HIST 1111 Chapter 2

C

According to the teachings presented by the Buddha at his first sermon, A) because they are ritually purer, only the Brahmin priests can attain nirvana in this lifetime. B) because the individual's soul is infected with bad karma, it transmigrates until a program of meditation is undertaken and nirvana is achieved. C) life is fundamentally characterized by suffering, suffering is caused by a kind of unquenchable thirst, but there is a cure for this, and it is referred to as nirvana. D) a host of deities control the natural world and the good and bad that befalls the human race, but they can be appeased through rituals.

Kingdom of Magadha

After the Buddha's lifetime in the early 4th century BCE, the most powerful state in northern India was the ___.

the virtuous nature of following one's dharma

An important theme that emerges from both the Ramayana and Bhagavad-Gita is the ___.

Afghanistan and Pakistan

Based on linguistic and archaeological evidence, experts trace the early origins of the Indo-Aryans to ___.

Hinduism

During the early medieval period in India's history, the majority of the population can be categorized as having belonged to which major religious tradition?

Theravada Buddhism

From India, this was carried to Sri Lanka and parts of Southeast Asia, where it remains a dominant religious tradition.

atman

Hindus believe that deep within the heart of each person lies the eternal soul known as

B

Historians have characterized the pattern of governing during the early medieval age in India as feudalism principally because: A) medieval rulers granted manors to wealthy farmers in exchange for military service. B) although medieval rulers usually administered a core area with a centralized bureaucracy, they generally controlled the periphery by allowing subordinate local rulers to retain noble titles and land in exchange for allegiance. C) medieval rulers lived in castles located on manors. D) Arab rulers originating from Persia invaded India and changed the pattern of Indian society through the introduction of the Islamic religion.

dharma

In ancient India, this term meant universal law.

their occupations were considered highly impure and others saw them as polluting

In general, people in ancient and medieval India belonged to the untouchable caste because ___.

the Indus River and the lands and people beyond it

In terms of its origins as a word, the term "India" first referred to ___.

Malabar and Coromandel Coasts

In the early history of India, the most important region of South Asia was the ___.

expansion of the Umayyad Caliphate

Islam and Islamic rule first impacted the Indian subcontinent during the ___.

castes

Like the varnas, these were hereditary social classifications; unlike them, they were far more distinct social groups.

Ayurveda

Meaning "knowledge for longevity," this is India's ancient medical science which provides a systematic effort to explain the origins of diseases in dislocations of bodily humors (substances) and to prescribe cures for them.

Siddhartha Gautama

Of those in ancient India who rejected Brahmanism and established their own belief systems, the most renowned example is this individual, who is otherwise known as the Buddha.

Deccan Plateau

Peninsular India is divided from northern India by the Vindhya Mountains, to the south of which lies this geographic feature.

D

Regarding the Indo-Aryans, which one of the following is not true? A) They had priestly clans that composed and orally transmitted hymns with a religious purpose. B) They spoke Sanskrit. C) They were originally nomadic pastoralists who first migrated from Central Asia to India during the early Vedic Age. D) They first came to India by traversing the lower reaches of the Ganges River.

B

Regarding the Indus Valley/Harappan Civilization's political system, A) experts have clearly established that it was governed by local assemblies of wealthy merchants and landowners. B) although the archaeological record evidences coordinated planning across the region, experts are unable to determine precisely how the civilization was governed. C) public structures excavated in the large cities clearly point to a centralized monarchy. D) sculptural evidence has provided definitive evidence of governing by priest-kings.

C

Some historians of India have called the Indus Valley/Harappan Civilization proto-historic because: A) although we have deciphered written sources for this civilization, their small number provides little additional information about it. B) although the civilization was highly urbanized and complex, there is no evidence that it had a system of writing. C) although a system of writing existed, it has not been deciphered. D) all of the written sources were destroyed during its decline and disappearance.

B

The Kingdom of Magadha: A) began as a republic located at the foothills of Nepal and is the place were Siddhartha Gautama grew up. B) began as a small kingdom located along the lower reaches of the Ganges River with Rajagriha as its first capital. C) began as a small kingdom located on the Deccan Plateau with Pataliputra as its first capital. D) began as a confederacy located along the upper reaches of the Indus River with its capital at Taxila.

dharma

The concept that refers to the rules pertaining to a particular caste in ancient and medieval India is known as ___.

Later Vedic Age

The first kingdoms of ancient India formed along the Ganges River during the ___.

C

The historical setting for the composition of the Upanishads was: A) the Early Vedic Age. They are a record of the hymns orally transmitted by the priestly clans among the Indo-Aryans peoples. B) the life of the historical Buddha. These are records of his sermons as recorded by his disciples. C) the Later Vedic Age. They are purported to be records of sages who conveyed their spiritual insights to students. D) the Mauryan Empire. They are a record of King Ashoka's edicts.

Punjab

The region comprising the upper Indus River and its many tributary rivers is called ___.

Mohenjo-Daro

The ruins of this and other Indus Valley Civilization cities suggest a vibrant society thriving in competently planned and managed urban areas.

Kushan Kingdom

The state that was the most critical for the movement of Buddhism into Central Asia and East Asia was the ___.

Bhagavad-Gita

This classic of Hindu scripture is included as a chapter in the Mahabharata.

Kanishka

This greatest Kushan ruler forged an empire extending from Central Asia across the mountain ranges of Afghanistan into much of northern India.

Kalidasa

This individual is one of India's greatest Sanskrit poets and playwrights, and his play The Recognition of Shakuntala, a world masterpiece, tells the story of a girl who lived in a hermitage in the countryside after being abandoned by her parents.

Theravada

This is early Buddhism, and is based on the earliest records of the Buddha's teaching of the Four Noble Truths.

Chandragupta Maurya

This ruler was able to unify India into a single kingdom for the first time.

Chola Kingdom

This state illustrates well the grandeur of powerful regional states during India's early medieval period.

Central Asia

Throughout the ancient and medieval periods in India's history, the region of the world most important for developments in the subcontinent was ___.

The presentation of rulers as patrons of the differing deities worshiped by subjects in their land

What was one method Kushan rulers such as King Kanishka may have used to rule their large, culturally diverse realm?

A

Which of the following is not correct regarding differences between the Mauryan Empire and Gupta Empire? A) Gupta rulers sought to impose a more direct form of rule over their territory than did the Mauryan kings. B) The Mauryan Empire was larger than the Gupta Empire. C) We are aware of more classical art and literature from the Gupta Empire than the Mauryan Empire. D) The Mauryan Empire was founded about 600 years before the Gupta Empire.

A

Which of the following is ordered in the correct chronology? A) Chandragupta Maurya, King Kanishka, Delhi Sultanate. B) Samudragupta, King Ashoka, Chola Kingdom C) Siddartha Gautama, Rajaraja I, Kushan Kingdom D) Chola Kingdom, Gupta Empire, Mauryan Empire

A society founded on Vedic principles as well as the varna and caste systems

Which one most accurately describes the meaning of dharma for Brahmins?

B

Which one of the following best describes the dominant political pattern in India during the Early Medieval Age? A) large empires with centralized bureaucracies and sultan rulers B) powerful regional kingdoms C) Hindu rulers governing predominantly Muslim populations D) republics formed from chieftain confederacies

C

Which one of the following is not a characteristic of Mahayana Buddhism?: A) The universe is populated with numerous god-like Buddhas. B) The notion of the Bodhisattva, a holy being that has foregone final enlightenment in order to work for the salvation of others, is developed. C) The ideal path to salvation was achieved by living as monk or nun in a monastic setting and seeking perfection in enlightenment. D) New scriptures appeared that offered different paths to enlightenment.

B

Which one of the following is not accurate regarding the portrayal of Mahmud of Ghazna in historical writing? A) As a brutal plunderer who repeatedly descended on northern India, he destroyed cities and temples and returned home with their wealth. B) Out of fanatical devotion to his faith, he sought to forcibly convert the Hindu population living in cities located along the upper reaches of the Indus and Ganges Rivers. C) As a ruler, he waged war for revenue and because that was the norm for rulers of the time. D) As a ruler, he sought to prove himself as a warrior and to secure his legacy by using Indian wealth to build palaces and mosques at his capital.

D

Which one of the following is not one of the major ideas discussed in the Upanishads? A) The goal is to be liberated from the cycle of death and rebirth. B) Humans wander through a succession of deaths and rebirths. C) Within the heart of each person lies an eternal soul. D) There is no point in doing good works since doing so will not change your future.

C

Which one of the following regions was not closely linked to South Asia by the Silk Road and Indian Ocean trade routes? A) Southeast Asia B)Central Asia C) Scandinavia D) East Africa

Hinduism

Which religious tradition speculated that the individual should seek liberation by discovering his or her soul and its identity with Brahman?