Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley CivilizationBuilt along the banks

of the river systemBecause of the huge

mountains north and west of the Indus River, contact w/ other civilizations was limited

The Khyber Pass through the Hindu Kush Mountains provided a connectionUsed by merchants and

tradersLater it was used by

invaders

Indus Valley Civilization2500 to 1500

B.C.E. stretched for 900 miles

Two major cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were home to about 100,000 peopleEnormous cities for

ancient standards

Indus Valley CivilizationCities were master-

planned, uniformly constructed, and had sophisticated wastewater systems

Strong centralized government, led by priest-king

PolytheisticPotter’s wheelFarmers grew cotton

Indus Valley CivilizationSometime around

1900 B.C.E. the cities of the Indus Valley were abandoned, for reasons that remain unknown today

All that is known is that, by 1500 B.C.E. the civilization crumbled with the arrival of the Aryans

The Arrival of AryansThe Aryans were a

nomadic tribe from north of the Caucasus MountainsUsed horses and

advance weapons to easily defeat the populations of the Indus Valley

They gave up their nomadic lifestyle and settled in the Indus Valley

The Arrival of AryansAryan conquest of the

Indus Valley established their religious beliefs on the Indian subcontinent , in particular their belief in reincarnation

They recorded their beliefs and traditions in the Vedas and Upanishads

Later formed the basis for Hinduism

The Arrival of AryansThe Aryan social

system also had a major impact on India.Caste system

Initially it was divided into 3 classes (warriors, priest, and peasants)

In early days there was movement in the classes but eventually social mobility was prohibited

The Mauryan EmpireAround 321 B.C.E. the

largest empire arose in India

Spanning from the Indus River Valley eastward through the Ganges River Valley and Southward through the Deccan Plateau

Founded by Chandragupta Maurya but it would be his grandson Ashoka Maurya who would take the empire to new heights

The Mauryan EmpireBecame very

powerful and wealthy due to trade and the militaryIndian merchants

traded cotton, silk, and elephants to Mesopotamia and eastern Roman Empire

Military used elephants in fighting

The Mauryan EmpireAshoka was successful

only after a savage war, whose consequences changed Ashoka's views on war and led him to pledge never to wage a war.

Stricken with remorse for a very violent and bloody victory his forced claimed in Kalinga in southeast India, Ashoka converted to Buddhism.

Battle of KalingaIt is said that in the

aftermath of the Battle of Kalinga the Daya River running next to the battle field turned red with the blood of the slain; about 100,000 Kalinga civilians and more than 10,000 of Ashoka's own warriors were among those slain.

Rock and Pillar EdictsThe Edicts reminded

Mauryans to live generous and peaceful lives.

Following Ashoka’s conversion and commitment to Buddhism, the religion spread to Southeast Asia.

After Ashoka’s death 232 B.C.E. the empire began to decline rapidly mainly because of economic problems and attacks from the northeast.