India
Geography
Geographythe Indus River floodsThe
twiceHimalaya
a year
Mountains
predictably
in the North
and Northeast of India create a
barrier. What impact does
India is a Peninsula withnatural
the Himalaya
mountains in the Norththis
and have
NE (a natural
on the Indus River Valley?
barrier)
Mountains protect from invading
Monsoons, seasonal winds,forces
bring and create isolation
predictable rains
Indus River Valley
The Indus river valley is a gentle river
that predictable floods every year.
The second most important river is
the Ganges river. The Ganges has
become sacred to the Hindus of India.
Ancient India
Not much is known about ancient India
because we have not translated their
language.
However, the Indus River civilizations did
have well planned cities.
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa demonstrate
the grid pattern, well organized cities
They even
developed
plumbing
and sewer
systems
Indian contributions
Established long lasting trade with
the Middle East and Egypt
(precursor to the Silk Road)
First to grow and weave cotton. As
other civilizations
Hinduism
The main religion of India today is Hinduism.
Hinduism has no founder, but was developed
over generations of cultural diffusion.
Main Beliefs:
-Reincarnation
-Caste System (Karma and Dharma)
-Ganges River
-Moksha
Maurya and Gupta
Only Indian dynasties to unite the Indian
subcontinent
The Gupta dynasty experienced a Golden
Age of cultural and intellectual
achievements based on Hinduism.
Gupta India:
-centralized government
-Caste system and Hinduism ruled society
-Arabic Numerals and Zero
Silk Road
India is located in the middle of the Silk Road trade route connecting China and
the Middle East.
India contributed cotton, spices and other goods to the trade route.
Age of Exploration
Europeans wanted to gain direct access to the Spice markets of India. They could
not pass through the Islamic world so they began exploring by sea
Imperialism
As European nations industrialized they
struck out in search of raw materials and
new markets
India was claimed by the British. The
Indians were used for cheap labor and
forced to grow cash crops.
The British followed mercantilism.
The British forced Indians to grow Poppy
(Opium) which they sold to China
Sepoy Rebellion
Sepoys were Indians in the British military.
The British took several unpopular steps and
the Sepoys rebelled:
-Troops could be sent anywhere to fight
-Widows were allowed to remarry
-Sati was outlawed
-Bullets dipped in animal fat
Thousands of Sepoys, Indians, and British
colonists were killed
Indian Independence
During WWI and WWII Indians fought for
the British and allies, hoping to be
rewarded by gaining their freedom.
After the wars the British maintained
control to make money to pay off war
debts.
The Indian people quickly grew impatient
waiting for independence and began
meeting.
The Amritsar Massacre: peaceful
demonstration turns deadly when British
troops fired into unarmed Indians
Mohandas Gandhi
After years of abusive Imperial
control the Indian people demanded
trade.
Mohandas Gandhi became a leader
for Indians, but stressed passive
resistance and Civil Disobedience
He was later killed during the
partitioning movements
Partitioning
When the British agreed to free India in
1947, they first partitioned the territory.
They split India into Pakistan and India
Pakistan: Muslims
India: Hindus
The transition, though mostly peaceful,
resulted in the movement of millions
Pakistan, Bangladesh and India
The eastern portion of Pakistan later
separated and became Bangladesh.
Tensions remains between the three
nations, especially now that all have
developed nuclear weapons
India today
India is home to the second
largest population on earth, with
nearly 1 Billion people. It is
predicted to overtake China by
2030.
India has centers of industrial
growth, factories and
modernization. However, much of
India is still rural and based on
traditional ways of life.