Ancient India

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Ancient India Indo-Europeans, Aryans, and Hittites
Ancient India Indo-Europeans, Aryans, and Hittites
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Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
1. Identify geographic factors - the Indus and
Ganges rivers, the Himalayas, and the Khyber
pass. 2. Identify key terms Indo-Europeans,
Aryans, Caste system. 3. Explore the
contributions of the first Indian civilizations
at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. 4. Explore the
accomplishments of the Hittites and the
Indo-European/Aryan invaders. 5. Students will
learn to read a migration chart and a language
chart.
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Geography
Geography

• Ganges river forms a fertile farming valley.
• Indus river- farming region that produces wheat.
• Climate is impacted by monsoons.

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Geography
Geography

• The two key mountain chains are
• Hindu Kush this includes the Khyber Pass
• Himalayas-highest mountains in the world.

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Indo-European Languages
Indo-European Languages
Balto-Slavik
Indo-Iranian
Greek
Hittite
Armenian
Slavik
Baltic
Indic
Iranian
Polish Czech Russian Ukrainian Macedonian
Latvian Lithuanian
Hindi Urdu Punjabi Bengali
Persian Kurdish
Italic
Germanic
Celtic
Latin
Danish Swedish Norwegian English Dutch Afrikaans G
erman
Breton Welsh Irish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic
French Portuguese Spanish Italian Romanian
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Mohenjo-Dara and Harappa
Mohenjo-Dara and Harappa

• Indias 1st civilizations.
• Populations of 35,000-40,000.
• Carefully planned and developed.
• Advanced drainage and sewage systems.

Images of ancient Mohenjo-Daro.
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Mohenjo-Dara and Harappa
Mohenjo-Dara and Harappa

• Rulers were both the religious and political
  leaders.
• Palace and temple combined in the Citadel or
  fortress.

Streets in Mohenjo-Daro
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Mohenjo-Dara and Harappa
Mohenjo-Dara and Harappa

• Believed in many gods and goddesses.
• Most important were the gods of fertility and the
  harvest.
• Strong farming regions near the Indus that
  produced wheat, barley and peas.

Shiva and Mother Parvati
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Indo European and Aryan Migrations
Indo European and Aryan Migrations
What does it mean to migrate?
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Indo-Europeans- The Hittites
Indo-Europeans- The Hittites

• Anatolia was their capital, and they also
  controlled the ancient city of Babylon
• Spoke the Babylonian language Akkadian.
• Adopted the Babylonian culture
• Ruled for 450 years

Map showing the extent of the Hittite empire.
Courtesy Wikipedia commons.
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The Hittites
The Hittites

• Legal code was more lenient than Hammurabis
  code.
• Iron chariots and weapons of iron gave them an
  edge.
• Negotiated an alliance or treaty with the
  Egyptians.

Hittite soldiers above.
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Indo European and Aryan Invaders
Indo European and Aryan Invaders

• The Vedic Period - 1500-1000 BC- Invaders
  breached the Khyber Pass in the Hindu Kush Mtns.
• Conquered the Indus valley region of India.
• War-like and pastoral people.

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Indo European and Aryan Invaders
Indo European and Aryan Invaders

• Aryan Kings or Leaders were called Rajas
  (princes)
• India was made of warring kingdoms and shifting
  alliances.

An Indian Raja and Princess.
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Indo European and Aryan Invaders
Indo European and Aryan Invaders

• Iron tools plow, etc, made them good farmers.
• They produced rice, wheat, barley, millet.
• Spices included cinnamon, pepper, and ginger.

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Indo European and Aryan Invaders
Indo European and Aryan Invaders

• Writing Sanskrit
• Top works include The Vedas - A collection of
  hymns that form the foundation of the religion of
  Hinduism.

Selections from the Rig Veda above, courtesy
Wikipedia Commons.
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Indo European and Aryan Invaders
Indo European and Aryan Invaders
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Religions in India
Religions in India

• The dominant religion in the region is Hinduism
  which was brought in by the original Aryan
  invaders.
• With the birth of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) in
  600 BC, the religion of Buddhism was also
  introduced in India.

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Religions in India
Religions in India

• Aryans brought with them a strong oral tradition,
  and religion.
• These became the foundation for the religion of
  Hinduism.
• They established a social institution and class
  system caste system.

Vedas
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The Caste System
The Caste System

• Impact of the Caste System
• Position in society based on skin color.
• Occupation, and economic status are determined by
  your caste.
• This will also determine who you marry.

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Aryan Social Classes
Aryan Social Classes

1. Brahmins priests
2. Kshatriyas rulers and warriors
3. Vaishyas peasants and traders
4. Shudras - laborers

• You are born into a caste for life.
• It determines who you will marry, the job you
  will have, and the people you are allowed to
  associate with.
• Higher castes are concerned with ritual purity.

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The Untouchables
The Untouchables
The lowest social class were known as
untouchables because they did the dirtiest work
that was considered unclean and impure. They were
butchers, gravediggers, and trash collectors.
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Family Life in India
Family Life in India

• Patriarchal men are educated and allowed to
  inherit.
• Women - no status, and daughters were an
  financial drain. (Dowry).
• Suttee wife throws herself onto the pyre of her
  dead husband.

A Hindu widow commits sati above. A Rajput girl
right.
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Indo European and Aryan Invaders
Indo European and Aryan Invaders

• One of the most influential leaders of India for
  all times, was the 5th century ruler, Asoka.
• During the reign of Asoka, Buddhism spread to
  different parts of the world, and large parts of
  India were united for the first time.

Asoka Maurya above. Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Commons.
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Indo European and Aryan Invaders
Indo European and Aryan Invaders

• Babur was the leader of the Mughal Empire. It was
  the last great native ruling family in India
  prior to the British takeover.
• The Mughals or Moguls were Islamic and very
  warlike.

Map showing the expansion of territory under the
Moguls. Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
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The Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal

• Poetry in marble.The most famous tomb in the
  world.
• Built in 1631-38 AD by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
  in honor of his beloved wife.
• She asked him to build a tomb in her memory such
  as the world had never seen before.

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Check for Understanding
Check for Understanding

1. Name the two rivers that supported the first
   civilizations in India.
2. Describe what could be found in Mohenjo-Daro.
3. What key contribution do we get from the Aryans?
4. What is the caste system?
5. What two religions came out of this culture?