Geography
An area of land surrounded by water on exactly three sides.
Peninsula
The broad social pyramid created by the Aryans to organize society.
What is the caste system (or Varnas)?
The first written language of Ancient India.
What is Sanskrit?
It teaches that the only way to find peace is to end all worldly desires.
What is Buddhism?
The nomadic group that invaded India, taking control and establishing the caste system.
Who are the Aryans?
These seasonal winds dictate the farming cycles of the subcontinent.
Monsoons
The specific varna consisting of manual laborers and servants.
Who are the Sudras?
The collection of Aryan hymns and prayers that form the basis of Indian culture.
What are the Vedas?
It identifies "Brahman" as the universal spirit that connects all things.
What is Hinduism?
The name for an Indian prince; each Aryan tribe was led by one.
What is a Raja?
The two mountain ranges that border the Deccan Plateau.
What are the Ghats (Eastern and Western)?
This term refers to the thousands of smaller social groups based on specific jobs.
What is Jati?
The private teacher hired by wealthy Indian families to educate their sons.
Who is a guru?
Believes in the cycle of reincarnation.
Both
This religion is known for the strictest possible practice of Ahimsa, or nonviolence.
What is Jainism?
Name the two mountain ranges of India. AND which mountain range that makes India a "subcontinent" by separating it from Asia.
The Hindu-Kush and the Himalayas; the Himalayas make India a subcontinent.
The group considered so low they were forced to live outside the social system entirely.
Who are the Untouchables (or Outcastes)?
Why do we know less about the Indus River valley?
The Indus Valley people left no written records.
This religion's term for the divine law that requires people to perform the duties of their caste.
Hinduism; Dharma
This specific varna in the caste system consists of the merchants and landowners.
Who are the Vaishya?
Name the two northern Indian rivers that begin in the Himalayas, and state which one empties into the Arabian Sea and which one empties into the Bay of Bengal.
Ganges and the Indus; The Indus empties into the Arabian Sea, while the Ganges empties into the Bay of Bengal.
Oftentimes, there were clashes between people from different castes over their treatment in society. These clashes were sometimes violent, other times not. Name two enduring issues that match this description.
Conflict, Human Right Violations, and Power.
Name three features of the cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
flat roofs
made of bricks
indoor bathrooms/wells
enclosed courtyard
garbage chutes
This specific branch of this religion views the founder as a god, rather than just a teacher.
Buddhism; Mahayana
This term describes the larger "Language Family" that historians believe the Aryan language belonged to.
What is Indo-European?