Classical IndiaClassical IndiaClassical IndiaClassical IndiaAP InformationAP InformationAP InformationAP Information

TopicsTopics

• TradeTrade

• Technology/AchievementsTechnology/Achievements

• War/InvasionsWar/Invasions

• Cultural DiffusionCultural Diffusion

• Social HierarchySocial Hierarchy

• GenderGender

TradeTrade• Jains turned to commerce to Jains turned to commerce to

avoid farmingavoid farming

• Traded for gold with the Roman Traded for gold with the Roman Empire; w/PersiansEmpire; w/Persians

• Asoka’s successors taxed goods Asoka’s successors taxed goods sold by merchantssold by merchants

• Traded gems, spices, cotton, Traded gems, spices, cotton, teak, & ebony for horses from teak, & ebony for horses from Arabia & Central Asia; silk from Arabia & Central Asia; silk from ChinaChina

• Emphasized trade more than Emphasized trade more than ChinaChina

• Traded w/China, but had little Traded w/China, but had little impact; more with Middle East impact; more with Middle East & Mediterranean& Mediterranean

• Indian merchants traded cotton Indian merchants traded cotton textiles and bronze statuaries textiles and bronze statuaries via Indian Ocean via Indian Ocean

Technology/AchievementsTechnology/Achievements• Maurya: Asoka built roads, hospitals, Maurya: Asoka built roads, hospitals,

veterinary clinicsveterinary clinics

• Gupta: arts & sciences flourishedGupta: arts & sciences flourished

• Gupta: developed principle of algebra, Gupta: developed principle of algebra, infinity, and concept of zero; “Arabic infinity, and concept of zero; “Arabic numerals”, negative numbers, square numerals”, negative numbers, square rootsroots

• Astronomy: earth’s rotation around sun, Astronomy: earth’s rotation around sun, circumference of earth & planets; gravitycircumference of earth & planets; gravity

• Stupas built by AshokaStupas built by Ashoka

• Panchatantra Panchatantra with “Sinbad the Sailor” and with “Sinbad the Sailor” and “Jack the Giant Killer”“Jack the Giant Killer”

• Medicine: set bones, performed Medicine: set bones, performed operations, invented medical operations, invented medical instruments; ethics, cleanlinessinstruments; ethics, cleanliness

• Epic poems: Epic poems: MahabharataMahabharata (100,000 verses) (100,000 verses) & & Ramayana Ramayana (24,000 verses)(24,000 verses)

• UpanishadsUpanishads

Social HierarchySocial Hierarchy• Caste system made up of Caste system made up of

varnas: Brahmans, Kshatriyas, varnas: Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras, & PariahVaisyas, Sudras, & Pariah

• Only priests and warriors Only priests and warriors could recite the Vedascould recite the Vedas

• Priests replaced warriors at Priests replaced warriors at the top of the caste systemthe top of the caste system

• Castes/varnas divided into jatis Castes/varnas divided into jatis based on occupationbased on occupation

• Castes promoted tolerance; Castes promoted tolerance; goes hand in hand with goes hand in hand with HinduismHinduism

War/InvasionsWar/Invasions• 1500 B.C. - Aryan invasion 1500 B.C. - Aryan invasion

(Indo-European hunter-herder (Indo-European hunter-herder migrants)migrants)

• 500 B.C. – Persians under 500 B.C. – Persians under Darius I conquer Indus River Darius I conquer Indus River valleyvalley

• 327. B.C. – Alexander the 327. B.C. – Alexander the Great’s armies make it to the Great’s armies make it to the Indus RiverIndus River

• Asoka builds empire through Asoka builds empire through war; renounces violence after war; renounces violence after much bloodshed much bloodshed

• Kushans invade from northwestKushans invade from northwest

• Gupta – invasion of the Huns Gupta – invasion of the Huns brings end to empirebrings end to empire

Cultural DiffusionCultural Diffusion• Buddhism spreads to other Buddhism spreads to other

parts of Asia especially parts of Asia especially China, Japan, Korea, Middle China, Japan, Korea, Middle East, & Sri LankaEast, & Sri Lanka

• Indian art influenced ChinaIndian art influenced China

• Symbols for 1-9 adopted by Symbols for 1-9 adopted by traders from Middle East; traders from Middle East; became Arabic numerals that became Arabic numerals that we use todaywe use today

• Hinduism influence spreads Hinduism influence spreads to surrounding areas (Angkor to surrounding areas (Angkor Wat in Cambodia is dedicated Wat in Cambodia is dedicated to Vishnu)to Vishnu)

• Hellenistic culture Hellenistic culture transferred to India through transferred to India through Alex the Great’s armiesAlex the Great’s armies

• Stoicism stimulated by Stoicism stimulated by Buddhist emissaries to Buddhist emissaries to Middle East Middle East

GenderGender

• Men dominated the Aryan world Men dominated the Aryan world (patriarchal) - (patriarchal) -

• Aryan women had choice of Aryan women had choice of choosing husband; choosing husband;

• Indian women could remarry if Indian women could remarry if widowed; took part on social widowed; took part on social affairs; high ranking boys and affairs; high ranking boys and girls could attend school; were girls could attend school; were educated in household taskseducated in household tasks

• Status of women declines after Status of women declines after Aryans arriveAryans arrive

• Gupta- women & mothers highly Gupta- women & mothers highly respected, but had little respected, but had little independenceindependence