
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• The arrival of Indo-Aryans brought many changes
  to early India including new forms of religion
  (the Vedas), the formation of states, and the
  spread of language (sanskrit).
• Cause and Effect
• Draw a diagram to show how the Aryans changed the
  lifestyle of the Indians
• The epic poem the Mahabharata reflects the
  struggles among Aryans and between Aryans and
  non-Aryans.

9
Religion in India

• Hinduism is the belief in dharma and karma, or a
  belief that the sensory world is an illusion.
• Although it lacks a single founder, all Hindus
  share a common world-view and stress the
  interconnectedness of life.
• Many Indians who practice Hinduism develop a
  caste system to organize their society.
• Hinduism has influences much of the Indian
  culture, architecture, language, and literature.

10
Siddhartha Buddhism

• Siddhartha Gautama seeks to end human suffering.
• He achieved enlightenment and becomes the Buddha.
• The Buddha preaches the Middle Way- a life of
  moderation.

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• The sangha, the religious community, becomes an
  important part of Buddhism.
• Buddhism in India rejects the caste system.
• Buddhism does not remain a major religion in
  India but spreads throughout Asia and eventually
  spreads to the West.

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The Eight-Fold Path

• Right Views- seeing the world through the Four
  Noble Truths.
• Right Resolve- wanting to behave correctly and
  justly.
• Right Speech- telling the truth, speaking kindly.
• Right Conduct- being good.

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• Right Livelihood- having a job that supports a
  moral life.
• Right Effort- trying to keep your mind focused on
  the good.
• Right Mindfulness- paying attention to what you
  think and feel.
• Right Concentration- meditating as Buddha did to
  reach nirvana.

14
Reverse Venn Diagram Write the statements and
use your notes and textbook to put the correct
letter next to the correct statement.
Buddhism
Hinduism
B.
A.
C.

1. Lacked a single founder. ____ 11. Founded in
   India. ____
2. Eight-fold Path was used. ____ 12. Believed in
   Nirvana. ___
3. Siddhartha was its founder. ____ 13. Still
   practiced in India. ___
4. Believed in reincarnation. ____ 14. Written in
   the Upanishads.___
5. Used the Four Noble Truths. ___ 15. Dharma was
   its doctrine. ___
6. Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma are gods. ___ 16. Taught
   interconnectedness. ___
7. Taught Enlightenment. ____ 17. Moksha was
   taught. ____
8. Practiced in the Vedic Age. ____ 18. Practiced
   by 1/5 of the world. ___
9. Used caste system. ____ 19. Rejected the caste
   system. ____
10. Created during a period of turmoil. ____ 20.
    Sangha is its religious order. ____

15
First Empires of India

• Almost 1,000 years after the Aryan migrations,
  many small kingdoms were scattered throughout
  India.
• Alexander the Great brought the Indus Valley
  under Greek control, but left the region
  immediately.
• A great Indian military leader, Chandragupta
  Maurya, seized power for himself.

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The Mauryan Empire

• Chandragupta Maurya unifies much of northern
  India through conquest.
• He creates a bureaucratic government and exempts
  farmers from military service.
• He relied on his advisor, Kautilya who was a
  member of the priestly caste, for advice.
• Chandragupta placed spies everywhere. (A spy is
  someone who secretly watches others.) Anyone
  suspected of working against the government was
  killed.
• He divided his empire into 4 provinces and each
  was headed by a royal prince.
• Each province was divided into local districts,
  who officials assessed taxes and enforced the law.

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The Rule of Asoka (Ashoka)

• In 301 B.C.E., Chandraguptas son rules for 32
  years, and then his grandson Asoka ruled.
• Asoka assumed the throne and brings the empire to
  its greatest heights.
• Asoka rules by Buddhist principles and spreads
  this religion.
• He practiced the concept of religious toleration
  or, acceptance of people who held different
  beliefsand acceptance of people of all cultural
  backgrounds.

18
Spreading of Buddhism

• Asoka spread Buddhism across India.
• He built thousands of Buddhist monasteries. There
  Buddhists studied and meditated.
• Asoka also sent Buddhist missionaries to other
  lands.
• From India, Buddhism spread across most of Asia.
  Today, Buddhism is still a major religion in
  Tibet, Japan, Korea, and much of Southeast Asia.

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• He had extensive road systems built so he could
  improve communication.
• He had wells dug and rest houses built along his
  roads, and ordered the creation of watering
  places for animals.
• He died in 232 B.C.E., and empire crumbles.
• After Asokas death, the Andhra dynasty dominates
  India for hundreds of years.
• For 500 years waves of invaders come through
  India such as the Greeks, Persians, and Central
  Asians.

21
The Gupta Empire

• After 500 years of turmoil, a strong leader in
  Magadha, Chandra Gupta arose.
• The Gupta family unifies northern India into the
  Gupta Empire.
• Chandra Gupta I took on the title of Great King
  of Kings in 330 C.E.
• Most Indians are farmers living in small
  villages. Families may be headed by men or women.

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• The Gupta Empire makes advancements in religion,
  science, culture, and trade.
• Chandra Guptas son Samudra became king in 335
  C.E.
• He was a lover of poetry and music.
• He had a warlike side and expanded his empire
  with 40 years of war and conquest.
• It gave him control over most of the lands
  immediately surrounding his fathers empire.

23

• Chandra Gupta II became king in 375 B.C.E., and
  the Gupta Empire reaches its height.
• He ruled for 40 years and he strengthened his
  empire through peaceful means.

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The Fall of the Gupta Empire

• During the 400s C.E., the Gupta Empire began to
  decline.
• Invaders from central Asia called the Huns
  attacked India. They took over much of
  northwestern India.
• By 600 C.E., the central government of the empire
  had broken down.
• India was once more divided into many separate
  kingdoms and the Gupta Empire was gone.