Indus Valley Civilization
 Built along the banks of the
river system
 Because of the huge
mountains north and west
of the Indus River, contact
w/ other civilizations was
limited
 The Khyber Pass through
the Hindu Kush Mountains
provided a connection
 Used by merchants and
traders
 Later it was used by invaders
Indus Valley Civilization
 2500 to 1500 B.C.E.
stretched for 900
miles
 Two major cities,
Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro were
home to about
100,000 people
 Enormous cities for
ancient standards
Indus Valley Civilization
 Cities were master-




planned, uniformly
constructed, and had
sophisticated wastewater
systems
Strong centralized
government, led by
priest-king
Polytheistic
Potter’s wheel
Farmers grew cotton
Indus Valley Civilization
 Sometime around 1900
B.C.E. the cities of the
Indus Valley were
abandoned, for reasons
that remain unknown
today
 All that is known is that,
by 1500 B.C.E. the
civilization crumbled
with the arrival of the
Aryans
The Arrival of Aryans
 The Aryans were a
nomadic tribe from
north of the Caucasus
Mountains
 Used horses and
advance weapons to
easily defeat the
populations of the
Indus Valley
 They gave up their
nomadic lifestyle and
settled in the Indus
Valley
The Arrival of Aryans
 Aryan conquest of the
Indus Valley established
their religious beliefs on
the Indian subcontinent ,
in particular their belief
in reincarnation
 They recorded their
beliefs and traditions in
the Vedas and
Upanishads
 Later formed the basis
for Hinduism
The Arrival of Aryans
 The Aryan social
system also had a
major impact on
India.
 Caste system
 Initially it was divided
into 3 classes (warriors,
priest, and peasants)
 In early days there was
movement in the classes
but eventually social
mobility was prohibited
The Mauryan Empire
 Around 321 B.C.E. the largest
empire arose in India
 Spanning from the Indus River
Valley eastward through the
Ganges River Valley and
Southward through the Deccan
Plateau
 Founded by Chandragupta
Maurya but it would be his
grandson Ashoka Maurya who
would take the empire to new
heights
The Mauryan Empire
 Became very powerful
and wealthy due to
trade and the military
 Indian merchants
traded cotton, silk, and
elephants to
Mesopotamia and
eastern Roman Empire
 Military used elephants
in fighting
The Mauryan Empire
 Ashoka was successful only
after a savage war, whose
consequences changed
Ashoka's views on war and led
him to pledge never to wage a
war.
 Stricken with remorse for a very
violent and bloody victory his
forced claimed in Kalinga in
southeast India, Ashoka
converted to Buddhism.
Battle of Kalinga
 It is said that in the
aftermath of the Battle
of Kalinga the Daya
River running next to
the battle field turned
red with the blood of the
slain; about 100,000
Kalinga civilians and
more than 10,000 of
Ashoka's own warriors
were among those slain.
Rock and Pillar Edicts
 The Edicts reminded
Mauryans to live generous
and peaceful lives.
 Following Ashoka’s
conversion and commitment
to Buddhism, the religion
spread to Southeast Asia.
 After Ashoka’s death 232
B.C.E. the empire began to
decline rapidly mainly
because of economic
problems and attacks from
the northeast.