Geog597.01:South Asia Outline

General Urban Characteristics: -Low level of urbanization -High rate of urban population growth -Many of the world's largest cities Historical Influences

Indus Civilization (2500-1500 B .C.E.) -Harappa -Mohenjo Daro

Aryan Influence (began 1500 B.C.E.) -Sanskrit languages -Caste System:

main divisions of the caste system (varnas): -Brahmins (priests, scholars) -Kashatryas (warriors, rulers,) -Vaisyas (merchants, farmers) -Sudras (manual laborers, servants) below the other castes: -Untouchables (also known as Harijans or Dalits) -jatis (subcastes) -"spiritual pollution"

Hinduism: -three major concepts: -Dharma -Reincarnation (to ultimately reach Moksha) -Karma

Ganges Plain Mauryan Empire (300s -100s B.C.E.) -emperor Asoka ruled in 200s B.C.E. Pathalpiputra (Pataliputra)-in same location as today's Patna (see textbook, p.335 for description of city form)

-Dravidians -southern part of India -Hinduism -languages NOT derived from Sanskrit -Madurai (see p. 335 in textbook and picture on p. 336)

Muslim Influence -first significant Muslim influence came in 1000s C.E. -Moghul dynasty (1526 -1707) -Shahjahanabad (Delhi) -mixture of Muslim and Hindu elements (see text pp, 335-338) -Taj Mahal in Agra

European Influence -1500s, British, French, Dutch, and Portuguese all tried to establish trading centers -1600s, British gained dominance and squeezed out the others

British East India Company (1757 -1857) -British merchants controlled trade between Europe and S.E. Asia via South Asia -plantations were established -India was: -exporter of raw materials- -importer of finisheed products -Sepoy Rebellion (1857) India's Rebel - lasted only a year

-Official British Colony (1857 -1947) -Presidency Towns: -Calcutta (now Kolkata) -Madras (now Chennai) -Bombay (now Mumbai) -Dual Cities -example: Delhi/New Delhi

-Independence (1947) -Partition of the colongy -India (Mostly Hindus) -Pakistan (divided into West Pak. and East Pak.) Mostly Muslims -Sri Lanka (Buddhists)

-East Pak. broke away from West Pak. in 1971 and became Bangladesh - Islam (Muslim)

Currently

-accelerating economic growth -growing middle class -high-tech centers: -Bangalor (Silicon Plateau) Economy can't keep up with rapid pop. growth

Problem:

INDIA: -positive gains are overshadowed by rapid population growth (still enormous poverty)

SRI LANKA:

-Sinhalese (Buddhists) more political power -Tamils (Hundus) -> Some want to form own country (North Sri Lanka). Others want more recognition.