Chapter Introduction
India’s First Civilization
Hinduism and Buddhism
India’s First Empires
Chapter Assessment
India’s First Civilizations
People’s social status affects how they
live. The earliest Indian civilization
developed on the Indus River. Later, the
Aryans arrived in northern India. A social
system that determined how people lived
evolved.
Hinduism and Buddhism
Religion shapes how culture develops,
just as culture shapes how religion
develops. India’s two main religions were
Hinduism and Buddhism. These two
religions affected every aspect of
people’s lives.
India’s First Empires
Civilizations are strengthened by a
variety of advances. Early India had two
great empires: the Maurya and the Gupta.
Both empires made advances in the arts,
sciences, and math.
In India, just as in Egypt and Mesopotamia, the
first civilizations developed in fertile river valleys.
• Climate and geography influenced the rise of
India’s first civilization. (page 239)
• For the Indian civilization, new ideas and
technology developed. (page 242)
• The Aryans created a caste system that
separated Indians into groups. (page 243)
Himalaya
Ganges River
Indus River
Deccan Plateau
Harappa
Mohenjo-Daro
Aryans
Brahmins
subcontinent
raja
monsoon
caste
Sanskrit
guru
similar
individual
As dangerous as monsoon flooding can be,
drought is much more devastating to the people
of India. In 1770, the rains did not come, and a
famine occurred because of the drought. About
10 million people died in Bengal, an Indian state.
I. The Land of India (pages 239–241)
A. India is a subcontinent because it is
separated from the rest of Asia by the
Himalaya, the highest mountains in
the world.
B. Today the Indian subcontinent holds six
nations: India, Pakistan, Bhutan,
Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
C. India has two fertile river valleys created by
the Ganges River and the Indus River.
D. A monsoon is a strong wind that blows one
direction in winter and the opposite direction
in summer. Monsoons bring rain in summer.
I. The Land of India (pages 239–241)
Click the map to
view a dynamic
version.
I. The Land of India (pages 239–241)
E. Early civilization arose near the Indus River
after the river flooded and left fertile soil
behind. This civilization started about
3000 B.C. and lasted until about 1500 B.C.
F. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were large,
well-planned cities in ancient India.
G. The cities had wells, drains for wastewater,
garbage chutes, and organized governments.
The houses were made from baked
mud bricks.
I. The Land of India (pages 239–241)
I. The Land of India (pages 239–241)
H. Most people were farmers. They grew wheat,
barley, peas, and cotton. City dwellers were
artisans who made jewelry, pottery, tools,
and cloth. The Harappans traded their goods
with people from other lands.
I. The Land of India (pages 239–241)
Why do archaeologists think that
Harappan religion and politics were
closely connected?
The royal palace and the temple were enclosed
in the fortress.
II. The Aryans (pages 242–243)
A. The Aryans came from central Asia where
they raised and herded cattle. Some
historians believe they were part of a larger
group referred to as Indo-Europeans.
B. The Aryans were expert warriors and
hunters. They had metal-tipped spears and
wooden chariots.
C. The Aryan civilization expanded into all of the
Indian subcontinent except the southern tip
of India.
D. The Aryans became farmers but continued to
raise cattle. The cattle were so important, the
Aryans eventually declared them sacred.
II. The Aryans (pages 242–243)
Click the map
to view a
dynamic
version.
II. The Aryans (pages 242–243)
E. The Aryans invented an iron plow and built
canals to improve farming.
F. The Aryans’ written language was
called Sanskrit.
G. Aryan tribes were led by a raja, or prince.
II. The Aryans (pages 242–243)
Why were cattle such a prized
possession?
They provided meat, milk, and butter and
were used as money.
III. Society in Ancient India (pages 243–245)
A. A caste is a social group that someone is
born into and cannot change.
B. The Aryans believed in four classes, called
varnas. The top two varnas were Brahmins,
or priests, and Kshatriyas, or warriors who
ran the government and army. The next
class included common people, such as
merchants and farmers. Below them were
laborers and servants. The lowest level did
not belong to any varna. These people,
called the Untouchables, did work others did
not want to do.
III. Society in Ancient India (pages 243–245)
III. Society in Ancient India (pages 243–245)
C. Men had more rights than women.
D. Typically, only sons could inherit property.
Only men were allowed to go to school or
become priests. A boy from the top of society
was often taught by a guru.
E. Parents arranged marriages, and divorce
was not allowed.
III. Society in Ancient India (pages 243–245)
Under the caste system in India, what
aspects of life were affected by a
person’s caste?
A person’s caste affected what job one had, who
one married, and who one could
socialize with.
• India’s first civilization, including the cities of
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, developed in the
fertile Indus River valley.
• The Aryans, a group of nomadic herders, arrived
in northern India about 1500 B.C. They brought
the iron plow and the Sanskrit language to India.
• India’s caste system divided people into rigid
social and economic classes. Ancient Indian
society favored men over women.
1. Describe the cities of Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro.
The cities had wide streets and walled
neighborhoods; mud brick houses around
courtyards; public wells, sewage, and
garbage disposal.
2. Why are monsoons important to
Indian farmers?
They cause soil-enriching floods.
(3) CA 6RC2.7
3. Cause and Effect Why did the
Harappan civilization collapse?
Harrappan civilization may have collapsed
because of earthquakes, floods, the Indus
River changing its course, and the Aryan
invasions.
(4) CA 6RC2.4
4. Cause and Effect Draw a diagram
to show how the Aryans changed
the lifestyle of the Indians.
Charts should reflect information in the text.
(5) CA 6RC2.3 (6) CA CS3.
5. The Big Ideas In what ways did the
caste system affect the people who
lived in India?
The caste system forced them into a fixed way
of life and it limited their rights.
6. Explain How did the Aryans
control people in India?
Possible answers include a strong military and
the effects of the caste system.
Much of Indian civilization is based on Aryan
ideas and culture, which you learned about in the
last section. One of the most important and longlasting contributions of the Aryans is the main
religion of India, Hinduism.
• Hinduism grew out of the ancient beliefs of the
Aryans. (page 247)
• A new religion, Buddhism, appealed to many
people in India and other parts of Asia. (page 249)
Nepal
Tibet
Siddhartha Gautama
Dalai Lama
Hinduism
karma
Brahman
Buddhism
reincarnation
nirvana
dharma
theocracy
affect
area
require
aware
In 1949, the country of Tibet was invaded by
China. China still occupies Tibet and tries to expel
Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetans who fail to denounce
their religion or possess an image of the Dalai
Lama, their religious leader, are punished.
I. Hinduism (pages 247–248)
A. Hinduism, the world’s third-largest religion,
is one of the oldest religions.
B. Hinduism began with the Aryan religion,
which changed after borrowing ideas from
conquered people of India.
C. Brahman is the universal spirit made up of
thousands of deities.
D. The Upanishads are ancient sacred texts
that describe the search for Brahman.
I. Hinduism (pages 247–248)
I. Hinduism (pages 247–248)
E. Reincarnation is the idea of passing
through many lives to reach Brahman.
F. Dharma is the divine law of Hindus. This law
states that Hindus must perform the duties of
their caste.
G. The consequences of how a person lives
are called karma.
I. Hinduism (pages 247–248)
According to Hindus, what are the
consequences of a good and a
bad life?
Hindus believe if a person lives a good life, then
that person might be reborn into a higher caste.
If the person lives a bad life, then the person
might be reborn in a lower caste.
II. Buddhism (pages 249–253)
A. Buddhism is a religion founded by
Siddhartha Gautama, the man who became
known as the Buddha, or “Enlightened One.”
B. Siddhartha Gautama was a prince who left
his family and wealth to travel. In his travels,
he saw much suffering and questioned the
need for suffering. Legend tells he meditated
under a tree for 49 days, and then he
understood. For the rest of his life, Siddhartha
traveled to tell people about his discovery.
II. Buddhism (pages 249–253)
C. Nirvana, a state of wisdom, occurs when a
person gives up all desires.
D. The core of Buddha’s teaching is called the
Four Noble Truths. The Eightfold Path
describes the steps to eliminate suffering.
E. Buddhism divided into Theravada Buddhism
and Mahayana Buddhism. Theravada
Buddhists believe the Buddha was a great
teacher, not a deity. Mahayana Buddhists
believe the Buddha was a deity who came to
save people.
II. Buddhism (pages 249–253)
F. Tibet is a country in central Asia where
Mahayana Buddhism mixed with traditional
Tibetan religion and Hinduism to create a
special kind of Mahayana Buddhism.
G. In Tibet, religious leaders, called lamas,
headed the government. The Dalai Lama
was the government leader, and the
Panchen Lama was the religious leader.
H. A theocracy is a form of government in
which religious leaders head the government.
II. Buddhism (pages 249–253)
I. Jainism is another religion that challenged
Hinduism. Jains believe in nonviolence to all
living creatures and live a strict life. Ahimsa,
the Jain practice of nonviolence, has
influenced many people in modern times,
including Mohandas Gandhi and Martin
Luther King, Jr.
II. Buddhism (pages 249–253)
Why was Buddhism popular with
people of lower castes?
Buddha taught that a person’s life depended on
the person, not the caste into which the person
was born. He believed that a person could stop
being reborn by following the Eightfold Path.
This gave people in the lower caste hope.
• Hinduism is an old religion with many deities.
Hindus believe in reincarnation and that a
person’s place in life is determined by his or
her karma.
• In the 500s B.C., Siddhartha Gautama founded
the religion of Buddhism in northern India.
According to Buddhism, a person who follows
the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
can achieve nirvana.
1. What are the Upanishads?
The Upanishads are ancient sacred texts that
describe the search for a universal spirit.
2. What is reincarnation?
Reincarnation is passing through many lives.
(3) CA 6RC2.4
3. Compare and Contrast Draw a chart
like the one below. Then add details
to compare the two main branches of
Buddhism.
Theravada: Buddha is a great teacher;
Mahayana: Buddha is a god; Eightfold Path is
too hard; worship Buddha instead
(4) CA HI2. (5) CA HR4.
4. Analyze How has ahimsa influenced
people today?
Modern leaders used nonviolence to bring
about change.
5. Explain What is the importance
of the Four Noble Truths and the
Eightfold Path?
The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
summarize the Buddha’s teachings.
(6) CA HI3.
6. The Big Ideas How did the belief in
reincarnation strengthen the caste
system and provide hope for the
lower classes?
One’s position in society results from past acts.
Lower classes hoped to improve their position in
a future life.
In the last section, you learned about Hinduism
and Buddhism. Both religions developed when
India was a land of small kingdoms. These rival
kingdoms would be forced to unite, however,
when foreigners invaded.
• The Mauryan dynasty built India’s first great
empire. (page 260)
• The Gupta empire reunited much of northern
India and became wealthy through trade. (page 264)
• The Mauryan and Gupta empires made
important contributions in literature,
mathematics, and science. (page 265)
Pataliputra
dynasty
stupa
Chandragupta Maurya
pilgrim
Asoka
Kalidasa
dominate
concept
Following Buddhist ways, Asoka respected all life
and even created hospitals for animals.
I. The Mauryan Dynasty
(pages 260–262)
A. Chandragupta Maurya, an Indian prince,
founded India’s first empire after Alexander
the Great left India. This empire was called
the Mauryan dynasty.
B. A dynasty is a series of rulers from the
same family.
C. From the capital city of Pataliputra,
Chandragupta controlled his dynasty by
retaining a strong army and using spies.
I. The Mauryan Dynasty
(pages 260–262)
I. The Mauryan Dynasty
(pages 260–262)
D. Many historians consider Asoka the
Mauryan dynasty’s greatest king.
E. After being a strong military leader, Asoka
turned away from violence. He made a vow
to live a peaceful life and follow Buddhism.
I. The Mauryan Dynasty
(pages 260–262)
F. Asoka did many great things for his people.
For example, he built hospitals and new
roads and sent teachers throughout India to
teach Buddhism. Laborers built thousands of
stupas, or Buddhist shrines.
G. The empire grew weak after Asoka’s death.
The kings made poor decisions, and the
Mauryan Empire fell.
I. The Mauryan Dynasty
(pages 260–262)
What happened as a result of
Alexander the Great’s invasion of
northern India?
Alexander the Great’s army weakened the
people of India. After hundreds of years of
conflict, the people could not resist
Chandragupta.
II. The Gupta Empire (page 264)
A. After 500 years of fighting, another
Chandragupta took power and founded
the Gupta dynasty.
B. After Chandragupta died, his son,
Samudragupta, took over and expanded
the empire.
C. The Guptas ruled for about 200 years.
They grew wealthy from trade with China
and kingdoms in southeast Asia and the
Mediterranean.
II. The Gupta Empire (page 264)
II. The Gupta Empire (page 264)
D. Pilgrims were people who often used the
trade routes to travel to a religious shrine
or site. Visiting pilgrims helped make
cities wealthy just as tourists make cities
wealthy today.
E. The Guptas were Hindus, and they made
Hinduism the official religion.
F. The golden age of art and learning in India
was during the Gupta empire.
II. The Gupta Empire (page 264)
What advantage did the Gupta rulers
have that the Mauryan rulers did not?
The kingdom had gotten smaller before the
Gupta rulers took power. The smaller kingdom
was easier to rule.
III. Indian Literature and Science (pages 265–267)
A. The Vedas of India are sacred hymns and
prayers used in religious ceremonies. The
Vedas were recorded in Sanskrit after the
Aryan people came to India.
B. The epics Mahabharata and Ramayana are
two sacred texts that are still famous in India
today. Both tell about warriors and their
brave deeds.
C. Kalidasa was a writer who lived during the
Gupta dynasty. His poem The Cloud
Messenger is a popular Sanskrit poem.
III. Indian Literature and Science (pages 265–267)
D. Music was an important part in the religious
and social lives of people of India.
E. Remains of Indian art include mainly
religious works made in stone.
F. Aryabhata was a mathematician who lived
during the Gupta dynasty. He was one of
the first scientists to use algebra.
III. Indian Literature and Science (pages 265–267)
G. Mathematicians in the Gupta empire
developed the symbols for the numbers
1 to 9 that we use today. They also invented
algorithms and the idea of zero.
H. Indians also developed ideas in astronomy
and medicine.
III. Indian Literature and Science (pages 265–267)
What kinds of medical advances were
made by Gupta doctors?
Gupta doctors could set broken bones and
perform surgeries. They also developed medical
tools. One doctor even carried out an early form
of plastic surgery.
• The Mauryan empire, under leaders such as
Chandragupta Maurya and Asoka, united most
of India for over a hundred years.
• The Gupta dynasty reunited northern India and
grew wealthy from trade.
• During the Mauryan and Gupta empires, the arts
and sciences flourished in India. Several great
sacred texts, including the Mahabharata and the
Ramayana, came from this period.
1. Describe trade during the Gupta
empire.
Indians traded salt, cloth, and iron with Asia and
the Mediterranean region.
2. What is the message of the
Bhagavad Gita?
It is noble to do one’s duty even when it
is painful.
(3) CA 6RC2.3
3. Organizing Information Draw a
diagram to show the contributions
of Indian mathematicians during
the Mauryan and Gupta empires.
Contributions include algebra, zero, infinity,
symbols for 1–9, and algorithms.
(4) CA HI2.
4. Analyze How did Asoka’s actions as
king show his Buddhist beliefs?
His improvements were for the overall good.
He built hospitals and roads; sent missionaries
throughout India and Asia; carved Buddha’s
principles on pillars; and practiced
religious tolerance.
(5) CA 6WS1.3
5. The Big Ideas Create a time line
showing the advances in art, science,
and math in India. Include information
telling why these advances were
important.
Time lines should be chronologically correct.
(6) CA HI2.
6. Math Connection Why would the
development of a number system be
important in a civilization that
depended on trade?
A number system allowed people to keep
records of transactions and to monitor the
exchange of money.
1. Write a paragraph about the basic
beliefs of Buddhism using the
following words.
reincarnation
karma
dharma
Indicate the vocabulary word that best completes
each sentence.
a. stupa
b. caste
c. raja
d. pilgrim
e. theocracy
f.
dynasty
____
c 2. Each Aryan tribe was led
by a ___.
____
e 3. In a ___, government is
led by religious leaders.
____
f 4. A ___ is a line of rulers
who belong to the same
family.
____
d 5. A ___ travels to religious
places.
6. What new technology did the
Aryans introduce to India?
Aryans introduced the iron plow and canals.
7. What was the purpose of the
caste system?
No one is sure, but it possibly was created to
help the Aryans stay in power.
8. What is the link between the
Aryans and Hinduism?
Hinduism is rooted in the ancient beliefs of
the Aryans.
9. Describe the differences between
Hinduism and Buddhism.
Hinduism: many deities and one universal
spirit, Brahman; reincarnation; dharma and
karma, castes; Buddhism: begun by
Siddhartha; Four Noble Truths and Eightfold
Path; nirvana; no castes
10. Which dynasty built India’s first
great empire?
The Mauryan dynasty built India’s first
great empire.
11. What poem expresses many of
Hinduism’s central beliefs?
The Mahabharata expresses many of
Hinduism’s central beliefs.
(12) CA 6RC2.2 (13) CA 6RC2.7
12. Compare How do you think the
Eightfold Path is similar to the
Ten Commandments of Judaism?
They both describe behaviors that believers
must try to follow.
13. Analyze How does the Mahabharata
reflect the ideals of ancient India?
It teaches important religious and moral
lessons.
(14) CA CS3.
14. Explain How did the monsoons
affect the development of India’s
first civilizations?
The summer monsoon made the Indus River
flood, fertilizing the soil and leading to good
farming. Surplus food led to specialization
and civilization.
(15) CA HI2.
15. Predict What do you think might have
happened if Asoka had approved of
the slaughter on the battlefield during
his wars of conquest?
Answers may include that wars might have
continued during the Mauryan empire; the
empire might have been larger; Buddhism
may not have spread so quickly.
Study the map below and answer the following questions.
(16) CA CS3.
16. Human/Environment Interaction
Why did Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
develop so near the Indus River?
The Indus River gave them access to clean
water and fertile lands.
(17) CA CS3.
17. Place The winter monsoon winds
come from the northeast. What makes
the winds from that monsoon cold?
The Himalaya make the winds from the winter
monsoon cold.
(18) CA CS3.
18. Location Name at least two natural
features that protected Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro from invaders.
Possible answers include the Thar Desert,
Himalaya, and Hindu Kush.
27. When the Indus River flooded
nearby land, it
A forced early settlers to become
nomads.
B left behind rich, fertile soil perfect
for farming.
C destroyed the first Indian
civilization, Harappa.
D ruined crops and the people starved.
28. According to Siddhartha, the only
way to find the truth about the world
was to
A give up all desires.
B live like a hermit.
C meditate for 49 days.
D fast until you are nearly starved.
CA HI3.
How did the Mauryan and Gupta
empires follow the Hindu idea of
events occurring in cycles?
Answers should include this sequence: rule by
many rajas; formation of an empire; ineffective
rulers, which led to the empire’s collapse; and
repetition of the cycle.
WH6.5 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic,
religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of India.
WH6.5.1 Locate and describe the major river system and
discuss the physical setting that supported the rise of this
civilization.
WH6.5.2 Discuss the significance of the Aryan invasions.
WH6.5.4 Outline the social structure of the caste system.
WH6.5.7 Discuss important aesthetic and intellectual traditions
(e.g., Sanskrit literature, including the Bhagavad Gita; medicine;
metallurgy; and mathematics, including Hindu-Arabic numerals
and the zero).
WH6.5 Students analyze the geographic, political,
economic, religious, and social structures of the early
civilizations of India.
WH6.5.3 Explain the major beliefs and practices of
Brahmanism in India and how they evolved into early
Hinduism.
WH6.5.5 Know the life and moral teachings of the
Buddha and how Buddhism spread in India, Ceylon,
and Central Asia.
WH6.5 Students analyze the geographic, political,
economic, religious, and social structures of the early
civilizations of India.
WH6.5.6 Describe the growth of the Maurya empire
and the political and moral achievements of the
emperor Asoka.
WH6.5.7 Discuss important aesthetic and intellectual
traditions (e.g., Sanskrit literature, including the
Bhagavad Gita; medicine; metallurgy; and mathematics,
including Hindu-Arabic numerals and the zero).
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