WHI 04 ad PERSIA INDIA PERSIAN EMPIRE WHI

WHI. 04 a-d PERSIA & INDIA

PERSIAN EMPIRE WHI. 04 a

Persian Empire � Built on earlier Central Asian and Mesopotamian Civilizations, Persia developed the largest empire in the world (at that time). � Captured: �Babylon �Assyria �Palestine �Egypt �Anatolia �NEVER Greece � Modern day Iran

Characteristics of the Persian Empire � Tolerance of conquered peoples �Allowed conquered to keep their own culture � Developed an imperial bureaucracy �An Empire is broken into 20 provinces which are ruled by a governor (SATRAP) who reports to the Emperor

Characteristics of the Persian Empire � Royal Road �Major trade route � 1, 677 miles long �Sardis, Anatolia to Susa, Persia � Practice of ZOROASTRIANISM �Religion of Persia �Founded by Zoroaster �Belief in two opposing forces in the universe �Similar concepts to others (heaven, hell, final judgment)

ROYAL ROAD

CLASSICAL INDIA WHI. 04 b-d

Geography of India � Physical Barriers �Himalayas Mountains (NE) �Hindu Kush Mountains (NW) �Arabian Sea (SW) �Indian Ocean (S) �Bay of Bengal (SE) � Physical barriers made India a SUBCONTINENT �Large land mass due to physical barriers develop a its own unique culture

India Geography � Mountain passes in the Hindu Kush provided migration routes into the India subcontinent �KHYBER PASS

India Geography � River Valleys �Indus and Ganges � Indus River �Flows out of Hindu Kush Mountains and into Arabian Sea �First Indian Civilizations develop along Indus � Ganges River �Flows out of Himalayas and into Bay of Bengal �Becomes important to Hindus

Indus Valley Civilization � Two major cities along the Indus �Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro � Farming communities �Traded with Mesopotamians

Indus Valley Civilization � Complex street system �City blocks � Advance sewer system �Allowed bath water and human waste to be taken away from house �Benefits of hygiene

Gateway and Drain at Harappa

Collapse of Indus Valley � Aryans (Indo-Aryans) migrated from the Steppes (area north of the Black Sea) and crossed the Hindu Kush into the Indus Valley

Indo-Aryans � Asserted � Created their dominance the caste system �Placed Aryans in upper class and natives in lower � Blended their beliefs with those of the native Indus population

Caste System � Created first to dominate Indus population �Aryans were given higher castes �Non-Aryan given lower castes � Castes were hereditary �Born in a caste, die in that caste � Eventually blended into religion for reinforcement.

Collapse of Indus Valley � With invasion of Indo-Aryans culture of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro fades away � No specific evidence of what happened to the two ancient cities

Mauryan Dynasty � Created by Chandragupta Maurya � Empire united the Indus and Ganges River Valleys

Mauryan Dynasty � Asoka Mauryan expanded empire south �(grandson of Chandragupta Maurya) � Mauryan Dynasty controlled MOST of India � After Asoka’s death dynasty fell into rebellion ending the Mauryan Dynasty

� Contributions of Mauryan Dynasty Spread of Buddhism �Asoka converted to Buddhism from Hinduism after seeing all the death and destruction he caused �Spread throughout India and beyond through trade routes � Free hospitals � Veterinary clinics � Improved roads

Gupta Dynasty � Came into power after the fall of the Mauryan Dynasty � Gupta Dynasty was created by Chandra Gupta Empire was only in northern India around the Indus and Ganges River Valleys

Gupta Dynasty � Characterized by peace and prosperity � Golden Age of India � Contributions �Mathematics: Concept of zero �Medical Advances: Set broken bones �Astronomy: Idea of Earth being round �New Textiles: Cotton �Literature: Mahabharata

Religions of India � Hinduism � Buddhism

Hinduism � Influenced ancient Indian culture and society and is still practiced today �A blend of Aryan and Non-Aryan beliefs

Characteristics of Hinduism � Beliefs in many forms of one god �Polytheism (Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva) � Reincarnation �Belief in rebirth of one’s soul �Based on Karma �Thoughts and actions will result in future consequences � Holy Texts �VEDAS and UPANISHADS � Spreads along major trade routes but stays mostly in India

Buddhism � Founded by Siddhartha Gautama in what is now Nepal �Became known as Buddha (Enlightened One) � Becomes a major faith after Asoka sent Buddhist missionaries throughout India

Characteristics of Buddhism � Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) � Four Noble Truths � Everyone suffers � Suffer because of desire � End suffering, must end desire � Follow Eight Fold Path � Right view � Right intention � Right speech � Right action � Right livelihood � Right effort � Right mindfulness � Right concentration

Spread of Buddhism � Spreads Road � Reaches �SE Asia �China �Korea �Japan through Asia due to trade on the Silk