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The Bronze Age. Indus Valley. Geography. Just south of the Himalaya is the rich valley of the Ganges River, one of the most important regions of Indian culture. Monsoons are the most important feature of Indian Climate, they are seasonal winds, Southwest monsoons bring heavy spring rains.
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The Bronze Age Indus Valley
Geography • Just south of the Himalaya is the rich valley of the Ganges River, one of the most important regions of Indian culture. • Monsoons are the most important feature of Indian Climate, they are seasonal winds, Southwest monsoons bring heavy spring rains
Geography • The Indian subcontinent is located along the southern edge of Asia. • In the north are the highest mountains in the world, the Himalaya Mountains separate India from Asia
Indus Valley Civilization • Early civilization in India developed in the Indus River valley. • A civilization flourished there from 3000 to 1500 B.C. • The advanced civilization that flourished for hundreds of years in these cities is called the Harappa or Indus civilization.
Cities • Two sites have ruins of the major cities Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. • The cities had a grid of streets and were divided into walled neighborhoods. Ruins of Indus River City
Cities • Buildings were constructed of mud bricks. • Public wells supplied water, and bathrooms used an advanced drainage system. • A chute system took household trash to public garbage bins. Young man walking through ruins of Indus City.
Indus Valley Economy • The Harappa economy depended on agriculture • The Indus valley civilization traded extensively with Mesopotamia.
Invaders change the face of Indus Valley • Aryan invaders ended the civilization of the Indus River valley by conquering the Harappa. • The Aryans were a nomadic Indo-European people living in central Asia.
Writing • As nomads, the Aryans had no written language. • They developed their first written language, Sanskrit, around 1000 B.C. Song Written in Sanskrit
Indus Valley Social Classes • The Aryan conquest had a lasting effect on India. • The meeting of conquered and conqueror created a set of social institutions and class divisions that last to this day. • The caste system was one of the most important Indian social creations. • There were five major classes, or castes.
Indus Valley Social Classes • Caste System: a rigid hierarchy of classes that determines a person’s occupation, economic potential, and social status. • You are born in to these castes. • You can not move up or down. • You must do good and be reborn in to a new caste level.
Indus Valley Society • The ideal was to have an extended family of three generations under one roof. • Males dominated society – women were looked at as a burden and married off early
Indus Valley Religion • The religion of Hinduism is based on Aryan religious beliefs. • We know about Aryan religious beliefs from the Vedas, a collection of hymns and ceremonies. • Hinduism is the ONLY religion that evolved with no specific founder
Hinduism • A polytheistic religion • Over time, three of the most important gods merged together to create a three-part deity called Brahman • Brahma (creator) • Vishnu (protector) • Shiva (destroyer)
Indus Valley Religion • “good karma”—rewarded by improvement in status in reincarnation • “bad karma”—punished by degradation of status in reincarnation • Reincarnation • Each soul is reborn in the body of some other creature over and over again • A person’s actions (karma) determines the form of that person’s reincarnation
Indus Valley Religion In the sixth century B.C., a new doctrine called Buddhism appeared in northern India and rivaled Hinduism.
Different Faces of Buddha Japanese • Its founder was Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (“Enlightened One”). • Siddhartha lived a privileged, sheltered life among great wealth. He was born a prince. • He took a trip and saw how people suffered & rejected the caste system India China
Indus Valley Religion Included nonviolence, rejection of selfish desires, cultivating compassion and honesty, cleansing mind of evil thoughts, etc. • Gurus appear around 600 BC who argued that Hinduism had become too materialistic and that people should be more spiritual • Nirvana—permanent escape from the wheel of suffering • Attainment of permanent peace and tranquility
Buddha The Man • Buddha practiced what he preached • Only owned simple robe, walking stick, and wooden bowl • Always slept outside and walked everywhere he went • Presented his creed in a simple language • Treated all persons equally • Many people attracted to him as a result • Millions of converts across Asia
