Early Civilizations

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Early Civilizations

• Asian Indian
• African Bantu
• Central South American

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The StandardGoal of Learning

• SSWH2 The student will identify the major
  achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from
  1100 BCE to 500 CE.
• a. Describe the development of Indian
  civilization include the rise and fall of the
  Maurya Empire, the Golden Age under Gupta, and
  the emperor Ashoka.

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• Why study India?
• Has one-fifth of worlds population
• Two prominent religions came from it Hinduism
  Buddhism
• The geography and climate of an area explains how
  and why civilization emerged in that region in
  the first place. So thats where we start for
  India too.

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Early Indian Civilizations

• Indian subcontinent
• natural barriers
• North the Himalayas
• East Bay of Bengal
• West Arabian Sea
• South Indian Ocean
• Two major rivers
• Indus
• Ganges

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Early Indian Civilizations

• Climate
• Monsoons - seasonal winds
• Summer bring torrential rains
• Winter bring dryer air
• must come at the right time or agriculture will
  fail.

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Indus Valley Area Called Harappan Civilization
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Harappan Civilization 3000-1500 BC

• Settled in the valley because of better soil for
  farming
• Built walled cities
• Technology advanced
• Copper knives, axes and arrows
• Pottery and small figurines of deities
• Had highly planned cities (grid designed)
• Citadel
• Temples granaries
• Public baths
• Buildings for public meetings
• Indoor toilets and a system of clay pipes a
  sewer

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Harappan Civilization3000-1500 BC

• Size as big as Mesopotamia Egypt combined
• Cities housed as many as 40,000
• Economy
• Agriculture
• Raising sheep, cattle, pigs Domesticating cats,
  horse, elephant
• Produced pottery, cloth, jewelry, bronze
• Mass production
• Trade by land and boat (to Mesopotamia)
• Writing
• Dravidian (unreadable)

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Aryans 1500-500 BC

• They migrated into the Indus area
• ruled after Harappan Civilization declined
• No sophisticated government. They grouped in
  clans, and were ruled by warrior chiefs called
  rajas.
• constant war amongst themselves
• We can learn about them from the Vedas a
  collection of poems and sacred hymns
• Writing system Sanskrit

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Aryan Contributions

• Established caste system
• Rigid social categories based on your position in
  society.
• Could only change castes through death.
• Castes (Varnas)
• Brahmen priests
• Kshatriyas warriors and rulers
• Vaisyas common people merchants, artisans, and
  farmers
• Sudras servants
• Dalit Untouchables
• would later be used in Hinduism and permeated the
  Indian civilization until modern times.

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Mauryan Civilization 321-183 BC
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Mauryan Civilization 321-183 BC

• Founded by Chandragupta Maurya
• Capital city was 8 miles by 1.5 miles with 570
  guard towers and a moat 900 feet wide beyond the
  walls.
• feared assassination so had an army a spy
  network.
• Extensive network of civil servants in government
• Flourished under Asoka.
• Chandraguptas grandson.
• Considered to be greatest ruler in Indian history

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Asoka (Ashoka)

• Converted to Buddhism
• Made him a very kind ruler.
• Examples of leadership
• Religious toleration
• Required missionary work of himself and his
  officials
• Public works
• Hospitals for people and animals
• Provide medicines
• Planting trees groves
• Digging wells
• Roadside rest houses
• Prevention of animal cruelty
• Reducing public slackness

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Mauryan Civilization321-183 BC

• Collapse
• After Asokas death in 232 BC the empire fell
  apart.
• In 183 BC, the last Mauryan ruler was killed.

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Kushan Kingdomc. AD 105-250

• They took over the area after the Mauryan Empire
  fell.
• They benefited from trade on the Silk Road.
• trade route between the Roman Empire and China.
• Called Silk Road because silk was Chinas main
  export.

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Gupta EmpireAD 320-550

• Located over most of Northern India, the region
  presently in the nation of Pakistan, and what is
  now western India and Bangladesh.

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Gupta India

• Chandra Gupta I
• Reunited India in AD 320
• Samudra Gupta
• Took over after his fathers (Chandra Gupta I)
  death
• Expanded the border of Empire through conquest
• Chandra Gupta II AD 375-415
• Took Empire to its highest point
• fostered trade throughout Asia and Eastern Europe.

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Golden Age of Gupta

• The Golden Age of India occurs under the rule of
  the Gupta Dynasty (320 - 550 CE)
• The Gupta established a strong central government
  which also allowed a degree of local control. 
• Gupta society was ordered in accordance with
  Hindu beliefs.  This included a strict caste
  system, or class system. 
• The peace and prosperity created under Gupta
  leadership enabled the pursuit of scientific and
  artistic endeavors.

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Gupta Golden Achievements

• The most significant achievements of the Gupta
  period were in education, mathematics, art,
  literature and drama, and astronomy.
• Math
• developed the concept of zero infinity (8) in
  the use of math
• Algebra
• developed the decimal system based on the 10. 
• Determined the value of p to 4 decimals
• created Arabic number writing system that is used
  throughout the world today. 

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Gupta Golden Achievements

• Medicine
• Pharmacological treatments
• Surgery cesarean section
• bone setting
• skin grafting
• Vaccinations for smallpox
• Free hospitals
• Art/architecture (influenced by religious
  toleration)
• stone temples dedicated to Hindu gods. 
• shrines (stupas) built to house the remains of
  select holy people of Buddhism.
• murals

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Guptas Golden Achievements

• Literature
• Styles fables, folktales, poetry, drama
• written in Sanskrit. 
• Astronomy
• proposed that the earth was round and rotated on
  an axis by viewing a lunar eclipses.
• made discoveries about gravity and the planets of
  the solar system, which they used to tell the
  horoscopes.
• Education plan
• grammar, composition, logic, metaphysics,
  mathematics, medicine, and astronomy

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The StandardGoal of Learning

• SSWH2 The student will identify the major
  achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from
  1100 BCE to 500 CE.
• b. Explain the development and impact of Hinduism
  and Buddhism on India and subsequent diffusion of
  Buddhism.

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Hinduism

• Origin unknown but it dates back over 5000 years.
• Oldest organized religion
• Sacred texts Vedas
• Spiritual leader guru or sage
• Place of worship Mandir or home shrine
• Eastern Religions
• Not concerned with individual
• Views all living things as part of vast circle of
  life

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Hinduism Facts

• Polytheistic
• Belief in a single, supreme figure Brahman
• All gods are expressions of Brahman.
• Three gods stand out as most important.
• Brahma creator
• Vishnu preserver
• Siva destroyer

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Hinduism Facts

• Afterlife reincarnation or liberation
• Purpose of life to attain liberation (moksha)
  from the cycle of reincarnation and oneness with
  Brahman
• How to live live life according to the dharma to
  create good karma so you can move forward in your
  caste (varna)

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Necessary Vocabulary

• Varna social class in the caste system
• Dharma is the divine law that sets requirements
  of your caste (varna)
• Karma the force generated by a persons actions
  or the impact of previous deeds on one's current
  circumstances
• determines how a person will be reborn in the
  next life.
• directed by Dharma.

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Hindu Beliefs

• Beliefs common to nearly all forms of Hinduism
• the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmans
  (priests)
• the existence of an enduring soul that
  reincarnates
• the law of karma.
• Note that a specific belief about God or gods is
  not considered one of the essentials.

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History of Buddhism

• Origins
• Founder - Siddhartha Guatama (c.563-470 BCE)
• Born into royal family during the Aryan period of
  Indian history
• In his late 20s, he became aware of the pain of
  illness, the sorrow of death and the effects of
  old age.
• He dedicated the rest of his life to seeking a
  cure for human suffering.
• To do so he began meditating
• One day he reached enlightenment as to the
  meaning of life and began preaching it.

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Buddhist Beliefs

• The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
• 1. Life is suffering
• 2. Desire leads only to suffering and ultimately
  destruction.
• 3. Suffering can end.
• 4. Follow the Eight-Fold Path

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Buddhist Beliefs

• Eight-fold Path
• 1. Right thought facing realities of life,
  including suffering and death
• 2. Right speech avoid lying, divisive and harsh
  speech and idle gossip.
• 3. Right actions being honest and not breaking
  laws
• 4. Right livelihood living a righteous life
• 5. Right understanding developing genuine wisdom
  right and good intentions
• 6. Right effort opposing evil
• 7. Right mindfulness try to be aware of the
  "here and now", instead of dreaming in the "there
  and then".
• 8. Right concentration regular meditation

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Buddhism Facts

• Sacred texts Pali Canon (Tripitaka),
• Original language Pali
• Spiritual leader Monk (lama in Tibetan Buddhism)
• Place of ritual Temple, meditation hall.
• Type of religion historically, not a religion
  but a lifestyle aimed at relieving suffering. Has
  polytheistic elements in many of todays sects.

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Buddhism Facts

• Ultimate reality none. Nothing is permanent.
• Human nature there is no self or soul.
• Purpose of life historically, attain
  enlightenment and nirvana
• Nirvana is the end of self and union with the
  great world soul
• Afterlife Reincarnation or nirvana
• Rejects the caste system

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Diffusion of Buddhism

• After Gautamas death Buddhism spread throughout
  China, because of the travels of merchants and
  monks.
• Missionary efforts sponsored by Asoka during the
  Mauryan Empire spread Buddhism throughout India
  and Southeast Asia.

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The StandardGoal of Learning

• SSWH6 The student will describe the diverse
  characteristics of early African societies before
  1800.
• a. Identify the Bantu migration patterns and
  contribution to settled agriculture.

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Bantu Migration Pattern

• Started in Niger River area
• Spread South
• 1st to Congo
• 2nd to Angola Zambia
• Spread East to Uganda
• then South to Congo, Zimbabwe and Mozambique

Bantus moved like small communities, not like
invaders - Assimilating and/or displacing native
populations
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Bantu Contributions

• Contributions
• Farming
• Subsistence farming
• Spread knowledge of high-yield crops
• Linguistic Contributions
• Languages of eastern, central and southern Africa
  show similarities with the mother tongues
  originally spoken in West Africa
• Iron-smelting
• Creating tools weapons to assist in survival
• Brought development of the system of statehood
• Government
• development of leadership
• state-craft
• organizing people for campaigns for battles.

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The StandardGoal For Learning

• SSWH8 The student will demonstrate an
  understanding of the development of societies in
  Central and South America.
• a. Explain the rise and fall of the Olmec, Mayan,
  Aztec, and Inca empires.
• b. Compare the culture of the Americas include
  government, economy, religion, and the arts of
  the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas.

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• Mesoamerica is the name for areas of Mexico and
  Central America that were civilized before the
  Spaniards arrived.

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Olmec

• Rise
• 1200 B.C.
• On coast south of Veracruz, Mexico.
• Economy
• farmed along riverbanks.
• Arts/Architecture
• The Olmec had large cities (Teotihuacan)
• carved colossal stone heads
• Fall
• Around 400 B.C.
• Dont know the reason - declined, then collapsed.

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Maya

• Rise
• between A.D. 300 and 900.
• Yucatán Peninsula
• It covered much of Central America and southern
  Mexico.

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Maya Culture

• Government
• city-states governed by a hereditary ruling
  class.
• The states warred on each other.
• Captives given as human sacrifice or enslaved.
• Mayan rulers claimed to be descended from the
  gods.
• The nobles and a class of scribes helped the
  rulers .

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Mayan Culture

• Economy/Social Structure
• Agriculture and trade (surplus of maize)
• Most farmed.
• Labor divided along gender lines.
• Men fought and hunted
• Women kept children
• Both worked the fields.
• also had artisans, officials, and merchants.

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Mayan Culture

• Religion
• They believed all life was in the hands of divine
  powers.
• Supreme god Itzamna (Lizard House)
• Some gods, like jaguar, god of the night, were
  evil.
• They practiced human sacrifice to appease the
  gods and for special ceremonial occasions
• Ball courts

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Mayan Culture

• Arts/Learning
• They had a writing system based on hieroglyphs
  (pictures)
• Unfortunately, the Spaniards assumed the writings
  were evil because they were not Christian

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Mayan Culture

• Arts/Learning contd
• They had a calendar known as the Long Count.
• Based on cycles of Creation and destruction
• According to the Maya the world started in 3114
  BC and will end December 23, 2012.
• They had a solar calendar
• 365 days, 18 months (20 days each) 5 extra days
  at the end.
• They also had a sacred calendar used only by
  priests.
• 260 days, 13 weeks of 20 days.
• Foretell future and know omens associated with
  each day

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Mayan Culture

• The Maya built splendid temples and pyramids

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Maya

• Fall
• possibly due to invasion, internal revolt, and a
  natural disaster, i.e. volcano
• may have been overuse of the land that led to
  reduced crop yields and eventually starvation.

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Aztec

• Rise
• twelfth century A.D.,
• Migrated to the Valley of Mexico.
• capital at Tenochtitlán on an island in the
  middle of Lake Texcoco, where Mexico City is now.
• They also consolidated their rule over much of
  what is modern Mexico.

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Aztec Culture

• Government
• collection of semi-independent territories
  governed by lords.
• Aztec ruler supported the lords in return for
  tributegoods or money paid by conquered peoples
  to their conqueror.
• Power was in the hands of the king, who claimed
  descent from the gods.
• A council assisted him.

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Aztec Culture

• Economy/Social Structure
• farming was important
• some people engaged in trade using the barter
  system
• The population consisted of
• commoners,
• indentured servants,
• Slaves
• Merchants also lived in the cities.
• Boys and girls had different roles from birth.
• Women were not equal to men
• could inherit property and enter into contracts
• were also allowed to be priestesses.

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Aztec Culture

• Religion
• They were polytheistic
• Believed in an unending struggle between good and
  evil.
• They practiced human sacrifice to honor
  Huitzilopochtli, the god of the sun and of war,
  in order to delay the final destruction of the
  world.
• Another was Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent.
• Aztec mistook the Spanish for Quetzalcoatls
  representatives

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Aztec Culture

• Arts/Architecture
• very advanced in architecture
• built a magnificent city of temples, other public
  buildings, and roadways linking the islands and
  mainland
• built a huge pyramid in Tenochtitlan dedicated to
  Huitzilopochtli. topped with shrines and an altar
  for human sacrifice.

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Aztec

• Fall
• Unrest around Aztec territory
• In 1519, a Spanish force under the command of
  Hernán Cortés marched to Tenochtitlán.
• Cortés was greeted warmly by the Aztec king,
  Montezuma, who believed his visitor represented
  Quetzalcoatl.
• By 1520, the Aztec drove the Spaniards from the
  city
• Then Aztec died from European diseases.
• Cortés returned with help and conquered
  Tenochtitlán.

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Inca

• Rise
• late 1300s, a small community in the area of
  Cuzco, a city high in the mountains of Peru.
• 1440s, the Inca, under Pachacuti, began to
  conquer the entire region.
• Eventually went as far as Ecuador, central Chile,
  and the edge of the Amazon basin.

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Incan Culture

• Government
• The Incan state was built on war.
• Pachacuti divided the empire into four quarters
  ruled by a governor
• Quarters were divided into provinces also ruled
  by a governor
• At the top was the emperor
• believed to be descended from Inti, the sun god

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Incan Culture

• Economy/Social Structure
• agricultural, terraced fields in the mountains
  with irrigation systems
• Forced labor - All subjects served several weeks
  each year.
• moved to building projects.
• The Inca built 24,800 miles of roads.
• Rest houses and storage depots
• Bridges
• Incan society was highly regimented.
• All young men had to serve in the army
• Men and women had to marry someone from their own
  social group.
• Women either worked in the home or were
  priestesses.

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Incan Culture

• Religion
• Inti, the Sun God, was believed to be family with
  the emperors.
• They gathered in June and December to chant and
  say prayers to Inti

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Incan Culture

• Arts/Architecture
• very excelled in architecture
• solar observatory.
• kept records using quipu, a system of knotted
  strings
• court theatre, with tragedy and comedy
• recited poetry with music.
• Required conquered people learn Quechuathe
  spoken Incan language.

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Inca

• Fall
• 1531 Spanish Francisco Pizarro.
• small band of about 180 men
• Had steel weapons, gunpowder, and horses.
• Incans experienced a smallpox epidemic.
• When the emperor died, his sons fought a civil
  war for control.
• Atahuallpa won but Pizarro then captured and
  executed him.
• Pizarro captured the capital Cuzco with the help
  of Incan allies.
• By 1535, Pizarro had established a new capital at
  Lima for a new colony of the Spanish Empire