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Ancient India Notes

1. Indus river valley in present day Pakistan

A. first civilization in region

B. lasts from around 2500 BC to 1500 BC

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C. Started to decline around 2000 BC

A. Probably primarily from natural causes

1. Climate change

2. Flooding or river changed course

3. Possibly conquered by invaders 4. There is still some disagreement

B. people migrated to other areas, probably to the east and maybe to southern India

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2. Arayans come from North

A. MIght have conquered what was left of Indus River civilization

B. Eventually dominated all of northern India

C. Vedas were important religious texts that tell us most of what we know about them

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3. Arayans eventually developed class society, later called “caste” by Europeans

1. Brahmans (priests)

2. Kshatriyas (warriors)

3. Vaisyas (landowners, merchants)

4. Sudras (servants/peasants)

5. Untouchables (unclean)

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System became more complicated over times

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