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OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
1
Section 1: The
Geography of India
The Big Idea:
Indian Civilization first developed on
the Indus River.
If you were there…Your family are farmers in the Nile Valley.
Your people are nomadic herders in southern Asia about 1200. BC. You live in
the river valley with plenty of water and grass for your cattle, you spend your
time learning songs and myths from the elders. They say these words hold
your people’s history. One day, it will be your duty to teach them to your
children.
Why is it important to pass on these words?
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
2
Building Background Like
Mesopotamia and Egypt, India
was home to one of the world’s
first civilizations. Like other
early civilizations, the one in
India grew up in a river valley.
But the society that eventually
developed in India was very
different from the ones
developed elsewhere.
Ancient city discovered by archeologists in India.
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3
Section 1: The
Geography of India
India is located in the
continent we call
Asia.
It juts out from the
center of the southern
part of the continent.
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4
Landforms and Rivers
Geographers call India a subcontinent because it is so big.
A subcontinent is a large land mass that is smaller than
a continent.
A subcontinent is usually separated by physical features such as
mountains. (see the map on slide 4)
Among the mountains od northern India are the Himalayas, the highest mountains
in the world. To the west are the Hindu and Kush. It was hard for invaders to cross
these mountains to invaded India.
To the west of the Himalaya mountains was a vast desert. Much of the
other parts of India is covered in fertile plains and rugged plateaus.
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5
Climate
Most of India has a hot and humid climate.
The climate is heavily influenced by India’s
monsoons.
A monsoon is a seasonal wind
pattern that cause wet and dry
seasons.
In the summer monsoon winds cause heavy rains from the Indian Ocean causing
terrible floods. Some parts of India receive 100-200 inches or rain during that time. In
the winter winds blow down from the mountains. These winds create warm and dry
winters.
Drawing Conclusions: How do you think the monsoons affected life in India?
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
6
Harappan Civilization
Historians call the civilization that
grew up in the Indus Valley the
Harappan (huh-RA-puhn) civilization. As
irrigation and farming improved
surpluses of food were produced.
Towns and cities soon appeared in
India.
A statue of a bull from the
Harappan culture
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
7
India’s First Cities
The Harappan civilization was
named after the modern city of
Harappa (huh-Ra-puh), Pakistan.
The greatest sources of information
we have about Harappan civilization
are the ruins of two large cities.,
Harappa and Mohenjo (moh-HENjhoh Dar-oh.) These cities were 300
miles apart but they were remarkably
similar.
Mohenjo Daro-The City today
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
8
Harappa and Mohenjo (mohHEN-jhoh Dar-oh) were well
planned cities. Each stood
near a towering fortress.
From these fortresses
defenders could look down
at the city and see down the
streets , storehouses,
workshops, market stalls,
and houses. Both cities had
many public wells.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
9
Harappan Achievements
Harappan civilization was very
advanced. Most houses had
bathrooms and indoor plumbing.
Artisans made excellent
pottery, jewelry, cotton
clothing, and ivory objects.
They used high-quality tools
and a system of measurements
and weights.
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10
Harappans developed India’s first writing system.
However, scholars have not yet figured out how
to read this language. Historians think the
Harappan's had a king and a strong central
government, but they are not absolutely sure.
Harappan society ended in the 1700s BC. , but
no one knows why. Perhaps invaders or a
natural disaster destroyed their society.
A Harappan
Priest
Reading Check, Analyzing- Why don’t we
know much about Harappan civilization?
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
11
Aryan Migration
Not long after the Harappan
civilization crumbled, a new
group arrived in the Indus
valley. They were called the
Aryans. (AIR-ee-uhnz.) They were
originally from an area near
the Caspian Sea in Central
Asia. Over time they became
the dominate group in India.
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12
Arrival and Spread
The Aryans first arrived in the 2000s BC.
Historians believe they crossed into India
through the mountain passes in the northwest.
Over many centuries they spread east and south
into central India.
Much of what we know about Aryan society
comes from religious writings known as the
Vedas (VAY-duhs). Vedas are a collection of poems,
hymns, myths, and rituals written by Aryan
priests.
The Tree of Life- A fig tree.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
13
Government and Society
As nomads, the Aryans took along their
herds of animals as they moved. But over
time they settled in villages and began to
farm. Unlike the Harappans, they did not
build big cities.
Unlike the Harappans, the Aryans lived
in small communities based on family
ties. No single ruling authority existed.
Instead each group had their own
leader, often a skilled warrior.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
14
Aryan villages were ruled by rajas (RAH-juhz).
A raja was a leader that ruled a village and the
land around it. Villagers farmed some of the
land for the raja. They used other sections of the
land for pastures for their cows, horses, sheep,
and goats.
Some rajas did not get along. They fought
each other. Other times they would join
forces to fight a common enemy.
Aryan warrior
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
15
Language
The first Aryans could not read or write. Because of this they had to
memorize poems, hymns, and other important works.
The language in which the Aryan’s composed was called Sanskrit. The most
important language in India.
First Sanskrit was a spoken language, soon afterwards it became a written
language as well. It became a major source of record keeping. Sanskrit is no
longer used today, but it was to root of many South Asian languages today.
Reading Check, Identifying- What source
provides much of the information we have
about the Aryans?
COMMON CORE STANDARD: READING INFORMATIONAL TEXTS R.I.8.2, KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS. DETERMINE A
CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
16
Section 2: Origins of Hinduism
The Big Idea:
Hinduism, the largest religion in India today,
developed out of ancient Indian beliefs and
practices
If you were there…Your family are skillful weavers who make beautiful
cotton cloth. You belong to the class of Aryan society who are traders, farmers, and
craftspeople. Often the raja of your town leads the warriors into battle. You admire
their bravery but you know you can never be one of them. children. To be an Aryan
warrior you must be born into that noble class. Instead you have your own duty to
carry out.
How do you feel about remaining a weaver?
COMMON CORE STANDARD: READING INFORMATIONAL TEXTS R.I.8.2, KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS. DETERMINE A
CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
17
Indian Society Divides
As Aryan society becomes more
complex, the society became
divided into groups. These groups
were divided by a persons
occupation or job. Strict rules
developed about how these groups
could interact. As time passed these
rules became stricter and central to
Indian society.
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
18
The Four Varnas
According to the Vedas, their were four main Varnas, or social divisions, I
Aryan society. These varnas were:




Brahmins ( BRAH-muhns), or the priests,
Kshatriyas (KSH-tree-uhs), or the rulers or warriors,
Vaisyas (VYSH-yuhs), or farmers, craftspeople, and traders and
Sudras (SOO-drahs), or laborers and non-Aryans
The Brahmins were seen as the highest ranking because they performed rituals
for the gods.
(The next slide has a quick fact chart on the Varnas.)
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19
The Varnas-Quick Facts
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20
The Caste System
As the Aryan rules of interactions between the varnas become even more
stricter, Aryan society become more complex. In time the four Varnas were
divided into many castes or groups.
The caste system in India
divided society into groups
based on a person’s birth,
wealth, or occupation.
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
21
The caste system determined a persons place in society.
The caste system was not permanent. For example, a person could gain
wealth and power and move up the caste system.
Both women and men belong to castes.
Early in the Aryan period women had the
same rights as men. They could own
property and receive an education. As time
went on laws were passed to limit these
rights for women.
By the late Aryan period their was a group of people that did not belong to
any caste. This group was called the untouchables. They could only hold
certain, often unpleasant jobs.
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
22
Caste Rules
To keep the classes separated, or distinct, the Aryans developed
sutras, or guides which listed all the rules of the caste system. For
example, people could not marry anyone from a different class. It
was forbidden for people from different classes to eat with one
another. If you broke the rules, you could be banned from your
home or caste. Because of these rules people spent time only with
people in their same class.
Drawing Inferences: How did a person become a member of a class?
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
23
Brahmanism
Religion was a very important of Aryan life.
Aryan priests were called Brahmins. Their religion was called
Brahmanism.
Vedas
Aryan religion was based on the four Vedas Each
contained sacred hymns and poems. The oldest passage
called the Rigveda, was probably written before 1000 BC.
Here is an example of a hymn passage, praising Indra, a
god of the sky and war:
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
24
Later Vedic Texts
Over the centuries the Aryan Brahmins wrote down their thoughts in the
Vedic texts. One collection of Vedic texts described religious rituals. For
example, it describes how sacrifices should be preformed. Animals were
place on a fire. The Aryans believed the fire would carry their offerings to
god.
Another text described the secret rituals
that only certain people cold perform.
Reading Check: What are the Vedic
texts?
Vedic texts
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25
Hinduism Develops
Vedic texts became the basis for Indian religion for centuries. Over time
these texts began to blend together with other cultures. People from Persia
blended their religious ideas with India.
The blending of religion
of India and Persia
eventually became
Hinduism, the largest
religion in India today.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
26
Hindu Beliefs
The Hindus believed in many gods. Among
them are three major gods: Brama the
creator, Siva the destroyer, and Vishu the
preserver.
Hindus believed that each god was part of
single universal spirit called Brahman.
Reading Check: Who were the three main
Hindu gods?
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27
Life and Rebirth
According to the Hindu teachings, everyone has a
soul or atman inside them. This soul holds a
persons personality. It makes them who they are.
The Hindus also believed that after death
souls are born and reborn many times, each
time in a new body. This process is called
reincarnation.
Reading Check: According to the Hindu belief,
what happened to a person’s soul after death?
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
28
The Impact Today
More than 800
million people in
India practice
Hinduism today!
Hinduism and the Caste System
According to the Hindu traditional view of reincarnation , a
person who has died is reborn into a new physical form.
The type of form depends of their karma,
the effects that good or bad actions have
on a person’s soul.
A Hindu temple of Kandraya, built in Central India around
1000 A.D. The temple is covered in carvings of Hindu
gods.
A person with bad karma will be born ta
lower caste of life. In contrast, a person
with good Karma will be born into a higher
caste in life.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
29
Hinduism taught that each person had a dharma, or a set of
spiritual duties to fulfill.
In order to be reincarnated, a person must fulfil their dharma.
Fulfilling one’s dharma, preserves a persons station in the caste system.
Another important idea of Hinduism is ahimsa (uh
HIM sah) or non-violence.
Hindus respected all living things, this is why they do not
eat meat.
Reading Check: Summarizing- What determined how a
person would be reborn?
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
30
Groups React to Hinduism
Not everybody agreed with the beliefs of Hinduism. Other people looked for
new religious ideas. Two such groups were the Jains (JYNZ) believers in
Jainism (JY-niz-uhm), and Skikhs (SEEKS), believed in Sikhism (SEEK-izuhm).
Jainism
Jainism is based on the teachings of a man named Mahavira, who is
believed to have been born around 599 BC.
His basic principles emphasize: injure no life, tell the truth, do not steal,
and own no property.
Jains practiced non violence or avoidance of violent actions.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
31
Sikhism
Sikhism has its roots in the teachings of the Guru Nanak, who lived in the
AD 1400’s.
Nanak blended the teachings Hinduism with the beliefs from Islam. Sikhs
believe in on god .The believe the ultimate goal is to be reunited with god
after death.
Reading Check: Finding the Main Idea- What
are the two religions that developed out of
Hinduism?
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
32
The Practice of Hinduism
Hinduism teaches that there is more
than one path to truth., because of this
belief Hinduism allows its followers to
worship in many ways. Many Hindus
know yoga.
Yoga is a system of special breathing
exercises that help free the soul from
man.
Yoga followers follow selfless deeds
such as giving to the poor.
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33
Section 3: Origins of Buddhism
The Big Idea:
Buddhism began in India and became a
major religion.
If you were there…You are a trader in Northern India about 520 BC. As
you pass through town you see a crowd of people sitting silently under a shaded tree. A
man standing at the foot of the tree begins to speak about how one ought to live. His
words were nothing like the Hindu priests.
Will you stay and listen? Why or why not?
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
34
Siddhartha’s Search for Wisdom
In the late 500s BC, a man dissatisfied
with the Hindu religion began to ask his
own questions about life and religious
matters. In time he found answers.
These answers attracted many
followers and started a new religion in
India.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
35
The Quest For Answers
The restless man as Siddhartha Gautama (si-DaHR-tuh GAU-tuh-muh). Sidharta was a
prince grew up in great wealth and luxury. Still he was unhappy with the
problems his people faced and he searched for answers. He felt something
was missing in his life. Siddhartha wanted to know why people had to
work and suffer. He began to ask questions on the meaning of human life.
Before Siddhartha reached the age of 30, he left his family to look for
answers. This quest took him on a long journey through India. Wherever
he traveled he talked with the people and priests. Yet no one could answer
his questions on the meaning of life.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
36
The Buddha Finds Enlightenment
Siddhartha did not give up, he became more determined to find answers.
Siddhartha wanted to free himself of his daily needs.
Siddhartha started fasting, or going without food. He dedicated his time to
meditation, or the focusing the mind on spiritual ideas.
After wandering for seven years he meditated under a tree and the answers
to life came to him. This tree became known as the Tree of Wisdom.
Siddhartha's ideas were:
 Wanting what we like but do not have
 Wanting to keep what we like and already have, and
 Not wanting what we dislike but have.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
37
Impact of Today:
Buddhists from all over the
world still travel to India to
visit the Tree of Wisdom
and honor Buddha.
Siddhartha was about 35 years
old when he found enlightenment
under the tree.
From that point on, he be called the
Buddha (Boo-duh), or the “Enlightened
One.”
For the rest of his life he would
travel across Northern India
teaching people his ideas.
Reading Check: What did Buddha conclude about the cause of suffering?
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38
Teachings of Buddhism
As Buddha traveled he gained many followers. He even taught his views to
a few kings.
The followers of Buddha were the first believers in Buddhism, a religion
based on the teachings of the Buddha.
Buddha was a Hindu, he
believed that people should
act morally and treat others
well.
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39
The Four Noble Truths
At the heart of Buddha’s teachings were four guiding
principles. These became The Four Noble Truths:
1. No one can escape suffering and unhappiness, it is part of
human life.
2. People cause their own misery when the desire material goods.
3. People can overcome their desires and ignorance when they
reach nirvana (nir-VAH-nuh), a state of perfect peace.
4. People can overcome ignorance and desire by following the eight
fold path that leads to wisdom, enlightenment, and salvation.
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Challenging Hindu Ideas
Some of Buddha’s teachings challenged the ideas
contained in the Vedas, such as animal sacrifices. The
Buddha challenged the ideas from the Brahmin
priests. He said rituals were not necessary, it is the
responsibility of each individual to work to their own
salvation. He said people that fail to reach nirvana
will be reborn over and over again until they reach it.
The Buddha were opposed to the caste system.
Everyone that follows the eight fold path will reach
nirvana, no matter what caste you belong to.
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Buddha’s support against the
caste system was supported
from the masses of people. It
made people feel they had the
power to change their lives!
By the time of Buddha’s
death, around 483 BC, his
influence was spread
throughout India.
Reading Check: Comparing- How did Buddha's teachings agree withy Hinduism?
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Buddhism Spreads
Buddhism continued to attract followers after Buddha’s death. After
spreading to India, the religion began to spread to other areas as well.
Buddhism Spreads in India
After Buddha died his followers wanted to make sure his teachings were
remembered. In the years following his death his followers spread his
teachings throughout India. Within 200 years Buddha's teachings were all
throughout India.
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Buddhism Spreads Beyond India
Buddhism spread beyond India in the 200s BC after one
of the most powerful kings, King Asoka, became
Buddhist. King Asoka built great Buddhist temples and
built schools throughout India.
King Asoka sent Buddhist missionaries became Buddhist. King Asoka built
great Buddhist temples and schools throughout India.
Asoka sent Buddhist missionaries, or people who work to spread their religious
beliefs, to other kingdoms in India.
Many missionaries went to parts of Central Asia and Persia to spread the
teachings of Buddhism. Some missionaries went as far as Egypt.
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Buddhism eventually spread via the Silk Road into China, then to Korea,
and Japan. Through their work missionaries taught Buddhism to millions
of people.
A Split Within Buddhism
As Buddhism spread not everyone could agree on the beliefs or practices. This
caused a split of Buddhism into two separate branches-Theravada and
Mahayana. The Theravada followed Buddha’s teachings exactly as it said. The
Mahayana followers followed an interpretation of Buddha's beliefs.
Reading Check: Sequencing- How did the Buddhism spread from India to other parts of
Asia?
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Section 4: Empires of Ancient India
The Big Idea:
The rise of the Maurya Empire had an affect
on the people of India.
Around 321 B.C. a new ruler came into the throne of northeastern
India. The tiny kingdom had grown into the giant Maurya (MOWR-yuh)
Empire.
Chandragupta (chun druh GUP tuh) Maurya founded India’s Maurya
Empire.
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The new ruler rose from a slave to rule the Maurya Empire. He often was
carried in a golden chair or sometimes he rode an elephant.
The Rise of the Maurya Empire
Chandragupta was guided by the basic belief in absolute
rule. He commanded huge armies containing thousands of
foot soldiers. His soldiers were ready to enforce his laws.
Under Chandragupta, his empire enjoyed great economic
success in trade and farming. Near death, he left his throne
to his son. And became a monk, fasting and praying.
Chandragupta’s leadership brought order and peace to his people.
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Asoka’s Leadership
Asoka was Chandragupta’s grandson. Leadership was passed down to Asoka
who built the greatest empire India had ever seen in 273 B.C. to his people.
The Battle of Kalinga
About 261 B.C. ,After the Battle of Kalinga, thousands of people died in
war. Asoka was filled with sorrow after the battle and he gave up his warlike
ways and violence. He freed prisoners and restored their land. Later he
changed his beliefs to Buddhism. He spread the word of Buddhism
throughout his empire.
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
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The Buddhist Ruler
Asoka followed the Buddhist teachings. He did not allow animal sacrifices. He
gave up hunting, the traditional sport of Indian Kings. Instead he had
hospitals built around the kingdom and he had wells dug every mile. So no
person or animal would go thirsty. He asked people to honor their parents.
Asoka preached tolerance, or the freedom from prejudice. He practice
religious tolerance to the Hindus. Eventually his teachings spread to Korea
and Japan.
Reading Check: How Asoka spread Buddhism?
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Coins
from the
Gupta
Empire
The Gupta Empire
After Asoka died, the Maurya Empire weakened and spit into smaller states.
For centuries India faced internal conflicts and foreign invasions. However
in A.D. 320, the Gupta dynasty rose to power. Under the Gupta Empire,
India enjoyed a rich culture. Indians invented the techniques of painting
cloth. Hindu scholars studied philosophy. They studied Kalidasa (kah lee
DAH suh), one of the greatest Indian writers of all time.
Reading Check: How did learning advance under the Guptas?
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RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Section 5: Indian Achievements
The Big Idea:
The people of ancient India made great
contributions to the arts and sciences.
If You were there… You area traveler in Western India in a 300s. You are
visiting a cave temple is carved into a mountain cliff. Inside the cave is cool
and quiet. Huge columns rise all around you. You don’t feel you’re alone, for
the walls and ceilings are covered with paintings. They are filled with lively
scenes and figures. In the center is a large statue with, calm, peaceful
features.
How does this make you feel?
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Religious Art
The Indians created great works of art,
many of them religious. Many of their
paintings and sculptures illustrated either
Hindu and Buddhist teachings.
Magnificent temples were built in all
around India. They remain some of the
most beautiful buildings in the world today.
Ancient Indian sculpture
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Temples
Early Hindu Temples were
small stone structures. They
had flat roofs and contained
only one or two rooms. As
temple architecture became
more complex, greater
Temples were built. Some
Temples were carved out
mountainsides. Temples were
filled with beautiful paintings
and sculptures. The most
famous temple is that Ajanta.
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Paintings and Sculpture
Most Indian paintings are clear and
colorful. Some of them show graceful
Indians wearing fine jewelry and stylish
clothes. Artists from India's major
religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, drew
on their beliefs to create their works. As a
result, many of the finest paintings and
sculptures of ancient India are found in
Temples
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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Sanskrit Literature
Sanskrit was the main language of the people of
ancient India.
Many works of Sanskrit literature were created
and later translated into many languages.
Religious Epics
One of greatest Sanskrit writings was the
religious epic, the Mahabharata (muh-MAHyuh –nuh.) It is the story of the struggle
between two families for control of a
kingdom.
An ancient Indian epic
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Scientific Advances
Indian scholars also made important achievements in
metalworking, math, and in the sciences.
Metalworking
Ancient Indians were pioneers of metallurgy (MET-uhluhr-jee), the science of working with metals.
Their knowledge allowed them to make high-quality
tools and weapons.
An ancient Indian coin
The Indians also knew processes for mixing metals to create alloys,
mixtures of two or more metals.
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Mathematics and Other Sciences
The numbers we use today are called
Hindu-Arabic numerals because they were
created by Hindu scholars and brought to
Europe.
Before we used Hindu-Arabic
numerals we used Roman
numerals.
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Ancient Indians were also skilled in the medical sciences. Early as the AD
100s, doctors were writing their knowledge down in textbooks. They
described how to make medicines from plants and minerals.
Indian doctors knew how to protect people against diseases. Indians
practiced inoculation (i-nah-kyuh-LAY-shuhn).
Inoculation was injecting someone with a
small dose of a virus to help build up their
defense for the disease.
Indian doctors would perform surgery to repair broken bones or treat
wounds.
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Ancient Indians were also interested in astronomy, the study of stars and
planets.
Ancient Indians knew their were seven
planets in the solar system. They knew the
sun was a star and the planets revolved
around it. They knew the Earth was a
sphere and rotated on an axis. In addition
they could predict eclipses in the sun and
moon.
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CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
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COMMON CORE STANDARD: READING INFORMATIONAL TEXTS R.I.8.2, KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS. DETERMINE A
CENTRAL IDEA OF A TEXT AND ANALYZE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE TEXT, INCLUDING ITS
RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORTING IDEAS; PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TEXT.
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