India

Invasions, Empires, Independence

Is an ancient land.

History dated back more than 4,000 years.

India is a blend of many different customs and traditions.

EARLY HISTORY

EARLY HISTORY EUROPEANS ARRIVE

Indian civilization began in the Indus valley around 2500 B.C

INVADERS Invaders crossed the

mountains of the Hindu Kush and spread across Northern India.

The Aryans established small kingdoms on the Ganges plain.

They went to India looking for spices, cloth, and other goods not available in Europe

Soon established trade relations with India’s rulers.

INDEPENDENCE Brought the division of India. The Muslim’s of west and

east Pakistan decided to separate from India.

This division caused violence to break out between Hindus and Muslim’s.

Governing the world’s largest democracy

INDIAN DEMOCRACY DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGES

Reflects elements of both the American and the British systems.

India is a federation of states held together by a strong central government.

Another challenge is to promote economic growth and raise a standard living.

Economic challenges

DEPENDENCE ON FARMING GROWING INDUSTRY

The majority of farms are very small and crop yields are low.

Most farm families struggle to survive on what they can grow for themselves.

AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS One solution being

considered for this problem is land reform a more balanced distribution of land among farmers that now exists.

Cotton textiles have long been a major product of India.

India is now a major producer of iron and steal, chemicals, machinery, and food products.

Life in modern india

DAILY LIFE EDUCATION

Marriage and family remain at the center of Indian life.

Indian families are large.

Often many relatives from several generations live under one roof.

Most Indian’s still work on farms or in small craft industries.

People are finding work in factories and offices.

Most middle class children attend school

INDIAN CULTURE

MANY LANGUAGES CASTE SYSTEM

They speak English and Hindi.

HINDUISM Is a complex religion with

roots in Aryan culture. They believe in many gods

and they believe in reincarnation.

The moral consequences of a persons actions, known as karma helps determine how a person is reincarnated.

The Aryan system of social classes.

It remains one of the cornerstones of Hinduism.

There’s four basic castesOTHER RELIGIONS Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism

Christian’s, Islam. Islam also exerts a strong

cultural influence in certain parts of the country.

Millions of Muslim’s left the country after India won independence in 1947.