Everything+India

  **Geography of India ** -**subcontinent** made up of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. -Himalayas block India from the rest of Asia || -little invasion because of natural barriers -access to bodies of water and a large, rough coastline favorable for trade || -**spices** -**opium** (poppy seed) -**cotton** || -the availability of resources caused industrializing Western nations to imperialize India || - ** Hindu ** **Kush** (Khyber Pass) -**Western** and ** Eastern ** **Ghats** || -protection and isolation from foreigners (in the history of India, the only significant invasion was by the Aryans, through the Khyber Pass) || - ** Ganges ** (holy river for Hinduism) - ** Brahmaputra ** || These rivers provide fertile soil which allowed these to be sites of ancient river valley civilizations. || -Climate varies with each region of India || - Winter monsoons blow dry air from the northeast across the country, westward. -Summer monsoons shift in direction carrying moisture form the ocean in huge clouds. These clouds create storms which cause floods. -when summer monsoons do not develop, which causes drought. || - ** Thar ** **Desert**  || -makes up most of the Indian peninsula -hard living because the monsoons interfere with everyday life -Thar Desert borders the northwestern part of India which provides a natural barrier. || **
 * Geographic Features || Examples || Effects on Society ||
 * Location || -in the Indian Ocean
 * Resources || -**tea**
 * Mountains || - ** Himalayas **
 * Rivers || - ** Indus ** (site of first ancient civilization of India)
 * Climate || -**Monsoons**
 * Plateau/Desert || -**Deccan** **Plateau**



Founding of Hinduism: ** Hinduism was developed slowly, and cannot be traced back to a specific founder (Aryans are thought to have started the religion).

Hinduism is a REILGION and a WAY OF LIFE, the majority of India is Hindu. Basic Beliefs: · ** Moksha ** - freedom from reincarnation (“Hindu Heaven”) · ** Mandala ** - wheel of reincarnation, this will continue until moksha is reached · ** Samsara ** - reincarnation · ** Dharma ** - the duties of one’s caste · ** Karma ** - the deeds of the present will effect your reincarnation in the future · ** Gods ** - Brahma (creator), Vishnu (protector), and Shiva (destroyer)



· ** Caste ** **System**- rigid social stratification of Hinduism. Social mobility only occurs between lives



The **Vedas** are one of the main holy books of Hinduism, others include: the //mantras//, //agamas//, //itihasas//, and others.

Hindus are free to choose the gods they worship, if any at all and the path they want to take to achieve moksha. There are three paths: 1) the path of //right thinking// 2) the path of //right action// 3) the path of //religious devotion// The beliefs of Hinduism and one's caste dominated every part of a Hindu’s life:  -Control what a person wears, eats and the way they ate, the people they could associate with, their cleanliness and their wealth.    ** Founding of Buddhism: ** Buddhism was started by **Siddhartha Gautama** (aka Buddha or the "//enlightened one//")and spread to the East and Southeast Asia by missionaries and traders. Buddhism was not very dominant in India because of Hinduism’s popularity among the people.

During Buddha’s experience of enlightenment, he discovered the ** Four Noble Truths ** : 1) Life is painful. 2) Pain is caused by desires. 3) To end pain, you must end desire. 4) To end desire, follow the eightfold path.



** The Eightfold Path ** - guide to behavior, like a staircase. Those seeking enlightenment have to master one step at a time, this would occur over various lifetimes. If one followed the eightfold path, they accomplish nirvana 

** Middle Way ** - one should live his/her life in moderation. It is like a Buddhist practice of non-extremism - the release from selfishness and pain to end reincarnation
 * Nirvana **

** Indus ** ** River ** ** Valley **** Civilization: ** Little information is known about how the first settlers arrived in India, possibilities may be that travelers came through the Khyber Pass, or by ship from Africa. People were settled in ancient civilizations as early as 7000 BCE. The largest cities were Kalibangan, Mohenjo-Daro, and Harappa. The Indus Valley Civilization is also known as the Harappan Civilization.


 * Mohenjo-Daro ** : This city is most known for its plumbing system. Almost every house in this city had a plumbing system in their house in which connected pipes carried dirty water to underground sewage systems.


 * Harappa ** : This ancient city is a good example of how urban planning was used. The city was built partly on top of mud-bricks to prevent flooding. Also, a thick wall about three and a half miles long surrounded the city itself. Streets were paved in a grid system and walls divided residential areas.

// Culture of the //// Indus // // Valley //

|| -Economically, the cities flourished due to the fabrication of nonessential items such as children’s toys. -Limited conflict existed, small supply of weapons. -Animals were an important part of culture, and respected. They are depicted on many artifacts. || -Cotton was also popular since not many people knew know to grow it. -The Indus River provided transportation for trade in close regions and also linked to the sea for trade with distant peoples. -People of the Indus Valley civilization traded with Mesopotamians. ||
 * Language || - Developed written language that remains impossible to decode.
 * Culture || -Each of the cities had the same culture and religion. Socially. there was much of a division in society.
 * Religion in Daily Life || -Civilization was a theocracy based on a religion that has close ties with the beliefs of Hinduism. ||
 * Trade and Agriculture || - Stones, silver and gold, sometimes made into jewelry were the main basis of trade.

// Decline of the Harrapan Civilization // Around 1750 BCE the Indus Valley cities began to decline. Shifts in tectonic plates provide evidence that earthquakes and floods contributed to the downfall. Trade decreases and many cities were destroyed. Environmental challenges prevented good harvests.

|| - He proclaimed the **Mauryan Empire**, the //first// Indian empire - He united most of India by conquering all others with a vast army - The Indian Empire was divided into four zones, each having a prince. Each of the four zones was made up of many local regions headed by officials who collected taxes and enforced law. -Chandragupta’s son ruled the empire for only 32 years before Asoka brought the Empire to its greatest heights. || || - Buddhism in India originated when Chandragupta’s grandson, **Asoka** became king of the Mauryan Empire in 269 BCE. - He studied Buddhism and decided to rule by Buddha’s teaching of peace to all - Asoka’s rules promised his subjects would be treated fairly and humanely - He built extensive roads and improved communication in India to uphold the well-being of the Indian people - When Asoka died (in 232 BCE), his policies of nonviolence and toleration no longer controlled India. || (started Gupta Empire, **not** associated with Mauryan Empire) || -After 500 years or turmoil, a leader came to power, his name was **Chandra Gupta**. -He founded India’s second empire, the **Gupta Empire**. -This period was characterized as a golden age of India and Hinduism was made an important part of life. ||
 * Ruler || Accomplishment/Important Events ||
 * 321 BCE: **Chandragupta Maurya**
 * 269 BCE: **Asoka**
 * AD 320: **Chandra Gupta I**



The **Gupta dynasty** ruled the **Gupta Empire** of India from around 320 BCE to 550 BCE.
 * The Gupta Empire: **



The Gupta Empire covered almost all of Northern India and Eastern Pakistan.

The capital of the Gupta Empire was Pataliputra, present day Patna. 
 * Included parts of present day west India and Bangladesh.



** The Gupta Empire had many contributions throughout the years that it existed. **





· His reign was from about AD 240-280. || || || ** || ·  Ruled for about forty-five years until his death in AD 380 · Reign had much to do with the military (constant warfare) || · ** Chandra Gupta II **** was ** Samudrgupta’s son · Extended the empire through the west coast of India, where there were trading ports to increase the commerce of India · The Gupta Empire was prosperous in many ways: made their own businesses and were prosperous, wealthy and middle class people in the cities who enjoyed music, dancing, drinking wine and many other pleasures. || · The Gupta Empire suffered invasions and after Kumara Gupta’s (forty year) rule, (during the invasions) his son **Skanda Gupta** fought off the invaders. || · ** Skanda Gupta ** died in 267, ** empire collapsed ** eventually after not being able to withstand attacks. ||  = Alexander the Great in India:   = = =
 * ** RULERS ** || ** ABOUT THE RULER ** ||
 * ** Sri-Gupta ** || ·  The Gupta Empire was founded by **Sri-Gupta**.
 * ** Ghatotkacha ** || * Ruled from AD 280-319.
 * ** Ghatotkacha ** had son named **Chandra Gupta**, marred princess Kumardevi, holding power in Magadha.
 * ** Chandra Gupta ** || * ** Chandra Gupta ** got control on the flow of northern India's commerce on the Ganges River (major flow of commerce in northern India)
 * Ten years later Chandra Gupta died, told his son named **Samudra** to rule.
 * Set up efficient bureaucracy that collected taxes, built roads and harbors, established government owned factories and shipyards.
 * ** Samudragupta
 * ** Chandra Gupta II[[image:Chandragupta_II.JPG width="257" height="310"]] ** || ·  Ruled around 380
 * ** Kumara Gupta I[[image:Kumaragupta_I_coin.JPG width="320" height="284" align="left" caption="Kumaragupta I coin"]] ** || · ** Chandragupta II ** passed away in 415 and his son **Kumara Gupta I** maintained the prosperity of India
 * ** Skanda Gupta[[image:Skandagupta_coin.JPG width="255" height="292" align="right" caption="Skandagupta coin"]] ** || · Hephthalites returned where all Skanda Gupta was doing was fighting them for twenty-five years, weakened the Gupta Empire.

· After Alexander the Great’s conquest Hellenistic culture spread, it  was the period of Greek literature and learning after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE.
- Alexander the Great was a Macedonian king; - He conquered northern India in 325 B.C - One of his greatest battles in India was against Porus, (a powerful Indian leader) on July 326 B.C.E. - Alexander the Great gave an independent territory to Porus as a gift after fighting.

=  = = After the battle against Porus his next goal was to reach the Ganges River because he thought that it flowed into the Ocean. = = = = =
 * Alexander the Great's troops heard stories about Indian tribes that lived on the Ganges, as a result refused to go further east.
 * Alexander was upset about the refusals but accepted their concern and had them travel south down the Indus and Hydaspes rivers to possibly reach the southern part of the Ocean.
 * During the trip they stopped at a village that was the territory to the Mali, an Indian war tribe.
 * Alexander the Great was wounded many times from the attacks.
 * Macedonian* officers rescued Alexander.
 * Alexander and his troops in July 325 B.C.E reached the Indus and after returned home.

= = = = =** Macedonia ** : an area of southeast Europe on the Balkan Peninsula  = = ·   Includes parts of modern-day Greece, Bulgaria, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. = = ·   After the fall of the Alexandrian empire, it was held by Romans, Byzantines, Bulgars, Serbs, and Turks. = = ·  The present division was largely determined after the Second Balkan War in 1913. = 


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