Name __________
Chapter 5 India Test Review
Section 1:
Subcontinent: landmass that is smaller than a continent
Caste: Hindu social class that determines relationship with others
Untouchable caste: lowest status of people, often faced discrimination
Reign: period of rule
1. Describe the climate of India…
Seasonal monsoons determine seasons
Southern: tropical
Central: plateau
Northern: mountain ranges
2. Describe the major landforms of India….
What modern nations make up the subcontinent of India?
Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh
What two mountain ranges separate the subcontinent from Asia?
Himalayas and Hindu Kush
What are the major rivers of India?
Indus River, Ganges River, and Brahmaputra River
3. How did the people of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro plan their cities?
Streets had rectangular grid
Houses same size
Indoor plumbing/wells
Sewer system
4. What is the Verdas? How did the Rig-Veda establish four mythical classes?
Aryan religious book that name means “knowledge”
Rig-Veda said people came from different part of a “being” that sacrificed to create world
Brahmasns-priests-mouth
Kshatriya-warriors-shoulder
Vaishya-landowner-thigh
Shudra-peasant-feet
5. Who became the Buddah? What does Buddah mean?
Siddhartha Gautarna
“Enlightened One”
6. Who was the founder of Jainism?
Mahavira
7. What were the major accomplishments of the three ancient empires?
Maurya: Exapanison/Wealth
Gupta: High Culture/Mahabharata written
Chola: Hindu temples built/Chess invented
Section 2:
Reincarnation: belief that the soul is “reborn” into a new person or animal after one dies
Karma: belief that actions of this life affect next life
Yoga: exercises to discipline mind and body
8. What are the teachings of Hinduism?
Worship of (1) god in many forms
Belief in reincarnation
Believe in karma
Who was Brahma? Creator
Who was Vishnu? Preserver
Who was Shiva? Mother goddess
9. What are the teachings of Buddhism?
To gain enlightenment one must overcome selfishness
Suffering caused by a person’s desires
Overcoming desires (selfishness) is achieved through Eightfold Path
10. What is the teaching of Jainism?
Religion of nonviolence—against people and animals
Right knowledge, right conduct, purity
Means “to conquer”
Mohandas Gandhi—inspired by nonviolence of Jainism
Who was Mahavira?
Founder of Jainism
Section3:
Lentil: plant that seeds are used for food
Exile: to be sent away from family or country
11. Describe the family of ancient India….
Many generations lived in same household
Grandparents were the head of the family and controlled the money
12. Describe life in the village…
god or goddess is selected by village and statue at local temple
people bring gifts to the temple to gain god’s favor
13. Describe the festivals of India…why were they important?
Provide break of everyday routine
Celebration of hard work
Time when caste system relaxed, banners, bright colors
Section4:
Who was Chandra Gupta II? Greatest king of Gupta dynasty
How did he encourage learning? Many writers and artist to his courts, sponsored poetry tournaments
Who was Siddhartha Gautama? Prince who became Buddha
Who was Asoka? Beloved India leader, ruled with kindness, sent teachers of Buddha to surrounding
lands
Who was Kalidasa? India’s greatest playwright
Who was Rajendra? Greatest ruler of Chola dynasty/ built a powerful army/established trade routes
Section 5:
Why were traveler’s description of India important?
Important because they give an “outsiders” impression of India.
Important because things are recorded in the writing that give us a picture of everyday life
Who was Fa Xian? What did he think of India?
Chinese Buddhist monk
Thought he was treated well/ Impressed that kings ruled without corporal punishment/
Megasthenes: Greek ambassador
Xuan Zang: Chinese Buddhist monk
Ibn Battuta: Travelled from Northern Africa to India
***You will not need to know individual visitor’s names from section 5. You will need to know where
people travelled from and what they reported about India.
Essay Questions:
What are the Verdas? Why are they important?
What was it like to live in a village during the Gupta era?
How might believing in karma and reincarnation affect a person’s behavior in life?
Compare and contrast Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism.