South Asia

  • Aryan Nomads settled villages

    • Aryan civilization entrenched into society (Indo-Aryan Civilization)

  • San skirt was the common language

  • Indo Aryan civilization

    • spoke an Undo-European language

    • Songs that showed stories were called Rig Veda

      • Gave insight in religion and society

      • Hymns were religious beliefs in songs

    • People were polytheistic

  • Vedic Society

    • Four social groups were called Varna

      • Ranked people in order of purity

        • linked religion and society

        • Social and religious hierarchy

      • Eventually became known as caste system

  • Hinduism

    • Rig Veda

      • oldest text

      • Consists of hymns, prayers, and speculations

      • Written in ancient San Skirt

      • One of the most significant and authoritative Hindu religious texts

      • Told the stories of Indo-Aryan gods and goddesses

      • Became known as what is now present day Hinduism

    • Epics

      • Mahabharata

        • Describes a long feud between two clans in more than 100,000 verses

      • Bhagavad Gita

        • Read as an independent work

        • Battle between two armies and introduced dharma

      • Ramayana

        • Tale of the great King Rama

    • Upanishad

      • Challenged the old order

        • Introduced new ideas and gods

        • Introduced the ideas of reincarnations or rebirth of the soul (karma)

        • Some Gods intervened in human lives and sometimes took human form

        • Religious leaders’ interpretations of writings

        • The story of hero’s which backs Dharma

        • Commentary on the Vedas later turned into a sacred text

    • Monotheistic and Polytheistic

      • Most believe in one god but Vedas and hymns describe multiple Gods

    • Brahma

      • “The creator” idea of the beginning

      • Created the world

      • all other gods came from him

      • Four faces stand for four corners of universe

        • He sees everything

    • Vishnu

      • “The Preserver” balance of good and evil (Dharma)

      • Most common incarnated take on bodily form to preserve Dharma

    • Shiva

      • “The destroyer” purifier

      • The change in the form of death

      • Shedding old habits

    • Brahman

      • Universal spirit

      • Created universe and exists in everything

    • Atman

      • Universal soul/self (Brahman)

      • Each living body had an essential, imperfect self or soul

      • Goal is for one’s Atman to be perfect and meet Brahman(no body)

      • Cannot be reached in a single life time (samsara)

    • Reincarnation/samsara

      • The idea of being reborn until you reach purity

      • Souls reborn into different bodies over different life cycles

      • When you fulfill Dharma you get a better body in reincarnation

    • Moksha

      • Changeless bliss, unifies with Brahman

      • Brahmins are closest to the Moksha (priests)

      • The most purest you can be

      • Individual Dharma→ Samsara + Universal Dharma→ Moksha

      • The release from Dharma

    • Karma

      • Major Hindu belief in reincarnation related to Dharma

      • The universe contains serval heavens and hells

      • Concept of rebirth and reincarnations, souls are continually reborn

      • Ones rebirth is determined by the Dharma performed in their past lives

      • A soul continues in cycle of rebirth until release is achieved

      • The sum of their good and bad actions

    • Dharma

      • Major Hindu belief in reincarnation related to karma

      • The way of righteous conduct in life

      • Determined by birth and caste

    • Guru

      • Spiritual teacher

    • Caste System

      • A rigid hierarchy dictated the kind of work people could do

      • Based off of the social groups called varna

        • Ranked people from least pure to purest

      • The way Purusha was divided

        • Devine aspect of the System

      • Brahmins were at the top of the caste system

      • Untouchables were at the bottom

  • Buddhism

    • Origins

      • Siddhartha Gautama

        • Buddha = “Enlightened One”

      • Maintained Hindu beliefs of Dharma and Karma

      • Denied existence of Gods, priests, caste system

      • Emphasis on equality

      • Offered different approach to achieve peace

        • End of sorrow and suffering

    • Tripitaka (Three Baskets)

      • The original teachings of the Buddha as recorded by early followers

    • Dharma

      • Eightfold Path

      • Fulfillment of self will lead to Nirvana

      • All that leads to peace/harmony and enlightenment

    • Nirvana

      • State of being freed from suffering

      • Achieved only by understanding the Four Noble Truths

    • Four Noble Truths

      • First Truth

        • Noble Truth of Suffering

          • Suffering is universal

          • Passing pleasures vanish overtime

          • All life is suffering

      • Second Truth

        • Noble Truth of Cause of Suffering

          • Desire is the cause

          • Pleasure causes suffering

      • Third Truth

        • Noble Truth of the end of Suffering (Liberation)

          • Aware of desires and thoughts

          • No longer clings to them

            • Does not eliminate desire

          • Don’t be controlled by desires

          • If freed from desires Nirvana is achievable

            • Blissful escape from suffering

      • Fourth Truth

        • Noble Truth of the Path

          • By changing one’s thinking/behavior no longer ruled by desires

          • One can be awoken and end suffering

          • Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path

      • Eightfold Path

        • Wisdom

          • Right view or understanding

            • Strive to clearly understand Four Noble Truths

            • Strive to understand the working of one’s own mind

          • Right thought/intention

            • Commit to ethical self-improvement

            • Strive to have right sense of motive, intention, commitment

            • Avoid dwelling on the past or future

        • Ethics

          • Right Speech

            • Strive to speak thoughtfully and kindly

            • Avoid lies, slander, harsh words

          • Right Action

            • Strive to act morally towards all living things

            • Live in the moment; without attachment to results

          • Right Work/Livelihood

            • Have a vocation that doesn’t harm others

            • Earn a living in moral, legal, peaceful way

        • Meditation

          • Right Effort

            • Seek enlightenment with practice and determination

            • Focus will only achieve good things

          • Right Mindfulness

            • Be fully aware and conscious of your body

          • Right concentration

            • Focus attention; strive to become one with object of your mind

  • History of the land

    • 1500 - 500 BCE

      • Aryans settled villages and tribal states(16 kingdoms) in north

        • Aryan civilization entrenched into society

        • Buddhism began

        • Various groups made it hard to create unity

      • Hinduism most significantly impacted the people of South Asia

        • The caste system was woven into society

        • Vishnu (preserver) took Buddhism under its arm

    • 500 - 200 BCE

      • Maurya Empire

        • First great “ancient empire”

        • Ruler was Buddhist King, Asoka

          • Empire weakened and declined after his rule

    • 200 BCE - 200 CE

      • Various kingdoms frequently at war

    • 200 - 500 CE

      • Golden age of Islam

      • Various small kingdoms

        • Islam came over and expanded

    • 900 - 1200 CE

      • Muslim states in North

        • Pehle Sultanate - fertile land

      • Various kingdoms in the South

      • Caste System became increasingly complex

      • became Hindu vs. Muslims

    • 1200 -1500 CE

      • Regional Kingdoms

        • Mix of Muslim and Hindu kingdoms

    • 1500 - 1600 CE

      • Mughal Empire

        • Founded by prince from Afghanistan

        • Tolerance Hindus and Muslims

          • Sikhism began

    • Early 1700s

      • Mughal Empire starts crumbling

    • 1600s - 1800s

      • Several kingdoms

      • European trading companies compete to control ports

        • British East India company gained huge chunks of territory

    • 1800 CE

      • British East India company dominated most of Sub-continent

  • How did the Indian sub-continent become a British colony

    • Industrialization

    • Open to trade backfired

    • Imperialistic mindset

    • Stopping India from industrializing

    • Sepoy rebellion

  • Britain in India

    • Direct and Indirect rule in India

      • South Asia not politically united before British India

      • People of India have no say

      • Viceroy of Delhi was the power(president)

      • Created peace by the military

      • Internal and Political security

      • Western law was put into effect- loss of traditions

      • Infrastructure change, roads, railroads, canal systems

      • Cash crops were forced to be grown for profit

      • Economic changes were harmful

      • Outlawed people to industrialize

      • Segregated Society

      • Not allowed to speak out

      • No guns were allowed- prevent rebellion

      • Cheep raw exported expensive imported

      • Elites were created

      • United towards nationalism

  • Nationalism

    • Primary goal of nationalists

      • reject foreign rule - demanded independence

    • Goals

      • All wanted independence but…

        • adopt western ways?

        • stay traditional?

    • Indian National Congress (INC)

      • Urban, educated, “elite” Hindus

      • Gandhi took over leadership in 1920

      • Pushed for “home rule” = self - government

    • Muslim League

      • Muslims

      • Muhammad Alii Jinnah took over leadership

      • Pushed for two separate independent nations

        • One for Hindus and one for Muslims

  • 1920s and up

    • Millions of Indians served British in WWI

      • expected say in government

      • Increased Indian nationalism

    • By end of WWI Gandhi became prominent leader in INC

      • Nehru was also member of INC

      • Elite Hindus made up most of INC - Gandhi dressed poor

      • Gandhi brings everyone into the mix - unity

        • Changes thought process to everyone is equal

    • Jinnah hosted meeting, part of Muslim group

      • Goal of meeting was to respond to Rowlett Act - harsh laws (mar. 1919)

      • Gather together and prayer and fast - peaceful strike

        • Deliberately disobey because unjust - civil disobedience

    • Rowlett Acts allowed Britain to shoot causing Amritsar massacre

    • Boycotts were non-violent, non- cooperation acts

      • Gets Gandhi arrested; people become violent; not Gandhi’s goal

    • The Salt Act began on mar 12, 1930

      • Indians were prohibited from gathering, making, selling salt

        • Forced to by from British

        • Gandhi embarked on 240 mile walk to shore of Arabian Sea

          • Then imprisoned for 7 months

          • People followed his lead

    • WWII

      • Quit India movement

        • Unlike first war Indians refused to help British

        • More than 100,000+ were arrested by British

        • Movement helped persuade other countries

        • Britain financially depleted → India being freed