Chapter 3, Classical Civilization: India, 56-75

Classical India

I. Indian Geography

  1. Closer and more contact with Western civilizations than withChina
  2. Indian Subcontinent separated from the rest of Asia
  3. Geographic and Cultural divisions made political unity difficult—What were the words we learned that helped describe this?
  4. Important agricultural regions along two major rivers
  1. Indus (NW) and Ganges (NE)—quick—show me where they are!
  2. Herding in the mountainous north
  3. Trading along the coastal south

II. India’s Formative Years

  1. Following the fall of the Indus RVC, there was a revivalof a new Indian Civilization (Roughly 1500-600 BCE)
  2. Also called the Vedic Age (1500-1000) and Epic Age (1000-600)
  3. Indo-European Aryan migrants accept aspects of the cultureof the subcontinent while infusing some of their cultural traits(Syncretism)
  4. Aryans encouraged close village organization
  5. Families were patriarchal with close extended familyrelationships
  6. Development of the caste system

A. Aryan Social Classes: Varnas

  1. Warrior and Governing Class: Kshatriyas
  2. Priestly Class: Brahmin
  3. Traders and Farmers: Vaisyas
  4. Common Laborers: Sudras
  5. Later...an untouchable caste: Dalits
  6. CasteSystem. Caste System

B. Caste System

  1. Originally a way for varied races to coexist
  2. Detailed rules for each caste governing: Marriage, jobs,social habits.
  3. Original castes divided into hundreds of subgroups calledJati
  4. Indian Religions
  5. Aryans brought a polytheistic religion w gods possessing human qualities regulating nature
  6. Later evolves into Hinduism (1)No one founder, but an evolution over centuries
  7. Hinduism
  8. Most unifying aspect of Indian Culture
  9. (1)Much variety within the faith
  10. (2)Never displaced minority religions
  11. (3)No single founder or central holy figure
  12. (4)Adaptable to changing times and tolerant of divergent faiths
  13. (5)Brahma (holy essence) formed everything worldly and manifested in gods (a) Vishnu: The Preserver. Shiva: The Destroyer
  1. (6)Life is devoted to seeking union with Brahma (a)This may take many lifetimes-Reincarnation
  2. 3. Buddhism a)Siddhartha Gautama: Indian prince who questioned the
  3. Fairness of life w/ so much poverty and misery. (1)Lived as a Hindu mystic fasting and torturing his body (2) After 6 years, he ‘found truth’ becoming the Buddha, the enlightened one.
  4. (a)Denial of the caste system (b)Belief that the material world causes pain through frustrations (c) Destruction of the concept of self leads to Nirvana-a world beyond existence (d) Not a ceremonial religion, emphasis on self control
  5. b) Buddhism will never have a large permanent following in India
  6. c)More influential through its missionary efforts in East and Southeast Asia
  7. III.Politics in Classical India A. At the conclusion of the Epic Age, India was divided into
  8. Regional states B. Invasions from the North (Alexander the Great in 327)
  9. Lead to Chandragupta Maurya seizing and consolidating
  10. power to form the Mauryan Dynasty (321-185 BCE) a)First rulers to unify much of the Subcontinent b) Large armies, large bureaucracy, Autocratic rule
  11. 2.Chandragupta Maurya’s grandson Ashoka even more influential
  12. a)Extended Mauryan conquests b) Converted to Buddhism while still honoring Hinduism c) Sent Buddhist missionaries out of the empire
  1. Following Ashoka, the empire weakens with new invaders C. The Guptas
  2. Large Empire (But smaller than the Maurya) beginning in 320 CE (Fall in 535 CE)

a)Negotiated with local leaders and intermarried to bring political unity

  1. b) Claimed to be appointed by the gods, favored Hinduism c)No National language promoted d) Spread unified legal codes, road building and unified
  2. cultural activity (1)Golden Age of Indian History
  3. e)Overrun by the Huns (Nomadic invaders from the North) in 535 CE.
  4. IV. Political Institutions A. Regionalism and diversity in political forms B. Ashoka’s Rock and Pillar Edicts
  1. Spread morals of Buddhism throughout nation C. Caste system becomes the most rigid social framework
  1. of all classical civilizations
  2. V.Technological Innovations A. Advances in Astronomy and Medicine B. Circumference of the earth C. Indian Numbering system (Arabic numerals)
  3. VI. Culture A. Lively, colorful art B. Importance of higher education and scientific inquiry C. Tolerant of religions and outside cultures
  4. VII. Influences A. Indian Ocean: Most important linkage point among
  5. civilizations B. Indian Classical civ. had no major Indian Ocean
  6. competition.
  7. VIII.China vs. India
  8. A. : Differences 1.Art: Lively vs. Restrained 2.Primary religion vs. varied religions/philosophies 3. Caste System vs. Political structure 4. Emotional reactions vs. restrained behavior 5. Influenced by trade vs. new territorial expansion.
  9. B. Similarities 1. Largepeasantclasses 2. Close-knitvillages 3.Land owners w/ power 4. Patriarchalsystems
  1. Day 1—post reading to page 64—
  2. Have students compare and contrast Classical India & China
  3. Discuss regionalism v. concentration, centralization, and diffusion.
  4. Discuss vocabulary

Part II— Chapter 3, Classical Civilization: India, 64-75

Please read and reflect on the following piece from the Aryan epic, The Rig-Veda

When they divided the original Man

into how many parts did they divide him?

What was his mouth, what were this arms,

what were his thighs, and his feet called?

The Brahman was his mouth, of his

arms was made the warrior.

His thighs became the vaisya, of

his feet the sudra was born.

Compare and contrast the Mauryan dynasty with the Gupta:

Mauryan:

Chandragupta Maurya

Ganges

First to unify much of the subcontinent

Borrowed from Persia?

  1. Large armies
  2. Chariots and elephants borne troops
  3. “substantial bureaucracy—postal service—think about it—a postal service back then??

Maurya Dynasties:

I. Chandragupta

  1. highly autocratic—“relying on the ruler’s personal and military power.”
  2. Know this style—“Hellenistic kingdoms described Chandragupta’s life . .

Read quote together on page 61

What kind of evidence is this?

  1. read “Such drastic precautions paid off. Chandragupta finally designated his rule to a son and became a religious ascetic, dying peacefully at an advanced age.”
  1. Ashoka (269-232 B.C.E.)—governor of provinces—lavish lifestyle
  1. Brutal warrior but also compassionate—eventually converted to Buddhism. “vigorously propagatedBuddhism while still adhering to Hinduism.”
  2. Sent Buddhist missionaries to Hellenistic Middle East
  3. Oversee moral welfare of the kingdom
  4. Trade network—grew because of stability= growing commerce
  5. The Mauryan DID not establish durable roots—Ashoka’s style did not have lasting impact
  6. Buddhism did
  1. Post Ashoka-- The Mauryan Empire started to fall apart.
  1. regional kingdoms reappear
  2. new invaders, the Kushans—followed 100 years of political instability

Guptas:

I. Starting in about 320 C.E

  1. no individual rulers like the Mauryan
  2. had greater impact
  3. Bombast & pillar? Page 62
  4. Negotiated with locals= expanded influence
  5. Two centuries of Gupta rule gave Classical India greatest stability
  6. Much smaller territory than Mauryan
  7. Nomadic warriors, the Huns, topple them in 535 C.E.
  8. Regional rule did not mean “great instability”—economic and cultural life grew in regional rule as well as centralized Mauryan and Gupta rule.

Political Institutions:

*”Heading page 62: “Local and regional governments dominated in India, which placed less emphasis on politics than other early civilizations”

  1. What does that mean?
  2. Read the paragraph on page 62 right after that and figure it out.
  3. Talk with your mates—what?