1. Indus River Valley
• Cities of Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro
–Walled
–Square grid pattern
–Indoor plumbing
–Writing still a mystery
• The Slow Demise - c. 1150 B.C.E.
–Causes unclear
–Floods
–Fertile areas drier

2. The Aryans
• Indo-European pastorialists invade
• Dominated by warriors
• Patriarchal – brides bring dowries
• Bring caste system
• Begin to farm along Ganges
• Oral literature
–The Vedas
–Religious hymns
–Polytheistic

3. Social Change
• The Caste System
–Varnas, categories; based on pollution
 Brahmins (mediators, literate, tax-exempt)
 Warriors
 Merchants
 Peasants
 Artisans
 Untouchables
–Status (dharma) determined by birth
–Transmigration of souls
 Karma

4. Rise of Buddhism
• The Making of a Philosophy
–Buddha (Siddartha Gautama) - 6th century B.C.E.
 Wandering life, asceticism
–Four Noble Truths
–Escape suffering by renouncing worldly things
 Achievement of nirvana
–Denies Vedas as scripture
–Critique of caste system
–Some worship Buddha as god
–Dissension
 Good works v. contemplative life

5. The Spread of Buddhism
• Buddhism is monastic – monks (male and
female), monasteries, missionaries

6. The Greek Interlude
• Alexander the Great, 327 B.C.E.
• Contact between India and Hellenistic
world improves
–Greek mathematics and astronomy
–Indian religious ideas

7. The Mauryas
• Mauryan Empire
–Alexander retreats
–Chandragupta Maurya - founder
 Monarch with centralized control
 Successors extend empire
• Ashoka’s Conversion to Buddhism
 Grandson of Chandragupta
 Conversion to Buddhism
 Opposed by Brahmins
 Sends missionaries to China and SE Asia

8. India at the Time of Ashoka

9. The Mauryas
• Imperial Patronage and Social Change
–Merchants, artisans benefit
–Women's status improves
–Monasteries spread – builds Stupas
–Ashoka’s Death
 Successors less competent
 Division follows
 By 185 B.C.E., empire ended

10. Brahmin Recovery
–Buddhism
 Loses popular appeal
 As trade declines, so does Buddhism
–Hinduism
 Shiva, Vishnu, Kali, Lakshmi dominate
 More temples
 More participation: all castes, women somewhat
 Adopts Buddhist aspects
 Brahmins appeal to elites

11. The Gupta Empire
• Gupta family
–By 4th century , build empire
C.E.
–Less centralized – regional autonomy
–Brahmins restored as royal supporters
• Literature and the Sciences
–Kalidasa - poet
–Mathematics - 0, decimals, "Arabic" number system
–Medicine - Hospitals, surgery

12. The Gupta Empire

13. Intensifying Caste and Gender
Iniquities
• Distinctions more rigid
• Status of women reduced
–No longer allowed to read the Vedas
–Few legal rights
–Female infanticide
–More freedom for low caste women
–sati

14. Intensifying Caste and Gender
Iniquities
• Gupta Decline
–Hun invasions, 400s C.E.
–Local rulers profit
 Fragmentation