The Harappan Civilization 3300 BCE 2400 BCE Developed

The Harappan Civilization • 3300 BCE 2400 BCE • Developed along the Indus River

Aryan Migration § pastoral depended on their cattle. § warriors horse-drawn chariots.

The Vedas § 1200 BCE-600 BCE. § written in SANSKRIT. § Hindu core of beliefs: Rig Veda oldest work. Ø hymns and poems. Ø religious prayers. Ø magical spells. Ø lists of the gods and goddesses.

Sanskrit writing

Political Development • After the Aryan invasion, circa 6 th c BCE • India in small regional kingdom • Some periods of centralized rule – Mauryans – Guptas • Most of the time decentralized

Mauryan Empire • 320 s BCE, Chandragupta Maurya filled the power gap left by Alexander the Great • Dominated the area • Set up bureaucratic administrative system • Ashoka, grandson of C. Maurya • Continued his violent approach

• Began ruling by moral example • Set up a tightly organized bureaucracy – Collected taxes – Made up of officials, accountants and soldiers • Built roads, hospitals, rest houses to facilitate trade • Codified laws • After death, India declined into land of decentralized regions once again • BUT order and stability maintained because of trade Ashoka

Gupta Empire • 320 CE India unified under the Guptas • Conquered many of the regional kingdoms • Left local government and administration in power • Declined after the invasion of the Huns in 550 CE • India reverts once again to regional kingdoms

• Benefited from expansion of agriculture and trade • Ashoka encouraged irrigation, roads, wells, inns -- caused rise of towns • Middle men on Silk Roads • Increased long-distance trade with China, SW Asia and Med. basin Economic Development

Social Structure and Gender Roles • Women – Forbidden to read sacred prayers – Legally minors – Subject to supervision of male family members – Family must provide large dowry – Not allowed to inherit property – Widows not allowed to remarry • Patriarchal society with strict social structure

Social Structure and Gender Roles • Caste System – caste = something that cannot be changed – Developed during Vedic Age • Determined job, diet, marriage • Restrictions reinforced by the ruling class • Brahmins most powerful

Culture, Arts, Science, Technology • Buddhism strengthened by Ashoka Maurya • Hinduism regains power with Guptas • Indian art stressed symbolism rather than accurate interpretation • Geometry and algebra flourished • Concept of zero, decimal system, “Arabic” numbers

Indian Art

Ancient Indian Astronomy Tool for keeping track of the conste Celestial observatory Sundial

Math • • • Decimal system 234. 567 Zero -- 0 Algorithms Arabic numerals – 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Square root -- √

Shang Dynasty - 1700 -1027 BCE Huang He River

Oracle Bones

Chinese Writing System • Each character in the Chinese language stands for one syllable or unit of language • More than 10, 000 characters • Major advantage: people all over China used the same writing system, even if they spoke different languages

Geography- Zhou

Mandate of Heaven The Zhou justified taking over from the Shang by saying that they had lost divine approval to rule

Zhou Dynasty 1029 -258 BCE • • Leaders/Traits - Walled cities - Trade routes between cities - Mandate of Heaven - Feudalism Philosophy • - Daoism/Taoism - Laozi – 500’s BCE • - Confucianism – Analects – Chaotic government as Zhou was in decline – 522 BCE

Confucianism • Based on five relationships – – Ruler/subject Husband/wife Father/son Older brother/younger brother – Friend/friend • Not a religion • Women were subservient to men • Wanted to reform society by showing rulers how to govern wisely • Laid groundwork for creation of a bureaucracy [a trained civil service who runs the government] • Examination system

Qin Shi Huangdi 1 st Emperor Ruthless—Totalitarian Legalism adopted Qin Dynasty Territorial Expansion begins 214 221 -206 BCE Book burning-213 BCE Standardized weights and measures Single money system Uniform writing system Postal system Great Wall Bankrupted China Pottery Army-210 BCE Forced labor § First time China united as one empire

Great Wall

Chinese Inventions • • Paper Gunpowder Compass Two-bladed plow – allows for increased food production • Printing • Crossbow