Ancient+India

=**Ancient India 3000 BC - 320 AD**= =**Nathan Cookman and Matt Davis**=

==Ancient India is where modern Pakistan, Bangledesh and India are at today. The Ganges river was known as the "River of Life" it is a sacred Hindu river. The Himalaya Mountains is the "Place of Snow" and holds the highest mountain in the world. At 29,035 feet high is Mt. Everest. It is the "Goddess Mother of the World". The Hindu Kush Mountains hold the only entrance into India. Khyber Pass is the only way to get into India by foot. India has Monsoons, the Summer Monsoon is in June - September and brings torrentioal rains. The Winter Monsoon is in November - May and brings cool dry winds and a drought.==

==The Aryans lived in India from 1500-1000BC. They were Indo-European speaking nomads. They invaded Ancient India around 1500 BC. They came through Khyber Pass in the Hindu Kush Mountains. They were sheep and cattle herders. The gods represented the forces of nature, the sky was the father and the Earth was the mother. Indra was the warrior god. The Poem of Mahabharata, was writen araound 100 BC. It is the Worlds longest poem and has 90,000 stanzas and was about a war between Arjuna and Cousin.==

==The Social Classes were based on the Caste System, a social group based upon birth. They were a strict set of rules and prehibeted marriages between members of different castes. Brahmins were the highest caste, they were all priests. Kshatriyas were the next caste, they were all warriors. They were the top of the caste and were respected by everyone. Vaisyas were landowners, merchants and herders, they were considered average. Sudras were servants and peasants, they were the poor ones. Untouchables, they were so low that people didnt even consider them apart of the caste system. Whenever they walked around thye had to clap two sticks together so that other people would get out of the way because if one of the untouvhables touched a higher caste some of their bad karma would rub off on them. Karma is where all your acctions in this life affects our rebirth in the next. If you were evil then you would be reborn in a lower caste, if you were good thn you would be reborn in a higher caste.==

__**5 key people:**__
1. Darius (500BC) he was a persian king and he conquered the Indus Valley. 2. Chandragadupa Maurya was the 1st Indian Emperor from the Mauryan Dynasty. 3. Vishnu was the preserver of the world 4. Shiva was the destroyer of the world 5. Ashoka was 2nd to Buddha and wwas the greatest ruler of ancient India. 3rd rule from Mauryan Dunasty. __**5 key terms:**__ 1. War- desire for more cattle 2. Caste System- social group based upon birth 3. Karma- all actons in this life affect our rebirth in the next one. 4.Yoga- physical and mental discipline 5. Homing pigeons- pigeons that you could tie a message on to and they would fly back home General information on Ancient India from British Museum [|Outline of Ancient India for kids!] Monuments of Ancient India Historical figures of Ancient India Everyday life in Ancient Egypt media type="custom" key="11490184" media type="youtube" key="FzOKUTJK8Wc" width="425" height="350"

Timeline


 * 1) 3000 BC-Indus River Valley civilization begins.
 * 2) 1500 BC-Aryans invade India.
 * 3) 1000 BC-The Aryans Developed Sanskrit, their own writing system.
 * 4) 480 BC-Siddhartha Gautama died.
 * 5) 375 BCChandragupta is Emperor of the Gupta Empire.
 * 6) 327 BC-Alexander the Great swept into Northwest India.
 * 7) 232 BC-Asoka died.
 * 8) 200 BC-The silk road was made.
 * 9) 183 BC-The last Mauryan Ruler was killed.
 * 10) 100 BC-Mahabharta was writen.

Maitra Upanishad- "Samsara, the transmigration of life, is directly related to the intentions of the mind. Thus, it is important to keep the mind pure because a man will become what he thinks."