Mr. Koch World History A Forest Lake High School
Jan 04, 2016
Mr. KochWorld History AForest Lake High School
Hindu Kush & Himalayas Barrier from other
cultures Develop distinct
culture
Indus & Ganges
Within itself very diverse Large, hard to unite
~2500 B.C. Shows limits of
archaeology
Very well-planned cities
= well-organized govt?
Mohenjo-Daro
Most people were farmers Made first cotton clothing
Traders made contact with Sumer Inspiration to create own
writing? Polytheistic – mother
goddess, sacred animals (bull)
Civilization eventually deteriorated, disappeared (~1500 B.C.)
Aryans eventually overran and replaced earlier civilizations Nomadic warriors in chariots
Left little archaeological evidence
Hierarchical society Brahmins – priests Kshatriyas – warriors Vaisyas - herders, farmers,
artisans, merchants Sudras – Dravidans/non-Aryans,
farmworkers, servants, laborers Caste – social group to which a
person is born and cannot change
Polytheistic – gods represented by natural forces
Main god was Indra, god of war Brahman – single spiritual
force in all things Mystics – people who devote
lives to seeking spiritual truth Eventually adopted settled
lifestyle Cultures blended together
gradually Developed Sanskrit (written
language) Helped unite area