CHAPTER 7ANCIENT INDIA

India is the final part of HISTORICAL PERIOD 2: 600 BCE-600 CE (ROME-HAN-INDIA)

India is a study in contradictions. It is one of the most spiritual places on earth, giving birth to religious and philosophical traditions like Hinduism and Buddhism. And yet it has one of the strictest and most horrific caste systems in history, and is also one of the poorest and most overly populated places on earth.

Just as with Han China the following information on India can be used on ANY ESSAY on India. That means U can use it for ancient India, older India, and even modern India.

1. India has always had too many people and too many languages. That’s why they’re so hard to conquer and so hard to unfiy. They have over 1 billion people today and will surpass China by 2020 because of the latter’s One-Child Policy (now 2-child policy). There are 22 different languages in India with over 700 dialects.

2. India has always had a massive amount of poverty, peasants and poor people. (The city of Calcutta only has ONE toilet for every 350 people. I think we should LOCK most of the toilets at PHS just to upset you). Just as with China, they had so many poor people they didn’t really need slaves. (unlike Rome)

3. India practices Hinduism and believes in karma and reincarnation. How many of you will be re-born as goats?! Hinduism has over 300,000,000 gods + Shtrakhman. But really, they’re all ONE!

4. Women will be treated very badly in India, just as with Han China. A woman was expected to throw herself on the funeral pyre when her husband died. I demand the same of my girlfriends. Plus, child brides are very common with 50% of ALL marriages in India today with girls as young as 8 or 9!!!!!!!!!!

5. India also has ARRANGED MARRIAGES which are really not that common in the west. Still, for 1st hour, 2nd hour, and 5th hour, I have already found you your soulmates!

6. India has the strictest CASTE SYSTEM in the world.

THE INDIAN CASTE SYSTEM

1. BRAHMINS: HINDU PRIESTS

2. KSHATRIYA: WARRIORS, RULERS AND SHTRAKHMANS

3. VAISYA: MERCHANTS AND BUSINESSMEN (SOPHOMORES)

4. SUDRAS: SERVANTS (FRESHMAN)

5. THE UNTOUCHABLES: THE LOWEST AND MOST DOOMED CASTE (Jordan Merino, Daniela, Raj, Vincent and Stavros)

1. You CANNOT marry someone from another caste2. You CANNOT hang out with other castes3. You can NEVER leave your caste, even if you make a lot of money.

4. You cannot touch an untouchable. (Duh!)Karma: What goes around comes around, and if you have done bad actions in the past, bad karma is gonna get you. How many of you are so bad you will be reborn as swine….or something worse…Plantation High students!

Reincarnation: Hindus believe in many lives. They feel that you have been reborn an infinite amounts of times. They also believe that your re-birth depends upon your karma.

ALSO, all of the different castes make it tough to unify the country cuz people pledge more allegiance to their own castes than to any particular ruler or empire. Thus, you have to rule with force and that will only work for so long (except in my class where it ALWAYS works)

INDIA IZ HINDU!Hindus are POLYTHEISTIC.

Hinduism has 300,000,000 gods(299,999,999 + Shtrakhman)

1. BRAHMA -THE CREATOR2. SHIVA -THE DESTROYER

3. VISHNU -THE PRESERVER4. KALI -THE GOD OF DEATH

5. SHTRAKHMAN- GOD OF EDUACATION AND TYPOS

HINDUISM is a VERY old religion. It pre-dates Christianity and Islam. It started about 300 BCE and used to be known as the Vedic religions.BUDDHISM also comes from India. You’ll see this later on in the packet!! It then spreads from India----China----Korea----Vietnam----Japan------Central Asia-----the Indian Ocean--------America in the 1960’s!!!

WOMEN IN INDIACHILD BRIDES AND ARRANGED MARRIAGES

1. The worst thing about Ancient India was Child brides: Indian girls were forced into marriage at a very young age (sometimes even 6 or 7!!!!) They might be sold to an older man to pay off a debt or they might be married off to an older man to ensure a proper life. They might be ‘promised’ to a teenage and then married later.

They might be married off at an early age to ensure a proper caste. The father would want to make sure the young girl gets a good husband, someone who could financially provide for her. This is in line with the Indian tradition of ‘ARRANGED MARRIAGES’. Sometimes, this still happens even today. Look at the stats blow:

STATS in 20141. 1 in 9 girls in the world are married BEFORE the age of 15!2. Girls under the age of 15 are TWICE AS LIKELY to die during child birth!3. They are 2 times as likely to get AIDS4. In India today, rape is a HUGE problem. Do your own research!5. Girls who come from poor families are twice as likely to marry early. Do you understand why?

And it’s not just India, it’s in Africa and the Muslim world asWell:

Rank Country Name % girls married before 18

Niger 75

Chad 68

Central African Republic 68

Bangladesh 66

Guinea 63

Mozambique 56

Mali 55

Burkina Faso 52

South Sudan 52

Malawi 50

Madagascar 48

Eritrea 47

India 47

THE THING you have to understand about ARRNAGED MARRIAGES is that marriage was seen as a SOCIAL CONTRACT. It was never about LOVE!!!!!!!

It was always about family, caste, money, security etc. And this is true in many places even today. In many places in Africa or the Middle East, the bride’s father must provide the husband with a DOWRY, of animals, money, objects, whatever.

IN FACT, in Egypt today the price of gold has gone so high that many grooms can’t afford a gold wedding ring and so the father-in-law (father of the bride) CANCELS the wedding.

SIDE NOTE: The other thing that Indians did was sell Indian Princesses when they were being attacked by nomads, Mongols and Huns. So I guess we have to bid farewell to Anjali, Saddiqah, Samantha and Lalibella. Also Frantz and the Sachs sisters. See ya

This is known as DIPLOMACY. Diplomacy is any kind of negotiation that doesn’t involve fighting. It’s something that every President has to deal with because military options are not always the best. Warfare and diplomacy sometimes go hand in hand. So the Chinese would sell off their best Princesses and so would the rulers of India! Send us a postcard from your new hut in Mongolia Adam and Zachary!

INDIA: SLAVERY AND POVERTY**NO SLAVES IN INDIA CUZ JUST LIKE IN CHINA, THERE WERE PLENTY OF POOR PEOPLE TO GO AROUND.

India has too many people (1,000,000,000 compared to China’s 1.5 billion), and they have WAY too many poor people. It has ALWAYS been that way. China and India have ALWAYS had a problem with poverty and over-population.

In 2014:- 400 million people live on less than $1.25 per day!- 65% of girls can’t read- 75% of boys can’t read- In the city of Calcutta, there is only 1 toilet for every 350 people!- Only 75% have electricity and only 13% have the internet- India just completed its first major highway, its I-95.

INVENTIONS OF INDIA (TRADE, TRADE, TRADE)

1. INVENTED THE NUMBER ‘0’ (AS IN YOUR GRADES FOR THE 1st

QUARTER)

2. INVENTED THE IDEA OF A DECIMAL…..AS IN 0.0!!!

3. INVENT ALGEBRA (YAY!) AS IN YOUR GRADES DIVIDED BY 0=0

HOW MANY OF YOU ALGEBRA?

4. LOTS OF FRUITS AND EVEGETABLES

5. LOTS OF DIFFERENR SPICES LIKE CAYENNE PEPPER, SAFFRON, TURMERIC (CURRY SAUCE……)

6. SHAMPOO (something you know NOTHING about!)

7. CHESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (the guy that introduced my mom and dad was the CHESS CHAMPION

of the Ukraine)

8. LOTS OF JEWELS (RUBIES, EMERALDS, SAPPHIRES)

** Fun Fact: England STOLE one the largest diamonds in the world from India: The Hope Diamond

Again, the SILK ROAD contained India as well. Except this time, the INDIAN OCEAN is part of their trading network as well.

THE INDIAN OCEAN

As u can see, the Indian Ocean contains everything AROUND INDIA (duh!). From the right coast of Africa----the Middle East----India-----South East Asia

—This means that everything that India exports (spices, jewels, shampoo, Indian princesses, Buddhism) will SPREAD along the Silk Road AND the Indian Ocean.

I would say that 7/10 essay questions are about TRADEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.(goods, religion, technology, books, ideas etc……………..)

And that’s the thing. Trade was huge in both Rome and China as well. Of course! It wasn’t just SILK that they traded. Christianity went East and Buddhism went west. Fruits and vegetables from Europe went everywhere and so did spices from India. Gold and diamonds from Asia were worth just as much as gold and diamonds from India, or figs and dates from the Middle East. Even the animals that empires traded back and forth (lions, tigers and bears oh my!) And ur gonna learn that the Islamic world and China also did a lot of business (math, astronomy, observatories etc). So if u get an essay on trade, you’re all set!

BUDDHISM AND OTHER INDIA VOCABULARY TERMS

THE INDUS RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION: INDIA’S 1ST CIVILIZATION. (3000-1000 BCE):

- The Indus river is where India got its name

- They had indoor plumbing 5ooo years ago! (how many of you have indoor plumbing?!)

- We still cannot decipher their language.

THE MAURYAN EMPIRE:

- India’s first major empire. (350 BCE [around Greece’s time])

- Near the highly sacred and highly polluted Ganges river

- Population of 50 million people way back in 350 BCE!!!!!!!!!! (that’s too many people AND too many languages to unify an empire)

- 6000 elephants in their army (imagine what job the lowest guy in the social hierarchy, the Freshman, had!)

BUDDHISM ALSO COMES FROM INDIA- KING ASOKA: King Asoka is the most important guy in ancient India because it will be HE who brings BUDDHISM from India and then SPREADS it to CHINA, JAPAN, KOREA AND VIETNAM!!

ASOKA started out by being your run-of-the-mill brutal king- He conquered most of India and he killed over 100,000 people

Then, however, the strangest thing happened: He felt bad for all of the bad things he had done. He didn’t want any bad karma and to be reborn a goat or a High School student.

- He became a vegetarian (Mrs. DiPaolo, Vanessa Furgusonni and I are ALL vegetarians and we eat TOFURKEY on Thanksgiving!)- Then he became a Buddhist and renounced all violence

King Asoka is so committed to Buddhism that he spreads it all the way from India to China. Then, it goes from China to Japan, Korea and Vietnam. In fact, he builds shrines to Buddha all over India and even builds little houses where monks and nuns can chill on their journeys.

Below is a map of how Buddhism spreads from India to China

This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT maps you will ever see in AP World!***The spreading of Buddhism from India to China, and then from China to Japan, Korea and Vietnam is ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPTS IN ALL OF AP. You can discuss it if you get an essay on China, India, Asia, migration, culture or religion.

In fact, Buddhism comes to America in the 1950’s. Look up Buddhist centers in Florida for example.

Unfortunately, after King Asoka’s death the Mauryan Empire crumbles and in comes the famous Gupta Empire.

THE GUPTA EMPIRE : India’s second and last major empire (320 bce-550 CE) how many years is that math nerds?_________ (Almost the exact same time as Rome)

- Unlike either the Roman or the Chinese Empires, India will NEVER have a centralized governmental system. Why not?- Because of #2 loozers: India has too many different people who speak too many different languages. - And just like with Rome and China, the Hun nomads of Central Asia would come in. This time, however, they were called the White Huns.

DON’T 4GET: Any time the AP Exam asks you about GOVERNMENT, BUREAUCRACY or POLITICAL SYSTEM, just think about PLANTATION HIGH SCHOOL.

Either the empire sends out Governors (Teachers) like Rome, or they control everything from Beijing (me in my classroom ruling with an iron fist). India is gonna be as loose and de-centralized as Rome, not as tight and centralized as China.

The Romans felt like as long as they could trust the individual Governors, order could be kept over 1000 mile distances (no phones, no cars). In EVERY EMPIRE, though, eventually ALL of the local leaders/warlords, are gonna rebel and vie for control (2nd Hour!)

THE WHITE HUNS The Romans had the Germans and the Huns

The Chinese had the Mongolian nomads and the Huns (that’s why they built the Great Wall of China) India gets the White Huns

The White Huns basically came from Afghanistan and the rest of Central Asia, just like the other Huns. They kept trying to take over India and by about 400 CE, they were able to unwind the Gupta Empire. Not take over the country, just create chaos.

THE END OF THE GUPTAS. WHY DID THE GUPTAS FALL? (Same as Rome and China) POLITICAL, CULTURAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES

TOO BIG to control TOO EXPENSIVE

TOO MANY REBELLIONS TOO MANY INVASIONS

(Except this time they were called the WHITE HUNS!)

**LOOK, every empire will have to deal with hundreds or dozens of small rebellions. Regional warlords and leaders will test the Emperor’s control constantly. As the Empire grows in size it just becomes MUCH more difficult to control and “keep under your thumb”. Smaller rulers will want to take control!

DON’T 4GET that India is SO BIG, and SO LONG, with so many DIFFERENT CLIMATES, so many DIFFERENT DIALECTS, so many DIFFERENT CASTES, that any kind of unity is difficult at best.

In fact, for ROME. CHINA and INDIA, the following are ALL TRUE:1. 600 BCE to 600 CE

2. All very large3. All ended because they got too big and too expensive to run

4. All ended because of invasions and other POLITICAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES

5. They ALL built roads, supply lines and used diplomacy (selling princesses!!!!)6. They all built walls

7. They all had laws and legal systems

8. They all had governments and political bureaucracies9. They all caused environmental damage

10. They all had some RELIGION, 11. They all had some form of art, architecture, literature etc.

Indian art and literature are awe inspiring. Remind me to show u some, if ur good! Hindu art is quite colorful and interesting as well, as is Indian architecture. Just think of the Taj Mahal. Remember that ‘art and architecture’ fall under environment but can be connected to SPC if you’re careful.

TAJ MAHAL: INDIA

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT #1: Quick Questions1. How is Hinduism different from Judaism or Christianity?

2. Where does India get its name?

3. What are the names of India’s 2 largest empires?4. Who is King Asoka and why was he important?

5. Why did the Gupta Empire collapse?

6. Since India was never inherently strong, what other strategies did they use to deal with their enemies?

7. Why does India remain so fragmented for such a long time?

8. What’ the most important Indian invention?

9. How does ‘slavery’ in India compare to: A. GREECE: B: ROME C: CHINA

ASSIGNMENT #2: LONG RESPONSE QUESTIONS (INSTEAD OF AN ESSAY)

LONG RESPONSE QUESTION #1: WHAT’S BETTER, ARRANGED MARRIAGES, OR MARRIAGES OUT OF LOVEEEEEEE?

LONG RESPONSE QUESTION #2: DO WE HAVE A CASTE SYSTEM IN THE U.S.? IF SO, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

LONG RESPONSE QUESTION #3: HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE IN KARMA? WHY OR WHY NOT?

LONG RESPONSE QUESTION #4: HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION? WHY OR WHY NOT?

LONG RESPONSE QUESTION #5: COMPARE THE ‘TREATMENT OF WOMEN’ IN ROME, CHINA AND INDIA

LONG RESPONSE QUESTION #6: HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE THE CASTE SYSTEMS IN CHINA AND INDIA?

HERE’S A VERY SERIOUS QUESTION: Imagine you come from a VERY poor family in India. Your daughter’s ONLY chance at financial security is to marry an older rich man. Isn’t marrying her off the RIGHT decision?

ASSIGNMENT #3: EXTRA CREDIT SEE BELOWMAKE A CHART OF THE INDIAN CASTE SYSTEM (FOUND BELOW) ON

A PIECE OF CONSTRUCTION PAPER. Include the names of those I find LEAST desirable!

1. BRAHMINS: HINDU PRIESTS2. KSHATRIYA: WARRIORS, RULERS AND SHTRAKHMANS

3. VAISYA: MERCHANTS AND BUSINESSMEN (SOPHOMORES)4. SUDRAS: SERVANTS (FRESHMAN)

5. THE UNTOUCHABLES: THE LOWEST AND MOST DOOMED CASTE (INCLUDE NAMES OF THE UNDESIRABLES IN CLASS!)

PLEASE MOVE ON TO CHAPTER 8: THE RELIGIONS

OF THE WORLD!!! THIS IS THE END OF HISTORICAL PERIOD 2: 600BCE-600CE