Chapter 25Section 1 - India

History• India’s culture and history date back more than 4,000 years.

• 2500 BC – Indian civilization began in the Indus Valley (Pakistan).

• Aryan invaders crossed the Hindu Kush mountains and spread across northern India establishing small kingdoms on the Ganges Plain; pushed native Indians, Dravidians, south.

• Persian and Greek invaders occupied the Indus Valley, but never conquered the Aryan kingdoms of the Ganges.

Aryans

Mauryan Empire: 321-185 BC• United most of India; great leader, Asoka, spread Buddhism

throughout Asia; largest empire of its time.

Gupta Empire: 320-550 AD• Northern India; period of peace & prosperity; India’s golden age with

lots of discoveries and inventions.

Mughal Empire: 1526 – 1857 AD• 5th Century – More invaders from Central and Southwest Asia arrive.

• Conquered & occupied the Indus Valley and Ganges Plain.

• Established Muslim rule, in conflict with native Hindu traditions, over much of India; centralized and uniform rule across the region.

• Last remnants of the empire were taken over by the British.

Taj Mahal

• "crown of palaces“

• Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

• 1632–1653

• Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built it in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Crash Course World HistoryThe Mughal Empire and Historical Reputation

Europeans Arrive• 1500s – Traders came searching for spices, cloth and goods not available in Europe.

• 1757 – Britain gained control over India’s trade with Europe; established the British East India Company.

• 1857 – British government stopped a revolt and established direct rule over India; this period of time last nearly 90 years and is known as raj.

• British rule brought some benefits to India, but most Indians didn’t like colonialism and wanted their independence.

• Nonviolent Resistance: Opposition movement that does not use violence to achieve its goals; led by Mohandas Gandhi that resulted in the overthrow of British rule.

• Midnight August 14, 1947 – India became independent and split; Muslims formed East and West Pakistan; mass migrations and violence.

Democracy• World’s largest democracy with more than 1 billion citizens.

• Under 1st prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, India adopted a constitution and became a democratic republic in 1950.

• Majority are Hindu, however, they must accommodate Muslim, Sikh and Tamil minorities’ interests.

Economic Challenges• Large economy, but low per capita income; about ½ of Indians live in poverty.

• About 2/3 of Indians depend on farming; most struggle to survive.

• A proposed solution is land reform: more balanced distribution of land among farmers than currently. Large landowners have political influence limiting reform success.

• Green Revolution: increased crop yields by using new farming techniques developed after famines in the 1960s.

• Industry is a growing sector of the economy; major producer of iron, steel, chemicals, machinery and food products.

• Mumbai is India’s most prosperous city and leading commercial center; metals, chemicals and electronics.

• Bangalore is India’s high-tech center; home to hundreds of computer software companies.

Daily Life• Marriage and family are the center of Indian life; male dominated; Often several

generations live together in one house.

• Many have the custom of arranged marriages (partners chosen by family); more affluent people are choosing their own spouses.

• Most Indians have a largely vegetarian diet; curry; meat consumption is limited by both Hindu and Muslim religious practices.

• Soccer, field hockey and cricket are popular sports; popular music & film industry.

Education• Literacy is on the rise, but still a problem in city slums and rural areas.

• Most middle class children attend school.

• Education is key as the economy changes from farming/craft work to factory/office work.

Underprivileged children attend a free school run under a mass transit bridge in New Delhi, India.

A pavement school in India.

Languages• Indian constitution recognizes 18 major language groups, but more than

1,000 languages and dialects are spoken in India.

• Hindi is the official language; English is a common language in government and business.

• Dravidian is the major language and ethnicity of southern India.

Hinduism• A complex religion with roots in Aryan culture; 80% of the population; polytheism;

moral consequences of a person’s actions (karma) determine how a person is reincarnated.

• Caste System is a system of social classes that is a cornerstone of Hinduism. Each person is born with a moral duty, dharma, specific to their caste; has caused discrimination and limits people’s ability to improve their lives.

1. Brahmans (priests & scholars)

2. Kshatriyas (rulers & warriors)

3. Vaisyas (farmers & merchants)

4. Sudras (artisans & laborers)

5. Dalits (untouchables)

Other Religions • Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity play key roles in

Indian life.

• Millions of Muslims left the India after it won independence in 1947.• Pakistan and Bangladesh

Chapter 25 – Section 2Pakistan and Bangladesh

History• 2500 – 1500 BC - Indus Valley Civilization: Highly developed

civilization that arose in Pakistan; well planned cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, with sophisticated sanitation systems.

• Aryans invaded soon after IVC fell; several empires existed here

Crash Course World HistoryIndus Valley Civilization

Partition and War• End of British rule in 1947 brought the partition, or division, of British India.

Lots of violence, over 1 million people died; 10 million fled across borders.

• 2 New countries created: India (Hindu) East and West Pakistan (Muslim).

• Due to ethnic differences and a 1,100 mile distance between them, East & West Pakistan eventually separated. Civil war broke out in 1971 and India helped East Pakistan gain their independence to become Bangladesh.

Military Rule• Pakistan & Bangladesh have had political struggles since independence; short

periods with elected governments and then military rule.

• Pakistan and India have fought over the territory Kashmir. It is mainly Muslim, but the leader was Hindu. Indus River flows through the region.

• Tried to keep it independent; gave up to India, but Pakistan invaded in 1947. Each country now controls part of Kashmir.

Struggling Economies• Subsistence Farming: most farmers struggle to grow enough food to feed their

families and won’t adopt new techniques.

• Small Industry: neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh are very industrialized; small factories lacking capital and resources for expansion.

• Microcredit, small loans, have been introduced to help poor entrepreneurs, people who want to start a business.

Islamic Culture• Both are Muslim countries; Pakistan is stricter in its imposition of

Islamic law; purdah (seclusion of women) varies; Ramadan

Ethnic Diversity• Pakistan has 5 main ethnic groups, each with its own language and

region, except for the Muhajirs. Their language, Urdu, was chosen as the official language.

• Most people in Bangladesh are Bengali and their language is based on the Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language. Small population of Muslims and Hindus.

Poetry• An important oral tradition in both countries.

• Mushairas, or poetry readings, can draw thousands of people.

Music and Dance• Both share classical music traditions similar to those of India.

• Qawwali, a form of devotional singing by Muslims known as Sufis.

• Bangladesh has folk dances that celebrate their myths and legends.

Chapter 25 – Section 3Nepal and Bhutan

Geographic Isolation• Located in the Himalayas has isolated both countries throughout their histories.

• Ridges and valleys leading up to high mountains; Landlocked with no sea access has made them hard to settle; Mt. Everest

• 18th Century – China briefly controlled Bhutan.

• 19th Century – Great Britain had influence over both due to its control of India.

Government• Historically Hindu kings ruled small religious kingdoms in Nepal, while

Buddhist priests controlled Bhutan; over time unified kingdoms emerged with hereditary monarchies.

• Constitutional Monarchies: Kingdoms in which the ruler’s powers are limited by a constitution.• Bhutan has a king

• Nepal used to have a king, abolished in 2008.

Economies• Both are poor countries with agriculture-based economies.

• Not much land for cultivation; terraced farming; soil erosion.

• Tourism is a fast growing industry in Nepal; climb the Himalayas. Helpful to the economy, but destructive to the environment.

• Tourism is controlled in Bhutan to protect the country; tourist numbers are regulated each year and some areas are off limits.

Arts and Recreation• Folk art and festivals are important to Himalayan culture.

• Festivals with elaborate costumes and music portraying religious stories.

• Bhutan is famous for archery; an ancient tradition.

Kukur Tihar• Diwali, one of the great celebrations in the Hindu calendar, is a five-day autumn festival

generally known as the festival of lights. It’s a period of gift-giving, storytelling, and recognition of the relationships humans have with all things. Each day with its own focus.

• In Nepal, Diwali is called Tihar. Nepalese Hinduism is unique in dedicating the second day of Tihar, Kukur Tihar, to the worship of dogs.

• Dogs are especially important to Nepal’s Hindu practitioners. During day two of Tihar, KukurTihar, the role of dogs in human life and throughout history is celebrated. In the Rigveda, one of Hinduism’s most ancient texts, Samara — the mother of dogs — assists Indra, the ruler of heaven, in retrieving stolen cattle. Hindu tradition holds that a dog is the guardian and messenger of Yama, the lord and judge of the dead. A dog is also said to guard the gates of the afterlife.

• During Kukur Tihar, the mythological and real relationships between humans and dogs constitute the day’s major focus. A garland of flowers is draped around the neck of every dog; not only those with homes, but strays as well.

• The floral necklace, called a malla, is a mark of respect and dignity. It announces the wearer as important, and symbolizes the prayers that go with the dog.

• A red mark is applied to the forehead of each dog. In Nepal, this mark is called the tika, a paste made from abir — a red dye powder — along with rice and yogurt.

Mix of Peoples• Nepal: mostly Indo-Nepalese Hindus who came from India; speak

Nepali, an ancient Indo-Aryan language.

• Sherpas are Nepalese people of Tibetan ancestry who are the traditional mountain guides of the Everest region.

• Bhutan: Bhote is the main ethnic group; Tibetan origins; Dzongkha and Bhoti are main languages.

Religious Customs• Religion is a powerful force in both countries

• Nepal: Hinduism and Buddhism• Birthplace of the Buddha

• Bhutan: Official religion is Buddhism; large fortress monasteries are found here.

• Mandalas: Geometric designs that are symbols of the universe & used as an aid to Buddhist meditation.

Siddhartha Gautama• Founder of Buddhism; born in southern Nepal in the 6th century BC;

4th largest world religion.

• He was a prince that left his rich lifestyle to pursue the meaning of life and end universal suffering; desire is the cause of all suffering; live a life of balance.

The Story of Siddhartha Gautama

Chapter 25 – Section 4Sri Lanka and Maldives

History – Sri Lanka• 6th Century BC – People from northern India arrived on the island

absorbing the native inhabitants; they became known as the Sinahalese. Moved south.

• Adopted Buddhism and built sophisticated irrigation systems.

• 4th Century AD – Dravidian Hindus arrive from southern India, the Tamils, bringing a different culture and language. Settled in the north.

Sinahalese Tamils

• 16th Century AD – Europeans begin colonizing the island (Portuguese & Dutch).

• 1796 – British took control of the island (Ceylon) until independence in 1948; 1972 country’s name was changed.

• After independence tensions grew between the 2 ethnic groups. • Tamils (minority) were discriminated against by the Sinhalese (majority) and

wanted their own state.

• 1980s – Civil war broke out; rebel group Tamil Tigers; violence continues

History – Maldives • 6th Century BCE: Buddhists and Hindus from India and Sri Lanka settle

in the archipelago.

• 12th Century CE: Most converted to Islam• Many Arab traders in the region

• 6 dynasties of Muslim rulers, sultans, governed the region. • 1968: Maldives becomes a republic with an elected president

• 115 square miles, 300,000 citizens

Culture – Sri Lanka• Buddhists (74%) , Hindus (18%), Muslims (7%) and Christians (1%).

• Colombo, the capital, is a busy urban center; most live in small rural villages.

• Religion influences art & literature; Perahera festival; Kandyan folk dancing is the national dance (stories of kings/heroes).

Culture – Maldives• Multi-ethnic people; descended from early Sinhalese and Dravidian

people mixed with Arab, SE Asian and Chinese.

• Divehi is the official language; Arabic, Hindi and English are common.

• Islam is the state religion; no other religions are allowed.

• Bodu beru is music and a dance with African influences.

Economies• Sri Lanka – agriculture; exporting tea, rubber and coconuts; small

mining and fishing industries; famous for their gemstones.

• Maldives – limited farming due to lack of land; most food is imported; fishing industry; strong tourism

Challenges• Civil war and ethnic tensions have negatively impacted tourism in Sri Lanka;

damaged infrastructure.

• Global warming is affecting the Maldives; rising sea levels threaten their entire country.