Chapter 3 Classical Civilizations: India
People / Places / Terms –
Directions: Do NOT simply DEFINE these terms. Instead, explain WHY THEY WERE
SIGNIFICANT to this particular period of time or to world history in general. If you skip a
question, you CANNOT get an “A”.
1. Monsoons
2. Aryan
3. Vedas (Rig-Veda, Mahabbarata, Ramayana, Upanishads)
4. Varna
5. Chandragupta Mauryan
6. Dharma
7. Guptas
8. Buddhism
9. Reincarnation
10. Nirvana
Points to Ponder – Answer the questions as completely as possible
1. Explain how the Rig-Veda, the first of the great epics, justifies the caste
system that comes to dominate Indian society?
2. What are some characteristics of Mauryan India that could have been
influenced by contact with Alexander the Great’s invasion?
3. Compare and contrast the Mauryan & Gupta styles of rule.
4. How rigid did the Indian caste system actually become once it was fully
evolved? How did the caste system (in some ways) actually benefit Indian
society during the classical period?
5. How did Classical India’s dependence and focus on spiritualism alter its
development as compared with Classical China’s focus on political theory?
From Mr. Ackerman PFHS