Chapter 3

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Closer to other civilizations
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Influenced by Middle Eeast
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Forced to react and adapt
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Topography
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Protected by Himalaya/Hindu Kush Mountains
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Peninsular subcontinent
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Did create difficulty in political unity
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Major River systems – Indus, Ganges

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Mountainous North
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Herding societies/agriculture difficult
Southern Deccan
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Monsoon climate
Lavish agriculture
Problems with separate regions
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Economic diversity
Racial differences
Language difference

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Aryan migrants
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Hunters/herders
Knowledge passed down through epics
Written in Sanskrit
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The Vedas
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Mahabharata
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Ramayana
Upanishads
Settlement
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Villages/communal living
Patriarchal societies

BRAHMIN
(Priests)
KSHATRIYA
(Rulers/Warrior/Governing)
VAISYAS
(Traders/Farmers)
SUDRAS
(Common Laborers)
UNTOUCHABLES

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Most rigid of all classic civilizations
Castes are hereditary
Intermarriage forbidden – punishable by death
Untouchable status could be achieved by offending family, breaking law, etc.
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Cleaning up garbage/animal waste
Transporting the dead
Beggars
Subgroups
Hinduism – Reincarnation, changing cast

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Aryans brought polytheistic deities to India
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Upanishads
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Hymns
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Sacrificial rituals
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Sacred Animals – monkey/cattle
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Brahmin caste enforced ritual
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Unifying divine force, seek union with that force

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Sixteen major states
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Monarchies
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Republics
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Ruled by warriors/priests
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Frequent Invasion, eras marked by invasions
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Chandragupta Mauryan –Mauryan dynasty, 322
BCE
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First unified subcontinent

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Large armies
Developed bureaucracy
Highly autocratic; relied on military for power
Government based on ruler’s personal style
Ashoka
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Grandson of Chandragupta
Influence by nature/spiritualism
Rapid, violent expansion
Converted to Buddhism
Trade networks improved, built roads

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Come to power 320 CE
No powerful single rulers, great impact
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Negotiate with local princes
Did not rely on militarism to extended empire
Political stability/peace/prosperity
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Gold Age
Supported university, arts, literature
Powers shared and delegated between the empire and the smaller kingdoms
Local rulers, autonomy

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Varied by region
Strong kings/princes
Aristocratic assemblies
Not an elaborate political culture
Little theory
Kautilya – how to maintain power
Civil service seen as unimportant
Buddhism not cohesive with political affairs

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Local governments; diversity
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Caste system
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Strong regulation of social life and behavior, government/laws unnecessary
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Actually promoted tolerance
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Slavery avoided

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Hinduism/Buddhism unifies people
Survived invasion; adapted
Continuity of culture despite political shifts

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Origins in Vedic and Epic ages
Rig-veda – creation hymn
No single founder, no central holy figure
Grew gradually
Ritualistic ceremonies performed by Brahmins
Mysticism
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Artha – political and economic goals
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Karma – fortune and luck
Adaptable, tolerant

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Elaborate leadership
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Scholars
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Nature of gods altered from nature to abstract
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Ex. Varuna (sky to right and wrong)
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Epic poems stress gentle and generous behavior
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Upanishads down play importance of wealth
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Each person’s soul part of the universe

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Satisfying rules of conduct
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Incorporated previous and future religions
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Easily adaptable; many possible paths of worship
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Caste system

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Goal is to seek union with Brahman, who is manifested in the many
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Vishnu – preserver
Shiva – destroyer
Gurus
Reincarnation
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Soul travels depend on reincarnation
Meditation/yoga
Prayer
Refrain from beef
Cremation
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Destruction of the human vessel aids in reincarnation

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Serve family
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Earn a living
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Serve in army when necessary
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Do duty in all things
 i.e. ok to kill family according to Bhagavad-Gita
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No written ethical codes like say The Ten
Commandments

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Developed around 563 BC
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Siddhartha Gautama
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The Enlightened One, or Buddha
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Differences from Hinduism
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Disagreed with caste system
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Worldly desires lead to pain
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Destruction of desire leads to nirvana
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Does not require ritual or priests

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Literature
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More on human life, entertainment
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Epic poetry
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“The Laws of Love”
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Romantic adventures
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Art
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Stupa
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Stylized (unrealistic)
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Celebratory of nature and religion

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Science
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State Supported university –astronomy and medicine
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Religion against dissections
Bone setting, plastic surgery, sterilization
Mathematics
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Concept of zero
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Decimal system
Negative numbers
Square roots
Pi

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Castes separate
Different punishments for crimes depending on caste
Patriarchal hierarchy
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Arranged marriages
Wife worship husband as a god
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Suttee
Children indulged and then expected to work hard

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One of the first chemical industries, steel
Textile trade
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Cotton, calico, cashmere
Tamil traders
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Cotton, silk, dyes, drugs
(opium), gold, ivory
Most lived subsistence lives – enough to live on