India's First Civilization
Why is the geography of India Important?
The geography in India is important because it has helped to shape the culture in India and give the people of India the resources that they need. The set of mountains in India called the Himalayas separates India from the rest of Asia, making India its own subcontinent. The Himalayas effect India largely, the snow from the top of the Himalayas melts and feeds into to the Indus and Ganges Rivers. This allows the land near these rivers to be used for irrigation. Monsoons are an important part of the Indian Subcontinent, in the winter they bring cold dry air, and in the summer they bring warm wet air.If the rain come on time the rainy season will last long enough for crops to be good. But if the rain is delayed then very few crops will be harvested and may people will die.
What is the caste system and what role did the Aryans play in its development?
The caste system separated everyone in India into 4 classes called varnas, the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas, and the Sudra. There was one group that was below them all, the untouchables. The Brahmins were the priests, they are the highest class. The Kshatriyas were warriors who ran the government and army, they are the second class. Next is the Vaisyas, they were the commoners, they were normally farmers and merchants. Ans that jobd then the last group the untouchables, they are below the caste system, they do the all of the dirty jobs that no one else wants to do. They handled dead bodies, they worked in the sewages, and they were poor and homeless.
Hinduism and Buddhism
What do Hindus believe?
Hindus believe that there are 100s of gods who are all a part of one universal spirit that is called Brahman. They believe that every living thing has a soul that wants to be reunited Brahman, this happens when that living thing dies. They also believe that when that living thing dies their soul soul becomes one with Brahman. In Hinduism a soul is not joined with the Brahman immediately, they believe that a person must pass through many lives before it can be joined with the brahman. Hindus believe in something called karma, which basically means that if they do good in their everyday life they will be rewarded. But if they do something bad then there will be negative repercussions.
What do Buddhist believe?
Buddhists believe in something that called the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are the heart of Buddha's teachings. The Four Noble Truths say that people should follow eight steps to stop their suffering. One of the main reasons that Buddha's teachings are so popular is because he did not believe in the caste system. He believed that everyone even the untouchables could reach enlightenment. There are two different groups of Buddhists, the Theraveda Buddhists and the Mahayana Buddhists. The Theraveda Buddhists believe that Buddha was not a God but a teacher. The Mahayana Buddhists believe that Buddha was a God.