TEMPLES
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Magnificent temples—both Hindu and Buddhist—were
built all around India. They remain some of the most
beautiful buildings in the world today
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Gupta temples were topped by huge towers and were
covered with carvings of the god worshipped inside
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Buddhist temples are also impressive. Some temples
were carved out of mountainsides
METAL WORKINGS
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Indians were pioneers of metallurgy – the science of working with metals
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Their knowledge helped them to create high-quality tools and weapons
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Metalworkers made their strongest products out of IRON; Indian iron was very
hard and pure and became a valuable trade item
MATH
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Gupta scholars were among the most advanced mathematicians of their time
They developed the number system we use today, called Hindu-Arabic numerals
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Indians were the first people to create the zero
OTHER SCIENCES
• Indians used inoculations to help protect against diseases (the practice of
injecting a small dose of a virus to help a person build a defense to the disease)
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Indian doctors performed surgeries to repair broken bones, treat wounds, remove
infected tonsils, and even reattach torn earlobes
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Indians were also interested in astronomy– their astronomers knew of 7 of the 8
planets in our solar system
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They knew the sun was a star and that the planets revolved around it
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They also knew the earth was ROUND and spun on its axis
• As Aryan society became more
complex, their society became
divided into Varnas (social
groups) -- These groups were
largely organized by people’s
occupations
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Rules of interaction between these
varnas became stricter, so each level
became more complex. Ultimately, the
system was called the Caste System:
The division of Indian society into groups
based on birth, wealth, or occupation
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1. Brahmins
(priests) were seen
as the highest varna
2. Kshatriyas Rulers and
Warriors
3. Vaisyas Farmers,
Craftspeople,
and Traders
4. Sudras - Workers and Servants
There is a FIFTH group – those that do not belong to any of these castes are called
Dalits, or untouchables, because no one is to have any contact with them
The caste system was formally abolished by the Indian Constitution in 1950, but still it shapes
the lives in India. The caste system is more prominent in the rural areas than in the cities
• Hinduism forms out of a blending of the religion of the Aryans
(Brahmanism) and religious ideas introduced by other cultures
THE BASICS
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World’s third largest religion
Polytheistic – Their three main gods are Brahma (the creator),
Siva (the destroyer) and Vishnu (the preserver)
Unlike other religions, Hinduism is a way of life, a Dharma, that is, the
laws and duties one must perform in his/her lifetime
Hindus believe everyone's ultimate goal is to reunite their soul with
Brahman, the universal spirit
They achieve this thru several lifetimes, made possible by
Reincarnation, or the process of rebirth into a new physical form
HINDUISM & THE CASTE SYSTEM
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The type of form a person inherits after reincarnation depends on his/her
Karma, the effects that good/bad actions have on your soul
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BAD Karma = re-born into a lower Caste; GOOD Karma = higher Caste
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In time good Karma brings salvation, which is freedom from life’s worries
and the cycle of rebirth – Moksha
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In a nutshell – Hinduism taught people to accept their place and helped to
preserve the Caste System in India