Mini Unit IV: ClassicalIndia

Warm Up:● What do you know

about India (ancient and modern)?

● What do you remember about what we already learned about India?

Ancient Indian

Civilization

Ancient IndiaAncient India was populated by

people living in what is present day Pakistan about 2500 BCE

They are referred to as the Harappans - named after the city Harappa

Not much is known about this civilization due to the fact that its language has not been deciphered

Most cities were destroyed by nature

Aryans Transform

India

AryansA. Indo-Europeans that originated between Black & Caspian SeaB. Migrations begin 1700-2000 B.C. -unknown reasonsC. Settled in the Indus ValleyD. Pastoral people – herded cattle, sheep and goats, counted wealth in cows

Vedas (Veda= “knowledge”)A. Most sacred literature of

the AryansB. Contain collections of

prayers, magical spells and instructions for performing rituals

C. Rig Veda1. Most important

collection2. 1,028 hymns to Aryan

gods3. Originally passed down

orally until written down

Social OrganizationA. Aryans were organized into 4 groups

1. Based on occupation 2. Determined a person’s role in society

B. Aryans regulated society by making these class restrictions more rigid in India

1. Based on varna = skin color2. Aryans lighter skin color3. Viewed indigenous people as inferior

Caste System A. Varnas = 4 main groups

1. Brahmins - Priests2. Kshatriyas - Warriors3. Vaishyas - Traders and landowners4. Shudras -peasants and workers

Caste System Continued…B. Organization

1. Determined by birth2. Determined occupation3. Whom you could marry4. Whom you could interact and socialize with5. Cleanliness and purity was very important

Caste System Continued… Violator of caste rules became outsiders

1. Untouchables – butchers, gravediggers, trash collectors2. Touching these people would defile upper class members

Mauryan & Gupta Empires

Early History● 2000 B.C. Aryan

migrations● 600 B.C. Small

kingdoms develop

● 326 B.C. Alexander the Great conquered Indus Valley

Mauryan Empire● 321 B.C. Chandragupta Maurya

● Indian military leader● Seizes power

● Claims land from Magadha to Indus River

● 305 B.C. Battle against Seleucus● Former general of Alexander the Great● Tried to reestablish Macedonia control

over Indus Valley● 303 B.C. Chandragupta Maurya

defeats Seleucus● Unites northern India for the 1st time

Managing the Empire● Wars of conquest depended on

● 600,000 foot soldiers, 30,000 cavalry &9,000 elephants

● Military required high taxes● 1/2 of value of crops to king

● Kautilya--> Advisor to Chandragupta● Member of the Brahmin caste● Arthasastra - ruler’s handbook

● Proposed tough minded policies● Allowed spying & political assassinations

● Bureaucratic Government● Empire divided into 4 provinces w/ royal prince● Local districts run by officials

● Assessed taxes & enforced laws

Asoka’s Reign● 269 B.C. Chandragupta Maurya’s grandson

assumes throne--> Asoka● Brought empire to greatest heights● Ruled for 32 years

● Battle at Kalinga● Asoka continued plans to expand empire● 100,000 soldiers slain in victory● Due to grief over loss of life, Asoka turned to Buddhism

● Spread of Buddhism● Asoka built stone pillars with new policies inscribed

on them● Guaranteed fair and equal treatment of his subjects● Religious toleration ● Built roads for easy communication● Every 9 miles rest houses & wells

Period of Turmoil● 232 B.C. Asoka’s death left power

vacuum● Northern India

● 185 B.C. Absorbed people fleeing political instability in Asia

● Disrupted Indian society● New languages & customs added to

traditional culture● Central India

● Andhra Dynasty● Profited from trade between North & South

● Southern India● Home to 3 Kingdoms● Spoke Tamil language● Often at war with each other

Gupta Empire● 320 A.D. Chandra Gupta becomes king

● Gains throne through marriage not warfare

● Establishes Gupta Empire● India’s second empire

● 335 A.D. Son Samudra assumes throne● Expanded empire through 40 years on

conquest● 375 -413 A.D. Chandra Gupta II

● Defeated Shakas to the west● Allowed for trade to Mediterranean region

Gupta Empire Achievements● Reign of the three Guptas

● India experienced period of greatness● Arts● Religious Thought● Expanding trade● Literature● Education

● Gupta Empire● First period with information about daily

life● Family life-Patriarchal● Tamil region-Matriarchal

● 535 A.D. Decline● New invaders threatened Northern

India--> Hunas● Empire broke into small kingdoms

Mini Unit V: Classical China

● What do you know about China? What are the key geographical features of China and how might they shape the civilization?

Warm Up:

Ancient ChinaXia Dynasty – Zhou Dynasty

Xia Dynasty 2000 BCE▶ According to legend, Xia

Dynasty emerged

▶ Implemented irrigation projects which helped to reduce flooding from the Huang He

▶ Technology allowed settlement to grow

Shang Dynasty 1700-1027 BCE

▶ Shang rulers = first dynasty to leave written records

▶ Elaborate palaces and tombs were built for Shang kings

Ceremonial dagger 1028 BCE

The Evolution of Writing During the Shang Dynasty

Evidence from the Shang oracle bone inscriptionsshows that at least by the 14th century BCE the Shang had established the solar year at 365 1/4 days

Shang Dynasty 1700-1027 BCE

▶ Anyang = one of the capitals of the Shang dynasty▶ Built of wood in forest clearing▶ Built earthen walls for

protection (118 feet wide at the base)

▶ Higher classes lived inside city walls

▶ Peasants & craftspeople lived outside walls in small huts

▶ Constantly waging war with advanced technology - chariots

Chariot and remains of horse found at Anyang

Bronze Age Empires 3300-1200 BCE

Wine Vessel

Zhou Dynasty 1027-256 BCE

▶ Mandate of Heaven▶ The leader, whose royal authority comes

from heaven must lead by ability and virtue (morally good)

▶ Dynasty's leadership must be justified by succeeding generations

▶ The mandate could be revoked by negligence and abuse; the will of the people was important

▶ Floods, riots and other disasters were viewed as divine signs that the spirits were displeased with ruler

▶ This belief was used to explain rebellion, civil war and the rise of new dynasties

Dynastic Cycle

Technology & Trade

▶ Roads & canals were built for trade & agriculture

▶ Coined money

▶ Iron developed=used for weapons & tools

▶ Silk production

Feudalism ▶ Zhou kings spread their rule

over China through a system called feudalism

▶ Nobles own the farmland, that was worked by peasants, or serfs

▶ In feudal China, the Zhou put their relatives and other trusted nobles in charge of the land

Period of Warring States▶ Feudalism led to the development of

powerful lords who fought for power & land

▶ Political unity under the Zhou kings declined

▶ Traditional values collapsed as order and harmony is replaced with chaos and defiance

▶ Results in the development of new philosophies

▶ Confucianism

▶ Daoism

▶ Legalism

▶ New Dynasty (Qin) = take over

Why do you think Shi Huangdi is considered the “first emperor?”

What kind of government did he utilize and what occurred under his Qin Dynasty?

Was he a good leader? Explain.

After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty was established that utilized Confucian values in their government.

Based on what you know about Confucianism, how might this impact Chinese civilization during the Han Dynasty?