World History:
The Earth and its Peoples
Chapter 6
Foundations of Indian Civilization
Diversity
–  political and class divisions
–  language and ethnic
groups
–  multiple gods
Geography
–  mtns, basins, plateaus
–  monsoon (seasonal wind)
•  three harvests annually
•  trade winds
The Vedic Age, 1500-500 B.C.E.
Vedas
–  sacred religious literature
•  Indo-European speakers
–  Aryans
•  light-skinned
–  Dasas
•  dark-skinned Dravidians
•  varna - “color”
–  social order between groups
–  connected to reincarnation
•  you are where you are
supposed to be
•  atman
–  jati
•  birth groups; occupation
The Vedic Age
•  karma
–  good and bad deeds
•  sacrifice
–  invigorate gods; promote
stability
Brahmins
–  technology of sacrifice
Rig Veda
–  poetic hymns to deities and
sacred practices
Women
–  learning opportunities
–  own property
Jainism and Buddhism
Moksha - “liberation”
–  release from cycle of
reincarnation
Upanishads
–  teacher / student dialogues
–  question Vedic foundations
Jainism
–  Mahavira
–  nonviolence, asceticism, nudity
Jainism and Buddhism
Buddha
–  Siddhartha Gautama
–  Four Noble Truths
•  life is suffering caused by desire
•  celibacy, nonviolence, poverty
–  nirvana
•  ultimate spiritual reward
•  Mahayana Buddhism
–  “Great Vehicle”
•  Theravada Buddhism
–  original teachings
The Rise of Hinduism
Hinduism
–  religious diffusion
–  Vedic and Buddhist practices
–  female deities; fertility
•  Primary Deities
–  Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna
–  family devotion to one god
–  single divine force in universe
•  Divine Favor
–  sacred truths, discipline,
devotion
–  Ganges
–  pilgrimage - broad Hindu identity
•  Absorption of Buddhism
Imperial Expansion and Collapse
Political Fragmentation
–  geography; economic activity
–  social hierarchy; culture
Mauryan Empire - 324-184 BCE
•  1st centralized empire
–  Magadha kingdom
–  Chandragupta Maurya
•  Alexander’s death
•  Kautilya
–  Arthashastra
–  Pataliputra
•  walled, moated capital
–  Asoka
•  Kalinga conversion
Commerce and Culture
Mauryan Collapse
–  small principalities
–  strong economic activity
•  rise of guilds
•  Literature
–  Mahabarata
•  war between cousins
–  Ramayana
•  love story w/ prince - princess
–  Bhagavad-Gita
•  duty to society and one’s soul
•  teacher / student dialogue
–  Krishna / Arjuna
–  Tamil kingdoms
•  ‘classical’ period in literature
The Gupta Empire
Gupta Empire - 320-550 CE
–  Chandra Gupta (Hindu)
–  revenue source: 25% ag tax
•  powerful national army
–  theater-state
•  advertisement of benefits of
association with the empire
–  Intellectual support
•  zero; ‘Arabic’ numerals
–  women
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decline in status (urbanization)
loss of property rights
early marriage
sati - funeral pyre
The Gupta Empire
Trade
–  from Rome to SE Asia
–  cotton, ivory, metalwork
Attack
–  Huns from steppes
–  550 CE
•  fragmentation until Islamic
invasions (11th-12th cen)
•  Deccan Plateau independent
Southeast Asia
Cultural Crossroads
–  trade between China and India
Geography
–  geographically active
•  Pacific Ring of Fire
•  volcanic soil
–  tropical climate
–  monsoon rains
–  rain forests
Agriculture
–  swidden
–  tropical growth
•  rice, bananas, cane, yams
•  chickens and pigs
Southeast Asia
Malay Peoples
–  Chinese migration 3000 BCE
–  navigational skills 1000 BCE
•  monsoon winds, bird life
•  wind and clouds patterns
–  riverbanks / volcanic plains
–  numerous natural resources
State Building - early C.E.
–  commerce
•  silk and spices
–  Hindu/Buddhist culture
•  Indian merchants and sailors
Southeast Asia
Funan
–  1st to 6th centuries C.E.
–  1st major SE Asia center
–  Isthmus of Kra
•  key trade route China / India
–  shift in trade routes
•  silk worm monopoly
Srivjayan Kingdom - 6th to 11th
–  southern tip of Malay Peninsula
•  regional alliances
–  vital shipping passageways
•  theater-state
–  Borobodur
•  Buddhist monument
•  king as bodhisattva
–  Indian cultural influence
Borobodur Buddhist Temple, Java
Borobodur Buddhist Temple, Java