Ancient India
Harijan
"child of god" Gandhi's term for an "untouchable"
Vedas
A collection of Hindu sacred texts written in Sanskrit
Plateau
A flat area of land that elevated, or raised, above the land around it
Citadel
A fortress built to protect a city
Aryans
A group of people who traveled through central Asia and entered northern India through the Khyber Pass
Glacier
A huge mass of ice that slowly slides over a land area
Subcontinent
A large landmass that is geographically separated from the rest of the continent
Sewer System
A network of pipes that disposes of sewage, or waste water
Granary
A place to store grain
Monsoon
A strong wind that brings heavy rain to southern Asia in the summer
Hinduism
India's first major religion
Buddhism
India's second major religion
Dharma
Law, obligation, and duty (to live as one should)
Deities
Lesser divine beings (Gods and Goddesses) with specific responsibilities and purpose
Sanskrit
The ancient language of India
Reincarnation
The belief that after you die your soul is reborn into another life
Karma
The belief that how a person lives will affect their next life
Samsara
The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth
Castes
The different social classes of India
Shudra
The fourth caste consisting of craftworkers and laborers/agriculturalists; their job was to be servants and workers of low status
Brahmin
The highest caste consisting of priests, teachers, and judges; their job was to study and teach the Vedas
Untouchables
The lowest level of Indian society; they were not considered a real part of the caste system; often given degrading jobs; their life was extremely difficult
Brahman
The one supreme power, or divine (Godly) force, that everything is a part of
Kshatriya
The second caste consisting of rulers, warriors, and landowners; their job was to become skilled with weapons
Caste System
The social structure of India
Cultural Diffusion
The spread of culture (ideas, values, beliefs, goods, etc...) from one cultural group to another
Vaishya
The third caste consisting of farmers and merchants; their job was to sell and trade goods
Khyber Pass
a 28 mile-long gap between the mountains that connects central Asia to the Indian subcontinent
Sect
a subgroup of a major religious group
Four Noble Truths
as taught by the Buddha, the four basic beliefs that form the foundation of Buddhism
Eightfold Path
as taught by the Buddha, the path one must follow to reach nirvana
Siddhartha Gautama
founder of Buddism; born a prince; left his father's wealth to find the cause of human suffering; also know as Buddha
Enlightenment
in Buddhism, a state of perfect wisdom in which one understands basic truths about the universe
Nirvana
in Buddhist belief, union with the universe and release from the cycle or rebirth
Buddha
term meaning "Enlightened one" or "awakened one"
