Geography and Early India
Where did Harappan civilization develop?
The Indus River Valley
How did a person become a member of a caste?
They were born into it.
What is nirvana (not the grunge rock band)?
A state of perfect peace.
Who created the Mauryan Empire?
Candragupta Maurya
What is karma?
The effects that good or bad actions have on a person’s soul.
What source provides much of the information we have about the Aryans?
The Vedas
What determined how a person would be reborn?
Their actions during their lifetimes.
How did religion influence ancient Indian art?
Most artists illustrated religious beliefs in their works, many of which can be seen in temples.
How do you think monsoons affected settlement in India?
People probably settled where monsoon rains helped farming but tried to avoid places where flooding was common.
What are two religions that developed out of Hinduism?
Jainism, Sikhism
What did the Buddha conclude about the cause of suffering?
Wanting what we do not have, wanting to keep what we like and already have, and not wanting what we dislike but have.
Why do you think many people consider Asoka the greatest of all Mauryan rulers?
He gave up making war and concentrated instead on improving his people’s lives.
Why do you think people are still interested in ancient Sanskrit epics today?
Since this one is about what you think, I will accept any answer that makes sense. Possible answer - Because they reflect the history of India and are still lively stories.
What is one reason that scholars do not completely understand some important parts of Harappan society?
Scholars have yet to learn how to read their language.
How did Brahmanism develop into Hinduism?
From Vedic texts and ideas from other cultures.
Who was the Buddha, and what does the term Buddha mean?
Siddhartha Gautama, a prince who found enlightenment. Buddha means Enlightened One.
List two scientific advances Ancient India made in mathematics.
Advanced number system, created the zero.
Why do we call the numbers we use today Hindu-Arabic numerals?
Because they were created by Indian scholars and brought to Europe by Arabs.
What was the effect of geography on Indian societies? (Chapter 5 Section 1 notes Question 8)
Both the Harappan and Aryan societies were affected by geography in that they developed in the Indus River Valley.
How does Hinduism reinforce followers’ willingness to remain within their castes?
Hinduism teaches that if a person accepts their dharma, including their caste, they may be reborn into a higher caste.
List two scientific advances Ancient India made in astronomy.
Knew about seven of the planets, knew the sun was a star, knew the planets revolved around the sun, knew that the earth is a sphere, and could predict eclipses of the sun and moon.
List two scientific advances Ancient India made in medicine.
Inoculation, repair bones, perform surgery, reconstruct/reattach body parts.
List two scientific advances Ancient India made in metallurgy.
High-quality tools, alloys, strong, high-value, tools, iron that is resistant to rust.