A History of the World: Chapter 9: Ancient India

A subcontinent is a large landmass that is smaller than a continent. The Indian subcontinent is part of the continent of Asia.

Between the mountains is a dry highland known as the Deccan Plateau. The southern two-thirds of India is part of this huge plateau.

Seasonal winds called monsoons have a large influence on India's climate.

Most Indus Valley people resided in farming villages surrounding the cities.

Sometime around 1900 B.C., the people of the Indus Valley began to abandon their cities and villages. Why did the people leave?

Meanwhile, groups of people called the Aryans migrated to India.

Soon a new civilization emerged.

Each tribe was led by a raja, or prince.

Eventually, Aryan hymns, stories, poems, and prayers were also written in Sanskrit. Later, they were recorded and collected into sacred texts known as the Vedas.

Sudras were manual workers and servants who had few rights.

In India's leading families, a boy had a guru, or teacher, until he attended school in the city.

Another part of Hinduism is the belief in reincarnation, or the rebirth of the soul.

In Hinduism, the idea of reincarnation is closely related to another idea known as karma.

According to karma, people's status in life is not an accident. It is based on what they did in past lives. In addition, the things people do in this life decide how they will be reborn.

Many trained their minds to focus and think in positive ways. This training was called meditation.

Dressed in a yellow robe, he traveled the country, stopping to meditate, or think deeply.

Do not commit evil acts, such as killing, stealing, or living an unclean life.

When people were finally free from all earthly concerns, they would reach nirvana. According to Buddhist teaching, nirvana is not a physical place. It is an emotional or spiritual state, a feeling of perfect peace and happiness.

There are an estimated 376 million Buddhists in the world today.

Like many rulers, Ashoka began his rule with fierce wars of conquest. Eventually, he came to hate killing.

Ashoka was the first ruler to promote Buddhism. He sent teachers to spread the religion throughout India and other parts of Asia.

Stupas are Buddhist shrines shaped like a dome or burial mound. The stupas contained religious objects and served as places of worship.

After Ashoka died in 232 B.C., the Mauryan Empire declined. The kings who came after Ashoka lacked his kindness and skills.

People called pilgrims used the trade routes to journey to holy sites.

Artists, builders, writers, and scientists made many contributions while the Mauryan and Gupta kings ruled.

The most important structures in early India were the rulers' palaces and the temples used for religious worship.