Classical India
Chapter 3
Pg. 56-74
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Geography & Formative Period
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Geography
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Well positioned for trade
Diverse landscape results in regionalism
Monsoon climate
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Heavy summer rains during June, July, August
Dry season with almost no rain from Sept to May
Extreme impacts on agriculture
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Geography & Formative Period
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Formative Periods
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Vedic Age (1500-1000 BCE)
Epic Age (1000-600 BCE)
Resulted in creation of early forms of key cultural
traits:
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caste system
polytheistic religion
Patterns in Classical India
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1500-600BCE:
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600-322BCE:
Regional states dominate plains
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322-232BCE:
Mauryan Empire
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Vedic & Epic Ages
Autocratic rule, Buddhist
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232BCE-320CE:
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320-535CE:
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Regionalism reemerges (Kushans)
Gupta Empire
Decentralized rule, Hindu
Political Institutions
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Most persistent political feature of India is
regionalism
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However, some centralization did occur
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Example: Gupta promotion of Sanskrit & law code
Caste system provided local control &
regulation often fulfilled by gov
Question
Even though the Maurya and Gupta empires were
highly influential, Indian history largely is
characterized by small regional kingdoms.
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Why do you think large empires did not "take
hold" in India as they did in other parts of the
world?
What is unusual or significant about Indian
culture in this respect?
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Religion & Culture
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Hinduism evolved overtime yielding
remarkable complexity & diversity
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Forms of Worship:
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Ritualistic, ceremonial worship (brahmins)
Mystical search for divine essence (gurus)
Belief structure:
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Brahma
Vishnu
Shiva
millions of local deities
world of humans:
dharma
fulfillment of life roles
karma
reincarnation
death
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Religion & Culture
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Buddhism founded by Siddartha Gautama in
536 BCE in response to Hinduism
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Questioned fairness of misery believing the
material world caused human suffering
Adopted Hindu ideas of mysticism &
reincarnation;
Rejected caste, rituals, priests
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Religion & Culture
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Art & Science flourished in Indian culture
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Literature:
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Science:
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Math:
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Art:
Economy & Society
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Caste system & agriculture provided basic
framework of hierarchy
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Patriarchal but with greater emotional ties to
women & children
Economy firmly subsistence agriculture but
with significant trade & manufacturing
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Key good = cotton textiles
Merchants valued
Indian Influence
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Indian Ocean was the key linkage among
cultures
Trade carried Indian creativity, goods,
religions from Africa & Middle East to SE Asia
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Buddhism, Hinduism, Art to SE Asia
Buddhism, Art to China
India & China
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Differences:
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Similarities:
Global Connections
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Indian civilization was pivotal to cultural
exchange largely through Indian Ocean &
Silk Road
Question
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Explain how …
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Hinduism changed and stayed the same between
1500 BCE and 535 CE
Buddhism changed and stayed the same between
536 BCE and 535 CE