Name___________________________________ India geography, early history and religions review 1. What mountain range is in northern India? Himalaya Mountains 2. What are monsoons? Seasonal winds that bring rain 3. What are the major rivers of India? Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra Rivers 4. Along which river valley did civilization develop in South Asia? Indus River Valley 5. What were the names of the cities of the ancient Indian civilization? Harappa and Mohenjo Daro 6. What were some of the achievements of the Harappan society?
·
Written language [pictograms]
·
Indoor plumbing
·
Planned cities 7. Why did the Aryans invade India? They were attracted to India’s rich soil and climate. 8. Which people did the Aryans conquer? Dravidians
9. What are castes? Social groups based on birth 10. How is a person’s caste determined? A person is born into a caste 11. What is the highest caste? Brahmans [priests] 12. Which is the lowest caste? Shudras [laborers & servants] 13. Which group is considered outside the caste system? Untouchables 14. How does a person change caste? In the next life, a person will change caste 15. Which religion did the caste system become a part of? Hinduism 16. What are the sacred texts of Hinduism? Vedas and Upanishads 17. What is karma? Belief that one’s actions in this life will affect the next one 18. What is dharma? Duties one is supposed to perform according to his caste 19. What do Hindus say is the eternal part of a person? [Hint: the part that never dies] The Soul [atman]
20. Who is Brahman? A supreme being 21. What is reincarnation? Rebirth of soul in another form 22. What animal is sacred to Hindus? The cow 23. What river is sacred to Hindus? The Ganges River 24. What is to goal of a Hindu? To reach Moksha 25. What is ahimsa? Non­violence 26. Who is Siddhartha Gautama? Founder of Buddhism = the Buddha 27. What is the goal of a Buddhist? To reach Nirvana 28. What are the Four Noble Truths?
·
Life is suffering
·
Suffering is caused by desires
·
To end suffering, end desire for worldly goods
·
End desires by following Eightfold Path
29. What is the Eightfold Path? People must learn to give up material things, act in a worthy manner, speak truthfully, live a righteous life, respect all living things, and meditate 30. Which beliefs do both Hindus and Buddhists share?
·
Reincarnation
·
Enlightenment
·
Karma
·
Goal is to end cycle of reincarnation
·
Non­violence
·
Began in India