SOUTH
ASIA
WARM-UP 4/7- NAME 3 PHYSICAL
FEATURES THAT YOU THINK ARE
IMPORTANT TO THE REGION.
SOUTH ASIA
Subcontinent- a large landmass that is smaller than a
continent
• South Asia is sometimes called a subcontinent or the Indian
subcontinent
South Asia includes the following countries:
• India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and
the Maldives
The region has more than one billion inhabitants- 1/5 of the
world’s population
SOUTH ASIA
Millions of years ago, the land of South Asia was part of East
Africa.
It split off and drifted northward and collided with Central
Asia
• The collision created the Himalayan Mountains
• The Himalayan Mountains contain the world’s highest
mountains
• Mt. Everest- the world’s tallest peak
The Hindu Kush mountains are at the west end of the
Himalayas
SOUTH ASIA
Southern Plateaus
• The Deccan Plateau
• Covers a lot of India
• Arid region
SOUTH ASIA
Rivers, Deltas, and Plains
• Three great river systems
• Indus
• Ganges
• Brahmaputra
• Have their origins in the Himalayas
• Fertile plains
• These rivers provide crucial irrigation for agricultural lands
• Alluvial Plains- lands that are rich farmlands
• Indo-Gangetic Plain- one of the worlds most fertile farming
regions and one of the most heavily populated in India
SOUTH ASIA
Off shore islands• Sri Lanka
• Tear shaped island off the coast of India
• The Maldives
• Archipelago- group of islands
SOUTH ASIA
Natural Resources
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South Asia is home to a wide variety of natural resources
Rich soil for agriculture
Waterways provide transportation
Forests provide timber
Minerals
SOUTH ASIA
Climate and vegetation
• Climate regions: tropical wet, tropical wet and dry, desert,
semiarid, humid subtropical, highland
• Vegetation: Tropical rain forest, tropical grassland, desert and
dry shrub, temperate grassland, deciduous and mixed forest,
highland
SOUTH ASIA
Monsoons and Cyclones
• Monsoons- seasonal winds
• October-February, dry winds blow across South Asia from the
northeast
• June-September, the winds blow in from the southwest,
bringing moist ocean air
• Heavy rains fall, especially in southwestern and Ganges Delta
portions of South Asia
• The rainfall is crucial to life on the subcontinent, but the
monsoons can cause severe hardship for millions
SOUTH ASIA
Monsoons and Cyclones
• Cyclones- a violent storm with fierce winds and heavy rain
• Most destructive in Bangladesh
• A severe cyclone can cause widespread damage and kill
thousands
WHERE IN THE
WORLD WEDNESDAY
WHERE IN THE
WORLD WEDNESDAY
1. What landmark is it?
1. Taj Mahal
2. Where is it located?
1. India
3. Which culture created it?
1. Commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah
Jahan to house the remains of his cherished wife
4. Why was it created?
1. It was built to house the remains of his cherished wife
5. What defining characteristics standout to you?
NOTABLE PHYSICAL
FEATURES
• Ganges River
• Himalayas
• Indus River Valley
• Assignment- use your atlas and/or textbook to fill out the
graphic organizer
GANGES RIVER
• Location
• Located in northern India, the river flows form the
Himalayas eastward to the Bay of Bengal
• Calcutta is a major population center
• How does the physical environment affect settlement
patterns in this area?
• High population density along the river and its delta region
due to water accessibility and fertile lands
• Water provides irrigation for agriculture
HIMALAYAS
• Location
• Located along the countries of Pakistan, India, Nepal, and
Bhutan
• Southern boundary of the Plateau of Tibet
• Tallest mountains in the world
• How does the physical environment affect settlement
patterns in this area?
• Remote landlocked villages
• Lack of mobility and trade routes decrease the amount of
settlement
INDUS RIVER VALLEY
• Location
• Located in Pakistan, the Indus River flows from the
Himalayas to the Arabian Sea through the valley
• Karachi is a major port city
• How does the physical environment affect settlement
patterns in this area?
• Large population centers
• Fertile soils and rich alluvial plains
• Afghanistan
• Indus River
• Bangladesh
• Ganges River
• Bhutan
• Arabian Sea
• India
• Bay of Bengal
• Maldives
• Indian Ocean
• Nepal
•
• Pakistan
• Hindu Kush
• Sri Lanka
• Mt. Everest
• Brahmaputra River
Himalayas
WARM-UP 4/8
• What physical features affect settlement
patterns in South Asia? How do they
affect settlement patterns in the region?
INDIA
• Ganges River and Deccan Plateau promote settlement
• Great Indian Desert does not promote settlement
• Monsoons create a wet and dry season
• Fertile soils (forests and plains)
• Coal, iron ore, natural gas, arable land
• Most people are in agriculture
• Major population areas- Delhi- Ganges Plain, Calcuttanear the mouth of the Ganges, Chennai and Mumbaicoastal cities
• Issues- soil erosion, air pollution, water pollution, growing
population overstraining natural resources
NEPAL
• Himalayas do not promote settlement
• Highlands and humid subtropical
• Affected by monsoons
• Resources- Quartz and water
• Most people are involved in agriculture
• Population areas- Kathmandu-capital
• Issues- deforestation, polluted water, agricultural runoff,
landlocked
THE MALDIVES
• Coral islands- not heavily populated area
• Tropical affected by monsoons
• Resources- fish
• Most people involved in agriculture, tourism is also a large
economic activity
• Population area- Male- capital city
• Issues- tsunami devastation, climate change
SRI LANKA
• Island nation
• Tropical, affected by monsoons
• Resources- limestone, granite, uranium
• Most people involved in agriculture
• Population center- Colombo the capital
• Issues- Deforestation, climate change, pollution
PAKISTAN
• Indus River Valley promotes settlement
• Mountains in north limit settlement
• Mostly hot, dry climate and arctic in the north limits
settlement away form the Indus River Valley
• Resources- land and natural gas
• Most people are involved in agriculture
• Population centers- Karachi (coastal, Arabian Sea), Lahore
(northeast near Indian border)
• Issues- water pollution and limited freshwater
BANGLADESH
• Brahmaputra River delta promotes settlement
• Tropical climate, mild winters, hot summers, affected by
monsoons
• Resources- natural gas, arable land
• Most people work in agriculture
• Population centers- Dhaka (capital)- along the river near
the bay
• Issues- flood prone lands have heavy populations, water
pollution, soil degradation, severe overpopulation
WARM-UP 4/13- WHAT MAJOR RELIGIONS
ARE PRACTICED IN SOUTH ASIA?
CULTURAL HEARTH
Early cultures developed along Indus River
Major religions emerged
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Islam
HINDUISM
• Not just a religion- also
determines social and economic
elements
• Hindu Religion
• Major faith of India and Nepal
• Forms of worship differ by
region
• Over 33,333 gods due to
the different denominations
• Complicated faith without a
uniformly accepted belief
system
BASIC HINDU BELIEFS
Reincarnation
• Living things have souls, upon death
souls transfer into new living creature
Karma
• Every action brings certain results
• No escaping consequences of one’s
actions
Dharma
• Set of rules that need to be followed to be
reincarnated up a caste
BUDDHISM
• Philosophy that began in India
• Based on the teaching of Siddhartha Gautama
(Buddha)
– Objects to the harsh features of Hinduism
based on caste
• Focus on knowledge- esp. self knowledge
• Eliminate worldly desires- peaceful
• Goal to reach enlightenment- reincarnated until
fully reached
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
• Life is difficult
• All hardships and suffering comes from
inappropriate desire
• To avoid suffering, avoid inappropriate
craving
• To stop inappropriate craving, follow the
Eightfold Noble Path.
THE EIGHTFOLD NOBLE PATH
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Proper views
Proper aspirations
Proper speech
Proper conduct
Proper livelihood
Proper effort
Proper mindfulness
Proper meditation
ISLAM
• Arrival of Islam
• Around 700 A.D. Arab
armies conquered
lower Indus Valley
• Mughal Empire, a
powerful Muslim state,
dominated
• Conversion in
northwest (Pakistan)
and Northeast
(Bangladesh) and
island nations
(Maldives/Sri Lanka)
OTHER RELIGIONS
• Jainism
• Religion that emerged around 500 B.C. as protest
to orthodox Hinduism
• Stressed extreme non-violence
• Sikhism
• Faith incorporating elements of Hinduism and
Islam
• Monotheistic and believes in reincarnation
• Originated in Punjab in 1400s
• Sikh men noted for work as soldiers and
bodyguards
OTHER RELIGIONS
• Zoroastrian
• Ancient religion focusing on struggle between good
and evil
• Found in Mumbai area
• Christians
• British missionaries converted animists to
Protestantism
LEARNING TASK
Fill in the boxes with the following religion:
• Big boxes: Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism
• Small boxes: Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Sikhism, Christianity
For each religion:
• Write one sentence summarizing the major ideas.
• Draw one picture associated with the religion
• Write where you find it
Hinduism
Islam
Buddhism
Zoroastrianism
Sikhism
Jainism
Christianity
Comparison of Hinduism and Islam
•Hindus tend to be vegetarians
(ahimsa and reincarnation
beliefs foster this)
•Cows are sacred animals
•Believe in reincarnation
•Brahman, if it is God, is an
impersonal one
•Follow caste system – no
social or religious mobility
within one lifetime
•Formerly practiced sati
(widow would throw herself on
husband’s funeral pyre)
Globalization & Diversity: Rowntree, Lewis,
•Muslims see Hindus as
polytheistic infidels not to be
tolerated
•Muslims eat meat (cows) –
not pork
•Muslims are strict
monotheists
•Muslims believe in a personal
God
•Muslims reject the concept of
castes – equality of believers
•Reject reincarnation
WARM-UP 4/14
A caste system is the way the people in the Indus River
Valley civilization were divided up into social classes.
• Using the groups (jocks, artsy students, etc., I know it’s
stereotypical…) that exist in Ellison High School, create
the way you believe the caste system here would go.
Must include 6 different levels.
EARLY
HISTORY
EARLY HISTORY
Started out as civilization with many nomadic tribes
spread throughout
Aryans invaded.
• Aryans were a race mixed from Indo-European races
• Rajas fought one another trying to gain more power
and area.
POLITICAL SYSTEMS
Mauryan Dynasty
• First Indian Dynasty
• Came together to protect themselves from
Alexander the Great
Asoka
• Kind ruler
• Led to India becoming major cross-roads
ECONOMICS
Focused on farming
Silk Road
• Helped with trade to Mesopotamia and China
 Science:


CONTRIBUTIONS
Knew Earth was a sphere and rotated on
axis
Knew it revolved around the sun
 Algebra:

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Aryabhata discovered it
Concept of “zero”
Sanskrit: writing system
began by Aryan scribes.
Vedas: Hindu hymns
and religious
ceremonies
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Family is very important
• Grandparents, parents and children all lived together
• Oldest male had say in the household
Women’s dominance by man
• Only males could inherit property, unless special
situations
• Divorce not allowed
• Suttee
CASTE SYSTEM
 Social
hierarchy
began in Ancient
India
 Based on Hindu
faith
 Classes were
determined based
off of birth


You were born into
your caste and
couldn’t move up
Belief in
reincarnation- able
to move up if live
life well
CASTE SYSTEM
Different castes had
different jobs and roles in
Brahman
society
Priests and
Teachers
Kshatriya
Rulers and warriors
Vaishya
Working class- trade, business, officials
Sudra
Peasants, artisans, and manual workers
Untouchables
Dirty jobs- Outcasts- Dalits
CASTE SYSTEM
 Caste
system ruled Indian society for thousands of
years
 During colonization by Europeans the caste system
was used to help governments control people
 In 1947 the Indian government got rid of the
mandatory separation of classes
 Today, the idea of caste system is banned, but is still
evident in the way that society interacts
TODAY’S ACTIVITY
Fill out the caste system. For each box:
• Write the name of the class
• Explain the jobs associated with this class
Pick one of the following assignments for
each level.
Be sure to label which class you are doing
in which box!
• 1 – Draw a picture of what someone in this
social class dresses like
• 2- write two sentences describing how you
feel about other classes
• 3- create a timeline detailing what your
typical day would look like as someone of
this particular class
• 4- explain how religion is important to
someone in this class
• 5- draw a picture of you at work in this
class
HISTORYCOLONIZATION
The British colonized the region in the late 1800’s to exploit
the abundant natural resources
Indians tried to fight against British rule, but were
unsuccessful and they were placed under a system called the
British Raj- as a result many Indians were discriminated
against and lived in poverty
• Mohandas K. Gandhi led revolution against British control in
the 1930’s and 40’s.
• India achieved independence in 1947
• Gandhi used nonviolent resistance- a protest movement that
does not use violence to achieve its goals.
HISTORYCOLONIZATION/PARTITIO
N
The end of British rule in 1947 brought partition- or division
of British India
• After the British left India, Pakistan split from India and a few
years later Pakistan itself divided to create Bangladesh
• Partition led to a lot of violence between Muslims and Hindus
• About 1 million people died in the conflict
MODERN DAY
Modern day challenges include poverty, overcrowding,
ethnic/religious conflicts, and economic development.
India is the second most populated nation in the world with
over 1.2 billion
India spends a lot of its annual health-care budget
encouraging Indians to have smaller families
Education- essential to break the cycle of poverty and
provide South Asians with the means to raise their standard
of living
INDIA
India became a democratic republic in 1950
Population of more than 1 billion- the world’s largest
democracy
Like the U.S.- India has a federation of states held together
by a strong central government
Like Britain- they have a parliamentary democracy
• The leader of the majority party in parliament becomes prime
minister and head of the government
INDIA
Many different ethnic, cultural, and religious factors influence
politics
• Hindus and MuslimsIndia is mainly
Hindu, but do have
a large number of
Muslims therefore
they must take their
interests into account
INDIA
Economics
• Another challenge of India is to promote economic growth and
raise standards of living
• India has one of the world’s largest income, but per capita
income is low
• About half of India’s people live in poverty
• About two-thirds rely on farming- majority of farms are very
small
• The Green Revolution- scientists introduced new farming
techniques and higher-yielding grain varieties to improve
production
INDIA
Cotton textiles are also very important in India
India is also a major producer of iron and steel, chemicals,
machinery, and food products
INDIA
Modern life
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Marriage and family are at the center of Indian life
Families are large
Some still have arranged marriages
Marriage is male-dominated
Divorce is rare
Most Indians eat a vegetarian diet based on rice, legumes,
and flatbreads
• Some Indians eat meat, fish, and chicken, often in spicy
dishes called curry
INDIA
Modern life
• Popular sports- soccer, field hockey, and cricket
• As the economy changes, more people are finding work in
factories and offices
• Education is important for change in India
• Literacy rate has risen steadily since the 1950’s
• In slum areas- literacy rates are low and school attendance is
irregular
• Government has placed a high priority on improving public
education
INDIA
Culture
• Many languages- more than 1,000 languages and dialects are
spoken in India
• Hindi is the official language and English is widely spoken too
• Hinduism- the most influential factor in India
• Make up 80% of population
• They believe in many gods and reincarnation- rebirth of souls
and death
• Karma
• Caste system- system of social classes- the Brahmans
(priests and scholars), the Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors),
the Vaisyas (farmers and merchants, and the Sudras (artisans
and laborers)
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Economy
• Large, rapidly growing populations
• Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world
• Subsistence farming- many families rely on what they grow
themselves
• Indus Valley- farmers here grow enough cotton and rice to
allow for export
• Fishing is also important for their economy
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Neither are highly industrialized, but both countries are
trying to increase their industrial base
Exports- cotton garments, wool carpets, and leather goods
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Most of the people here are Muslims
The countries differ somewhat in their Islamic practices
• Pakistan is stricter in imposing Islamic law on citizens
• Women are not allowed to have contact with men who are not
relatives, when women appear in public they must have wear
veils
• In Bangladesh it is not as common
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Pakistan is more diverse
They have five major ethnic groups and each has their own
language and regional areas in the country
In Bangladesh most people are Bengalis
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Life revolves around the family
Arrange marriages are common and families tend to be large
Most people live in small villages, in simple homes made of
materials like sub-baked mud, bamboo, or wood
The large cities are busy places, with crowded traffic and
people
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Poetry is important and traditions of oral literature is strong
Music and dance is also important
Tradition of folk dances with elaborately costumed dancers
act out Bengali myths, legends, and stories
NEPAL AND BHUTAN
Both are located in the Himalayas
The mountains have helped to keep these countries isolated
Both countries have constitutional monarchies- kingdoms in
which ruler's powers are limited by a constitution
Governments challenges- balance interest of two powerful
neighbors, China and India
NEPAL AND BHUTAN
Economy• Decades of isolation and difficult topography have limited
economic growth
• They have limited natural resources
• They rely heavily on agriculture- most farm plots are small
because of the rough terrain
• Timber industry is important
• Most trade is with India
• Increasing tourism- Himalayas are poplar for tourists
NEPAL AND BHUTAN
Rich cultural traditions•
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Various ethnic groups life here
Religious customs- religion is important
Hinduism and Buddhism are the most common religions
Folk art and festivals are popular
Artisans make metal bells, swords, and jewelry
They also weave colorful textiles from silk, cotton, and wool
People celebrate and perform dances based on religious
stories
SRI LANKA AND THE
MALDIVES
Religion and ethnicity are key factors
Buddhists- 75% of population
Hindus- 18% of population
Muslims- 7%
Also a small community of Christians
SRI LANKA AND THE
MALDIVES
Economy
• Sri Lanka has the highest per capita income in South Asia
• Economies are mainly based on agriculture
• Sri Lanka is one of the world’s leading tea-producing
countries
• Sri Lanka is also famous for gemstones- including sapphires,
rubies, and topaz
SRI LANKA AND THE
MALDIVES
Economy of the Maldives is a little bit different
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Farming is limited by lack of land
Most food is imported
Fishing is one of the main economic activities
Tourism is the main economic activity
SRI LANKA AND THE
MALDIVES
Challenges
• 1980’s- civil war in Sri Lanka and the tourist industry
collapsed
• War damaged the country’s infrastructure
ASSIGNMENT 4/14
Create a timeline to show the history of South Asia.
You should have information for
• 1. Early Civilizations
• 2. Empires
• 3. Colonization/partition
• 4. Modern day
You need to describe each era AND include an illustration to
represent each era.
WARM-UP 4/15
•
The Ganges River
•
A trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through the
nations of India and Bangladesh
•
The Ganges is considered to be the most sacred river in the
Hindu religion
•
Hindus visit the river daily to offer flowers and food to Ganga
Ma or “Mother Ganges”
•
They also drink the water and bathe in the river to cleanse
and purify their sins
•
Hindus also bring their dead to the river for cremation along
its banks and afterward their ashes are spread in the river. In
some cases their corpses are thrown into the river.