Ancient India Test

Aryans Social Classes

1. Brahmans 2. warriors, nobles 3. artisans, merchants 4. farm workers, laborers, servants. ( 1 being highest )

Maurya Empire

Founded by Chandragupta, united India.

Buddhism

Founder-Buddha(Siddhartha Gautama). Appealed to lower castes AT FIRST hinduism developed until it became dominant again. Almost died out in India but spread to other parts of Asia

Vedas

Four collections of sacred writings produced by the Aryans during an early stage of their settlement in India.

Upanishads

Hindu religious texts in question and answer form.

dharma

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties

2000 BC

Indus River Decline- farmers leave the river valley

Ganges River

Located in India, this river is considered sacred to Hindus and is used for spiritual cleansing, funeral rites, and other Hindu rituals.

Hindu Kush Mountains

Mountain range found in Asia

Hinduism

POLYTHEISTIC. No single founder, blend of may religions, one of oldest living religions, official religion of India.

Yogas

Physical Yoga, Yoga of Knowledge, Yoga of Devotion, Yoga of selfless deeds

Brahma

The Creator

Shiva

The Destroyer

Vishnu

The Preserver

Asoka

The grandson of Chandragupta who also was a leader of the Mauryan Empire. He converted to Buddhism from Hinduism after the Battle of Kalinga and tolerated other religions other than Buddhism when he was the leader.

The Middle Way/ The Eightfold Path

The path that all Buddhists want to follow; not too much pleasure, and not too much suffering.

Winter Monsoons

The season when dry winds blow from the northeast across the Himalaya Mountains toward the sea.

citadel

a fortress in a city

subcontinent

a large landmass that juts out from a continent

Himalayas

a mountain range extending 1500 miles on the border between India and Tibet. Cut off India from the rest of Asia. Contains Mt. Everest.

missionary

a person who spreads his or her religious beliefs to others

avatar

a representation of a Hindu god or goddess in human or animal form

caste

a social class of people

monsoon

a strong wind that blows across East Asia at certain times of the year

Siddhartha Gautama

aka The Buddha or "The Enlightened One". Founder of Buddhism. Was a prince, but experienced suffering and wanted to find the roots of it.

Harappa

ancient city

Mohenjo-Daro

ancient city whose language, government, and religion are unknown

reincarnation

belief that the individual soul is reborn in a different form after death

Summer Monsoons

brought rain

convert

change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief

Aryans

nomads from Europe and Asia who migrated to India and finally settled; vedas from this time suggest beginning of caste system. Created a mixed population

Indus River

river in Pakistan that creates a fertile plain known as the Indus River Valley

India

subcontinent jutting out from Asia. Population over 1 billion.

ahimsa

the Hindu idea of nonviolence

Chandragupta

the founder of the Maurya Empire. He succeeded in bringing together most of the Indian subcontinent. As a result, He is considered the first unifier of India and the first genuine emperor of India. became fearful for his life and starved to death as a monk.

nirvana

the lasting peace that Buddhists seek by giving up selfish desires. Release from reincarnation

Meditate

to focus the mind inward in order to find spiritual awareness or relaxation

migrate

to move from one place to settle in another area

Before Maurya Empire

warring states

Shakti

wife of Shiva

tolerance

willingness to recognize and respect the beliefs or practices of others