Chapter 3 Ancient India and China. Geography of India India is a peninsula India is a peninsula Is a subcontinent Is a subcontinent 2 mountain ranges

Chapter 3Chapter 3

Ancient India and ChinaAncient India and China

Geography of IndiaGeography of India

India is a peninsulaIndia is a peninsula Is a Is a subcontinentsubcontinent 2 mountain ranges 2 mountain ranges

protect the north-protect the north-HimalayasHimalayas and and Hindu KushHindu Kush

Oceans to the east, Oceans to the east, west & southwest & south


Regions of IndiaRegions of India Well watered plain in the northWell watered plain in the north Deccan Plateau Deccan Plateau in the centerin the center Coastal plains on either side of the Coastal plains on either side of the

Deccan PlateauDeccan Plateau Mountain passes through the Mountain passes through the

Hindu Kush did allow migrating Hindu Kush did allow migrating and invading people-and invading people-KhyberKhyber PassPass


Three great rivers:Three great rivers: Indus RiverIndus River Ganges River Ganges River – sacred– sacred BrahmaputraBrahmaputra


Chief feature of India’s climate Chief feature of India’s climate is the is the MonsoonMonsoon Winter monsoon – from the north – Winter monsoon – from the north –

hot dry airhot dry air Summer monsoon – from the Summer monsoon – from the

southwest – daily rainssouthwest – daily rains

Early Early Indus Valley Indus Valley civilizationcivilization

Developed about 2400BCE – same as the Developed about 2400BCE – same as the Egyptians Egyptians

Lasted for about 1,000 years then goneLasted for about 1,000 years then gone Chief cities were Chief cities were HarappaHarappa & & Mohenjo-Mohenjo-

DaroDaro——well planned cities, rich and poor well planned cities, rich and poor sectionssections

Rich had toilets and showers (sewer Rich had toilets and showers (sewer system)system)

Little is known about civilization because no Little is known about civilization because no one can decipher written languageone can decipher written language

Economy Economy

Agriculture grew wheat, barley, Agriculture grew wheat, barley, melons & datesmelons & dates

The first to grow cottonThe first to grow cotton

ReligionReligion

PolytheisticPolytheistic Revered sacred animals like the Revered sacred animals like the

bull as well as treesbull as well as trees Worshipped a mother goddess & Worshipped a mother goddess &

a three-faced goda three-faced god

DeclineDecline

Declining about 1750BCEDeclining about 1750BCE Why? Possible damage to local Why? Possible damage to local

environmentenvironment Ended about 1500BCE when Ended about 1500BCE when

invaded by the invaded by the AryansAryans – used – used horses, chariots & superior horses, chariots & superior weaponsweapons

Aryan Conquest- Aryan Conquest- 1500BCE1500BCE

Nomads from Nomads from southern Russiasouthern Russia

Organized into tribesOrganized into tribes Elected chief – Elected chief –

Rajah lead the Rajah lead the army and ruled in army and ruled in peacetimepeacetime

Defeated the Defeated the DravidiansDravidians

Spread into the Spread into the Ganges Valley Ganges Valley

Aryan Religion—Vedic Aryan Religion—Vedic AgeAge

Chief text – Chief text – VedasVedas—contain —contain sacred hymns, songs, prayers, sacred hymns, songs, prayers, and ritualsand rituals

First great epic is called the First great epic is called the Rig-VedaRig-Veda

Worshipped gods of nature – Worshipped gods of nature – sun, sky, fire etc.sun, sky, fire etc.

Aryan ReligionAryan Religion

IndraIndra – warrior – warrior god, god of god, god of thunder, and thunder, and strength who led strength who led them allthem all


VarunaVaruna- god of - god of order & creationorder & creation

Also honored Also honored animals like animals like monkey god & monkey god & snake godsnake god


Believed that a single spiritual Believed that a single spiritual power that lives in all things power that lives in all things

Believed that gods included Believed that gods included heroes, villains, demons, etc.heroes, villains, demons, etc.

Vedic literature recorded the Vedic literature recorded the exploits of the gods & goddessesexploits of the gods & goddesses


Believed in reincarnation—Believed in reincarnation—introduced in the introduced in the UpanishadsUpanishads which are epic poems with a which are epic poems with a mythical religious tonemythical religious tone

MysticsMystics – people who devoted – people who devoted their life to seeking spiritual their life to seeking spiritual truthtruth

Vedic Age – 1500BCE – Vedic Age – 1500BCE – 500BCE500BCE

Used chariots with bows & Used chariots with bows & arrows to conquer arrows to conquer

Valued cattleValued cattle Your worth = # of cows & bulls Your worth = # of cows & bulls

you ownedyou owned

Caste System—based on Caste System—based on purity and skin colorpurity and skin color

BrahminsBrahmins – priests – priests KshatriyasKshatriyas – warriors – warriors VaisyasVaisyas – merchants, farmers, artisans, – merchants, farmers, artisans,

etc.etc. SudrasSudras – Dravidians & non-Aryans – Dravidians & non-Aryans

(servants(servants PariahPariah also known as untouchables were also known as untouchables were

outside the caste systemoutside the caste system Social structure largest impact on India and Social structure largest impact on India and

became basis of caste systembecame basis of caste system

Aryan CultureAryan Culture

Written language – Written language – SanskritSanskrit Created epic poems Created epic poems

MahabharataMahabharata – India’s greatest – India’s greatest epic poem—contains 100,000 epic poem—contains 100,000 versesverses

RamayanaRamayana

ChinaChina

Geography of ChinaGeography of China

Ancient time – known as the Ancient time – known as the “Middle Kingdom” or “Middle Kingdom” or ZhongguoZhongguo

Very isolated from other Very isolated from other civilizationscivilizations


West & Southwest – mountains West & Southwest – mountains & deserts& deserts

North – North – Gobi DesertGobi Desert East – East – Pacific OceanPacific Ocean Southeast- jungleSoutheast- jungle Result: Chinese thought of Result: Chinese thought of

outsiders as barbariansoutsiders as barbarians


Four regions of China:Four regions of China: ManchuriaManchuria TibetTibet Mongolia Mongolia XinjiangXinjiang

Heartland of ChinaHeartland of China

Yellow River Yellow River – – Huang HeHuang He AKA – “AKA – “River of SorrowRiver of Sorrow””

LoessLoess—fine windblown yellow soil—fine windblown yellow soil Yangzi River is also importantYangzi River is also important Earliest Chinese civilization Earliest Chinese civilization

developed in the Huang He developed in the Huang He ValleyValley

Chinese DynastiesChinese Dynasties

China’s history is told through China’s history is told through its dynastiesits dynasties

ShangShang Dynasty – 1650 BCE to Dynasty – 1650 BCE to 1027 BCE1027 BCE

GovernmentGovernment

Warrior KingsWarrior Kings Depended on loyal clans Depended on loyal clans No city-states like the Middle No city-states like the Middle

EastEast

Written LanguageWritten Language

Writing system – early writings Writing system – early writings found on found on oracle bonesoracle bones

CalligraphyCalligraphy—fine handwriting—fine handwriting

ReligionReligion

PolytheisticPolytheistic ShangShang DiDi----

presided over presided over heaven and heaven and other godsother gods

Used their Used their ancestors as ancestors as go-betweensgo-betweens

ReligionReligion

YinYin – female, earth & darkness – female, earth & darkness YangYang – male, heaven, & light – male, heaven, & light

Zhou Dynasty Zhou Dynasty – 1027 BCE– 1027 BCE

Mandate of Heaven Mandate of Heaven – the right to rule– the right to rule Dynasty enjoyed heaven’s blessing only Dynasty enjoyed heaven’s blessing only

as long as it governed wisely and justlyas long as it governed wisely and justly Mandate justifies the changing of Mandate justifies the changing of

Chinese dynastiesChinese dynasties Dynastic Cycle Dynastic Cycle – the rise and fall of – the rise and fall of

dynasties—not a crime to rebel against dynasties—not a crime to rebel against ruler who has lost mandateruler who has lost mandate

Zhou DynastyZhou Dynasty

Created feudal states - feudalismCreated feudal states - feudalism

EconomyEconomy

Iron workingIron working Used moneyUsed money Expanded into the Yangzi ValleyExpanded into the Yangzi Valley

WARRING STATESWARRING STATES

The late Zhou dynastyThe late Zhou dynasty Wars lasted more than 500 yrs.Wars lasted more than 500 yrs. Destroyed food supplies—led Destroyed food supplies—led

to mass migrations to cities—to mass migrations to cities—led to shortage of farmers—led led to shortage of farmers—led to famineto famine

Cities were scenes of starvation, Cities were scenes of starvation, crime, and diseasecrime, and disease

Achievements of the Shang Achievements of the Shang & Zhou& Zhou

Bronze weaponsBronze weapons, later iron, later iron The The yokeyoke, , harnessharness, & , & spoke spoke

wheelwheel Accurate calendar – 365 ¼ daysAccurate calendar – 365 ¼ days SilkSilk making – about 1,000 BC making – about 1,000 BC First books and first to First books and first to

develop paperdevelop paper

ANCIENT CHINESE INVENTIONS

ANCIENT CHINESE INVENTIONS

TEATEA GUNPOWDERGUNPOWDER COMPASSCOMPASS SILK FABRICSILK FABRIC PAPERPAPER EARTHQUAKE DETECTOREARTHQUAKE DETECTOR PROCELAINPROCELAIN ACUPUNTUREACUPUNTURE LACQUELACQUE PRINTINGPRINTING IRON PLOWIRON PLOW SHIP’S RUDDERSHIP’S RUDDER HARNESS FOR HORSESHARNESS FOR HORSES ALCOHOLALCOHOL MECHANICAL CLOCKMECHANICAL CLOCK SMELTING OF STEEL AND IRONSMELTING OF STEEL AND IRON

TEATEA GUNPOWDERGUNPOWDER COMPASSCOMPASS SILK FABRICSILK FABRIC PAPERPAPER EARTHQUAKE DETECTOREARTHQUAKE DETECTOR PROCELAINPROCELAIN ACUPUNTUREACUPUNTURE LACQUELACQUE PRINTINGPRINTING IRON PLOWIRON PLOW SHIP’S RUDDERSHIP’S RUDDER HARNESS FOR HORSESHARNESS FOR HORSES ALCOHOLALCOHOL MECHANICAL CLOCKMECHANICAL CLOCK SMELTING OF STEEL AND IRONSMELTING OF STEEL AND IRON

MAURYAN DYNASTYMAURYAN DYNASTY

322 B.C.E. 322 B.C.E. Chandragupta Maurya Chandragupta Maurya seized power and established first seized power and established first Mauryan dynastyMauryan dynasty

Characterized by autocratic rule, Characterized by autocratic rule, large armies, and large bureaucracylarge armies, and large bureaucracy

AshokaAshoka, Chandragupta’s grandson , Chandragupta’s grandson used warfare to extend Mauryan ruleused warfare to extend Mauryan rule—eventually converted to —eventually converted to BuddhismBuddhism

Gupta DynastyGupta Dynasty

Brought political stability to Brought political stability to IndiaIndia

No great leadersNo great leaders

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Chapter 3 Ancient India and China. Geography of India India is a peninsula India is a peninsula Is a subcontinent Is a subcontinent 2 mountain ranges