Ancient India Early Civilizations Ancient Indian Society Aryans

Ancient India

Early Civilizations Ancient Indian Society Aryans settled into India People setup towns along the Ganges River Most people farmed for a living; others specialized in carpentry or weaving; others did trade. As India’s economy grew, the social classes developed.

Varnas? There are four (4) social classes of ancient India and were called varnas. They were born into the social class. The most powerful varnas were the Brahmins (BRAH-mihns) and Kshatriyas (KSHA-tree-uhs). Brahmins were preist (performed religious ceremonies)

Kshatriyas were warriors who ran the government and army. Vaisyas (VYSH-yuhs), or commoners. Farmers, craftspeople, and merchants Sudras (SOO-druhs) were manual workers and servants who had few rights. Most Indians were in the Sudra varna. The four varna were divided into thousands of smaller groups known as jati (JAH-tee). People were based on the type of work they did. These jati had their own strict rules for diet, marriage, and social customs.

Caste (KAST) system is what scholars refer to as the varna system. People Their remain in their class for life. caste determines their work. Affects their choice in marriage partners. Untouchables is the lowest class and were not part of the caste system. They did work that the varna Indians would not do such as collect trash, skinning animals, and carrying dead bodies.

Family is the center of life. Grandparents, and children lived together in an extended family. Elders were respected. Oldest male in the family was in charge. Indian men had more rights than women. Males inherited property, unless there were no sons in the family. Men attended school or became a priest; women attended school at home.

Leading families, the boy had a guru (GUR-oo) or teacher until he attended school in the city. Young men from these family could marry ONLY after finishing 12 years of school. Parents arranged marriages for their children (even today). Early India, boys and girls married in their teens. People could not divorce.

Geography Quiz 1. Indus 2. Brahmaputra River 3. men had more rights than women. 4. Aryans 5. They were usually educated at home. 6. caste system 7. Kshatriyas 8. common people 9. arranged 10. They settled first along the Indus River and then along the Ganges River. The rivers provided water for drinking, farming and transportation.

Lesson 2 Religions of Ancient India Origins of Hinduism What are the basic beliefs of Hinduism? How did Hinduism develop? Hinduism (HIHN-doo-ih-zuhn) is one of the world’s oldest religions. It is the third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Developed from the faith of the Aryans. Sacred writings, called the Vedas, teach the key ideas of Aryan religion.

The religion changed over the years by adding parts of other Indian religions. Brahman is the core belief of Hinduism, that there is one universal spirit. Upanishads (oo-PAH-nih-SHADZ) are ancient text that describe the search for Brahman. Every living thing has a soul that is part of Brahman. At death, the soul leaves the body to rejoin with Brahman.

According to the Upanishads, the soul that becomes one with Brahman is like salt thrown into water, the salt is gone, but the water taste salty. Most Indians could not understand this concept and believed in many deities. Hindus built temples and statues to hold ceremonies. Eventually these deities became the most important: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. Over time, people began to believe these deities as different parts of the Brahman. Reincarnation Moksha (REE-ihn-kahr-NAY-shuhn) is the rebirth of the soul. is the ultimate peace.

Karma (KAHR-muh) is a force that decides the form that people will be reborn into in their next lives. The status in this life is based on what people did in their past lives: Good Bad life means a better life in the next; life means a worse life in the next.

Dharma (DAHR-muh) is the personal duty to live (earn) a better life for the next life. Indians accepted the Hindu idea that all life is sacred. Animals and people were treated with kindness and respect. Reincarnation gave hope for every walk of life that a person who leads a good life is reborn into a higher jati. How did Hinduism affect the way ancient Indians lived day to day?

Rise of Buddhism Why did Buddhism appeal to many people in various parts of Asia? In the 500 s BC, some Indians were not happy with the many ceremonies of the Hindu religion. They wanted a more simpler and spiritual faith. Many went to the forest and trained their minds to focus and think into positive ideas called meditation.

Siddhartha Gautama (sih-DAHR 0 -tuh GOW-tah-muh) was a teacher who became known as the Buddha (BOO-da) and founded the religion called Buddhism (BOO-dih-zhum). Buddhism is one of the major world religions and those who practice it live in Southeast Asia and East Asia (only a few live in India –the birthplace). Gautama was born around 563 BC, who grew up as a prince in a small kingdom near the Himalaya (Nepal).

He was rich, handsome, and happily married with a newborn son. One day, he just left to explore the life of ordinary people. He was shocked by the misery and poverty around him (beggars, the sick, and aged with no place to live). For the first time, he understood the world was filled with suffering. He gave up everything to become a monk, sought out to find the meaning of life. He would stop to preach his message which became known as Buddhism.

What did Buddha teach? He followed some of the Hindu ideas and changed others. He believed in a world of the spirit was more important than the everyday world. People cared too much about the wrong things (fame, money, and personal possessions) which filled people with bad emotions like greed or anger. Seeking spiritual truth, he believed, led to inner peace.

Four 1. Noble Truths Life is full of suffering. 2. People suffer because they desire worldly things and want to satisfy themselves. 3. TH way end suffering is to stop desiring things. 4. The only way to stop desiring things is to follow the Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold Path: 1. Know and understand the Four Noble Truths. 2. Give up worldly things and do not harm others. 3. Tell the truth, do not gossip, and do not speak badly of others. 4. Do not commit evil acts, such as killing, stealing, or living an unclean life. 5. Do rewarding work. 6. Work for good and oppose evil. 7. Make sure your mind keeps your senses under control. 8. Practice meditation to see the world in a new way.

People who have freed themselves from all earthy concerns reach nirvana (nihr-VAH-nuh). It is an emotional or spiritual state, a feeling of perfect peace and happiness. It is not a physical place. Buddhism spread to all walks of life. It placed little importance on the varna system, that people’s success in life depended on their behavior (now), and not the varna into which they were born. Buddha taught people they could end the cycle of rebirth by following the Egihtfold Path rather than their dharma.

The untouchables and Indians of the lower jati for the first time thought they could reach the enlightenment. After the Buddha’s death, people disagreed over his ideas and divided into two groups: Theravada (ther-uh-VAH-duh) Buddhists and Mahayana (mah-huh-YAHnuh) Buddhists.

Theravada Buddhism was a great teacher, but no a god. A modern religion of Sira Lanka, Cambodia, Laos.

Mahayana Buddhism Teaches The that the Buddha is a god. Eightfold Path is too difficult. Worshipping the Buddha people will go to heaven after you die, there they can follow the Eightfold Path and reach nirvana. Spread northward into China and to Korea, and Japan. A special kind of Mahayana Budhism arose in central Asian country of Tibet. Buddhist leaders lled lamas led the government of Tibet Dalai Lama led Tibet’s government and the Panchen Lama led the religion. Tibetan considered both leaders to be reincarnations of the Buddha.

Jainism What are the teachings of Jainism? Another Indian fath that started about 500 BC. There about 6 million followers today and live in India. Mahavira developed the religion. He came from a rich family and gave up his possessions. He became known as Jina or the conqueror and his followers known as Jains. Practiced strict poverty.

Ahimas (ah-HIM-sah) is the practice of nonviolence toward all living things. Believed all life is sacred –do no harm to living creatures. Mohandas Gandhi wanted to free India from England. He led nonviolent struggle against British rule. His nonviolent resistance influenced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. India eventually won its independence from England.

Lesson 3 Mauryan Empire Origin of an Empire India was divided into many kingdoms by the 500 s BC Alexander the Great conquered part of India and pulled out around 325 BC. Chandra Gupta Maura built a strong army after Alexander left. Who was Alexander the Great?

The Indian leader who conquered weak kingdoms left by Alexander the Great was Chandra Gupta Maurya. How did the Hindus in ancient India worship their deities? By building temples and statues, holding ceremonies, creating more deities that were all aspects of Brahma.

Gupta was a skilled administrator and setup a well run government. Created Why a postal system would you want to create a postal system?

Gupta’s army crushed any resistance to his rule He used spies to report any disloyalty among his subjects. Why do you think his “spy network” would keep people in line or in check?

Mauryan Empire reached its peak under Gupta’s grandson, Ashoka (273 BC to 232 BC). How many years did he rule?

Ashoka ruled with fierce wars of conquest. He looked around the battle field and saw all the dead and wounded. After realizing the horror of war, he decided to follow Buddhist teachings and became a man of peace. Made laws to encourage peace and to do good deeds. Created hospitals for people and animals. Built roads with rest houses First ruler to promote Buddhism.

Ashoka died in 232 BC. The king who followed him, lacked kindness and skills. New rules made heavy taxes for merchants and took harsh treatments. 183 the Mauryan king was murdered by one of his generals. The kingdom is split into many kingdoms.

Hinduism Study Guide Indo-European: A type of language, or group of similar languages. Subcontinent: India and several other nations make up one that is attached to Asia. Brahman: The universal spirit worshipped by Hindus. Bodhisattva: In Mahayan Buddhism, an eligtened person who does not enter heaven, but remains on earth to do good works. Pilgram: A person who travels to holy sites.

The belief that people pass through many lives is called reincarnation. Who is the Hindu deity known as “the Preserver? ” Vishm The is the Preserver. king who eventually rejected violence and embraced Buddhism is Ashoka.

Culture in Ancient India had a brilliant culture with artists, builders, writers, and scientist who made contributions. Vedas were the first works written in the Sanskrit language. Epics are sacred texts that teach important moral lessons. Mahabharata (muh-HAH-BAH-ruh-tuh) is an ancient religious epic which is the longest poem ever written (90, 000 verses).

Best known is the Bhagavad Gita or “Song of our Lord” Deity Krishna goes with a prince into battle and does want to fight because he has family on the other side. Music is a gift from the gods. Many texts were sung. Most art found today is religious art. Found in temples carved on stones.

Aryabhata contributed by using algebra. Explained theory of infinity (something that does not end) Created the “ 0” as meaning nothing. Created symbols for the numbers 1 -9 that we use today. Advances were made in astronomy and technology. Mapped the movement of the stars. Proposed the earth was round and moved around the sun.

Dental surgery performed 1600 years ago. Used the blow drill. Set broken bones, sew wounds, and performed complicated surgeries. Made scalpels and needles Dr. Shushruta repaired damaged noses (form of plastic surgery) Herbs were used to cure illnesses Healing the causes of a disease not just treating the disease itself.

Lesson Review 3 1. How would a pilgrim in ancient India use a stupa? 2. What is the Bhagavad Gita? 3. Determining Cause and Effect How did religion influence the Mauryan Empire? 4. How did the Gupta Empire grow powerful? 5. What were the written epics of the Mauryan and Gupta period? 6. You are living in India during the rule of Ashoka. Write a letter to a friend describing the things Ashoka is doing as a leader. In your letter, explain whether you think Ashoka is a great ruler.