The Taj Mahal

Summarizing the Story:          

                The Taj Mahal was built as a monument to eternal love.  It all started out when Prince Khurram was 15 and Arjumand Banu was 14.  At the time, Khurram was looking for a wife.  He visited the Meena Bazaar during a festival to celebrate the New Year.  He saw a beautiful girl his age selling candy at a stall.  He went over and they started a conversation, which then led to marriage.  At first Prince Khurram wasn’t sure whether or not his father would allow the marriage, seeing as Arjumand Banu was the daughter of the Prime Minister and not a princess.  However, Emperor Jahangir asked the royal astrologers what they read in the heavens, and they told him that the marriage would result in a very good match.  On the day of Arjumand and Khurram’s wedding, Jahangir saw how beautiful Arjumand was, so he gave her a new name:  Mumtaz Mahal, which meant “Jewel of the Palace”.  Mumtaz Mahal and Prince Khurram were very much in love, and whenever he led his troops into battle, she rode in alongside him.  Whenever he was   accompanied by his wife, Khurram never lost a battle.  He defeated so many enemies that when he arrived back at the palace, his father, Emperor Jahangir, gave him a new name:  Shah Jahan, which meant “King of the World”.  Eventually, Emperor Jahangir passed away, leaving Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal in charge of India.  They were good, fair rulers, and every year, Shah Jahan would put himself on a scale, and give his weight in gold, silver, jewels, and other riches to the poor.  The people of India loved their emperor and empress.  Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal had many children.  One day, when Shah Jahan was marching out to battle 

again, Mumtaz Mahal told him that she was pregnant with another child.  He thought that she should stay in the palace, but she refused, and they left the city together.  As Shah Jahan won his fights, Mumtaz Mahal gave birth to a baby girl.  Her husband was overjoyed, but when he went to visit her, he noticed that she was very pale.  Mumtaz Mahal was very sick.  Before she died, Mumtaz made Shah Jahan promise that he would make sure that their love would never be forgotten.  Then, she passed away.  Shah Jahan was desolate with sadness.  He stopped eating and drinking, and he couldn’t think of what to do to make sure their love wasn’t forgotten.  Then, one night, he had a dream in which Mumtaz Mahal was walking around in a beautiful white palace.  Then, he knew what he needed to create.  He called in architects and calligraphers from all over the world.  He had them design and build a great tomb that would show his love to Mumtaz Mahal.  White marble, gold, silver, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, sapphires, obsidian, and all sorts of wonderful and precious jewels were used in the making of the Taj Mahal.  After a few years of construction, it was finished.  The Taj Mahal was the most beautiful building in India.  Shah Jahan wanted to be buried alongside his wife in a black tomb when he died, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.  He grew ill, and his third son took advantage of this and imprisoned his father in the Red Palace, where he was held captive for eight years until he died.  His son buried him with Mumtaz Mahal, though not in the way and place Shah Jahan had envisioned it.  The Taj Mahal still stands today as a monument to the love between Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, as well as true love all over the world.

Maps

1.)    How do physical features and elevation relate to each other?

Physical features and elevation relate to each other closely.  Different physical features are all on different levels of elevation.  For example, mountains, valleys, deserts, and plateaus all have different heights.  Mountains have very high elevation, and valleys have low elevation.  Plateaus are raised up from the ground, and deserts can be lower.  The physical features of the land are actually dependent on the elevation of land – you can’t have a mountain with an elevation level of 0 feet. 

2.)    What conclusions can you draw?

I can draw the conclusions that India had a lot of plants and animals in it, because on our climate map, it says that most parts of the country are tropical wet/dry and tropical wet.  The Thar Desert is really one of the few places that is arid in ancient India.  People probably settled in India around the lusher, green areas such as by the Ganges and Indus rivers, as life would have been easier there.  They would have had more food, shelter, and the climate would have been more manageable.  The Thar Desert would probably not be a first choice for ancient humans, and neither would the Himalayas.  The desert was a very arid region, and there probably wasn’t as much life over there as in the forests.  The Himalayas were also not a first choice for the humans settling in India, as it was snowy, icy, and super cold.  It would have been very, VERY hard for people to survive in the mountains without the equipment we have today.  (Think about natural resources, climate/weather, and human settlement.)

Kali

          Kali is the Hindu goddess of time, and, with that, death.  She is supposed to be a form of the goddess Parvati/Shakti.  Kali is worshiped because she can free humans' souls, destroy ignorance, and help those who want to learn gain knowledge.  Some Hindus believe that before Kali came into being, humans lived forever.  There is a myth where Kali was able to kill an evil demon who was wreaking havoc in the world.  The other gods were afraid to kill it, because every drop of blood that it spilled instantly turned into another demon.  Kali spread her tongue on the ground so that the demon's blood would not reach it, and then killed him.  After that, she became drunk on the demon blood and romped around killing everyone in her path.  She only stopped when her husband, Shiva threw himself at her feet.  She came to her senses then, and became Parvati again.  Today, Kali is one of the very few gods/goddesses where sacrifices of blood are given. 
As you can see in the picture, Kali is holding the demon's head in one of her hands, and Shiva has thrown himself at her feet.  She is also wearing a necklace of skulls.

Source:  http://www.thebuddhagarden.com/kali.htm

Hinduism in Ancient India Questions

1a.)  How did the early Aryan religion grow into Hinduism?

         The early Aryan religion grew into Hinduism by mixing in with the other cultures already present in India at the time.  Slowly, more and more beliefs from other early religions joined in until the one big Hindu religion developed.

1b.)  How is Hinduism different from other religions that you have learned about?  How is it similar?

          Hinduism is different from other religions I've heard about, because Hindus don't really have one single all-powerful god.  Instead, they have this "Brahman," which lives in all things.  Since Brahman is so good, I think that the underlying meaning of it is that all things are good in their own way.  Many other religions just have one single, defined god.  Hinduism is similar to other religions I have learned about in that if you do bad things in your life, after you die, bad things happen to you.  In Cambodian religion, if you sin while you're alive, you go to one of the levels of hell (the worse the sins, the more unpleasant the hell), whereas if you were a good person, you go to one of the levels of heaven.  In the Hindu religion, if you are good, then you get to come back to life as a person of higher status, whereas if you were bad, then you will either come back as a person of lower status, or even an animal.

2a.)  What is the relationship between good and bad behavior and the Hindu idea of reincarnation?

          The Hindu idea of reincarnation is connected very strongly to good and bad behavior.  If you led a bad life, you will come back to life as either a person of lower status than in your last life, or  you will come back to life as an animal.  If you led a good life, you will come back to Earth as a person of higher status.  If you led a perfect life, you get to skip the reincarnation stage, and become one with Brahman for eternity,

2b.)  What does "escaping the cycle of death" mean to Hindu?

         "Escaping the cycle of death" means that you have led a perfect life and that you now get to become one with Brahman.  Since Brahman lives in all things, if you become part of Brahman when you die, you get to live in all things, too.  You don't have to come back to life, die, come back to life, die, and continue in that cycle. You just get to stay with Brahman for eternity.

3a.)  In what ways do Hindus practice their faith?

          In order to practice their faith, Hindus will worship to their gods in temples and at their homes.  Some will have altars at their houses where they will give offerings of food, gifts, and prayers.  A lot of faith/devotion shown to a god/goddess is considered a type of yoga, and it can bring you closer to Brahman. 

3b.)  How do you think the yogas bring Hindus closer to Brahman?

          The yogas bring Hindus closer to Brahman, because they separate your soul from the rest of the world, and in that calm, you become close to Brahman. 

The Mystery of Mohenjo-Daro

          Although the ancient city of Mohenjo-Daro has been excavated many times, we still don't know very much about it.  It is no mystery about the architecture people had or the tools they used, but archaeologists are unable to understand what kind of government and religion the city had, as well as how that ancient culture was destroyed.
          Mohenjo-Daro had a very complex water system.  There were pipes running all through the city, which transported waste and excess liquid out into the countryside.  Also, there is major evidence that the citizens of Mohenjo-Daro were very clean.  They had baths in almost every house, and there was an especially big structure called the "Great Bath."  These are evidence that cleanliness and controlling water were very important to the Mohenjo-Daro culture.
         It is very difficult for archaeologists to figure out what kind of religion and government structure the people of Mohenjo-Daro, because there is so little evidence.  The most artifacts that scientists have obtained are one small statue of a naked girl, and some broken sculptures of men on thrones.  Although there is no hard evidence that the throne-men were really rulers, archaeologists view these as very hopeful signs.  Some people believe that Mohenjo-Daro was really governed by a city-state, and few think that there wasn't any form of government at all; the city had such complex and well-structured architecture, and everything was so organized, that there just had to be a leader in there somewhere.

          Lastly, Mohenjo-Daro was abandoned at some point of time, but there is very little evidence explaining why people left it.  Scientists don't understand what happened; there weren't any major floods or natural catastrophes (or so the say), and the city wasn't entirely emptied.  Some archaeologists think that the citizens of Mohenjo-Daro left their city, because the Indus River changed its path.  This would have altered the trade routes through Mohenjo-Daro, which would have made it hard for the city to trade with other cultures.  This, in turn, would stop Mohenjo-Daro from being so successful, and it wouldn't be able to sustain as many people as it once had.  That way, many, but not all of the Mohenjo-Daroians would have left the city. 

Source: Roach, John. "Lost City of Mohenjo Daro -- National Geographic." Science and Space Facts, Science and Space, Human Body, Health, Earth, Human Disease - National Geographic. Web. May 2011. <http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/archaeology/mohenjo-daro/>.

The Indus and Ganges River Valleys

1a.)  Describe the geography of the Indus and Ganges river valleys.

          The Indus river begins in the Himalayas and flows through them into the Arabian Sea.  The Ganges River follows the Himalayas and then empties into the Bay of Bengal.  A lot of melted ice from the mountains helps make the rivers larger, and they make the land near them rich and fertile.

1b.)  How do the monsoons affect India and its climate?

           The different monsoons affect India in different ways.  The winter monsoon starts in October and ends in May.  It brings in dry air from the north-east and spread it over India and surrounding countries.  The summer monsoon begins in mid-June, and brings in wet, moist air from the Indian Ocean.  Without the summer monsoon, farmers wouldn't be able to grow crops because of the lack of rain they would receive.  Without rain, plants can't grow, and famines can occur.  On the other hand, if the monsoons bring too much rain, they can lead to massive flooding, which could be disastrous for the people of India.

2.a.)  How did geography influence the building of Mohenjo-Daro similar to modern cities? 

          Because of the geography around Mohenjo-Daro, the people living there built their city above ground-level.  Also, a citadel was built on a hill that was probably surrounded by a wall.  This wall may have protected some of the most important public buildings and homes from flooding.   As well as a citadel, the people of Mohenjo-Daro were able to build a sewage/drainage system, which took all the waste and extra water out of the city.

2b.)  How was it possible for the Aryans to spread their influence over the Indus and Ganges river valleys so successfully?

          The Aryans were able to spread their influence over the Indus and Ganges river valleys successfully, because they used horse-drawn chariots.  These chariots gave the Aryan warriors an extra edge as they fought against opposing cities, and they were able to win many of their battles.

3a.)  Who were the Aryans?

          The Aryans were newcomers to Mohenjo-Daro from from the north, whose name meant "noble."  They arrived in India between 2000-1500 BC, and by the year 800 BC, the Aryan language and culture had spread far and wide throughout the country.

3b.)  How was it possible for the Aryans to spread their influence over the Indus and Ganges river valleys so successfully?

          It was possible for the Aryans to spread their influence over the Indus and Ganges river valleys so successfully, because they were nomadic people.  They probably spent a short amount of time at one city, spreading their ideas, beliefs, and language to that city, and then moved on to the next one.  According to the text, marriages were made between the local people and the Aryans, and so that could have helped spread the Aryan culture even more.

Unit Reflection

Communicator:
          During this unit, I showed communicating skills through my "Ancient Egyptian Medicine and Illnesses" project.  Since we had to portray what we learned about to the class (in other words teach), I had to figure out a way to show the class what I wanted them to know and try to make them actually remember it.  I made a Prezi for this project, and I only put a few words on each slide.  This was better for expressing my ideas, because my peers would have to listen to me, and not read whole paragraphs on the screen.  Also, I tried to include a lot of pictures to help refresh my classmates' minds, as well as giving them images to associate with my presentation.  I believe the pictures made my whole presentation much more visually attractive (which helped to make my audience pay attention), and it also contributed to helping my classmates make connections.  All of the above help demonstrate that I was a good communicator during this project.

Knowledgeable:

          The same project I used in being a communicator also shows that I was knowledgeable.  I explored ancient Egyptian medicine and healing very thoroughly, and I acquired understanding about what they did back then.  I understood, because I realized why they used certain remedies and the logic behind it.  For example, one of the remedies ancient Egyptians used to cure graying hair was blood from a black calf.  This was because the black hair from the calf resembled the black hair of a person.  I understood this and more.

Information Literacy:

          I used this ATL in the same project I was a communicator and knowledgeable.  When I was researching and taking notes on the subject I was presenting about, I tried very hard not to plagiarize, and if I did, I did not mean to.  Also, while I was researching, I didn't read every single thing and develop it in my brain thoroughly.  Instead, I skimmed through while I was reading, and if I came to any part of the text I thought might be important, I slowed down and read it more carefully.  This way, I didn't have to waste time reading information that was irrelevant to what I was looking for.

Organizational:
          I was also organizational in this project.  I used a graphic organizer to put my notes in while researching.  This helped me put my information into categories, which helped tremendously when I was putting my notes into my presentation Prezi.  I also met the deadlines I was supposed to meet, and I didn't need any extensions.  This showed that I demonstrated commitment to the project.

How did the physical environment affect the development of civilizations?

          There are many different ways that the physical environment affected the development of civilizations.  First of all, it affected where the civilizations were located.  All of the great civilizations that developed over time have been located near sources of water.  This can include lakes, oceans, and rivers.  Where there is water, there are plants, animals, mud, a source of drinking water, a place to get clean, a possible trade route, and much more.  You will notice that there aren't very many, if at all, civilizations that turned out well that developed in complete deserts without any body of water whatsoever.       
          Secondly, where the civilization is located is a big factor in developing a civilization.  This can help shape the religion, the tools people use, the houses they live in, the stories they tell, the food the eat, and much more.  For example, if you live in a forest, you might eat deer, hunt mountain lion, and have a tree god, whereas if you live in a flat, grassy plain, you might have a god of the sky, hunt and eat smaller animals such as mice and gophers, and weave baskets out of long grass.  Each biome requires humans to use different tools and develop different skills, and that can shape the whole life of a civilization. 
          Also, the climate of a particular region can change the way the people living there live.  If they live in a very hot and dry place, they will be more likely to have a powerful sun god, whereas if they live in a very wet place, they may have a very powerful water or rain god.  If people live in a very warm area, the clothing they wear will be different than if they live in a colder place.  This could affect the animals they hunt (for skins fur used for clothing), and how they make their clothes.