Sudras
Indra
Caste
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
Vaisyas
Brahman
Mystic
Subcontinent
Plateau
Monsoon
Veneration
Vedas
Chapter 3 Vocabulary/ Questions

Rajah
Zhongguo
Shang
Yin and yang
Zhou
Mandate of Heaven
Book of Songs
Loess
Clan
Oracle bone
Calligraphy
Dynastic cycle
Feudalism

Section 1 p. 54
2. Describe two ways in which geography has influenced the people of South Asia.
3. What evidence shows that Indus Valley civilization had a well-organized government?
4. Why do we know so little about Indus Valley civilization?
5. (a) How could natural disasters have contributed to the decline of Indus Valley civilization? (b) What environmental problems does the world face today?
6. What characteristics of rivers might explain why many people in India still consider them sacred?
Section 2 p. 58
3. What do the Vedas tell us about Aryan society and religion?
4. How did Aryan life change as a result of expansion in India?
5. What kinds of lessons do Rama and Sita teach in the epics of the Ramayana?
6. Why might epic poems like the Mahabharata and Ramayana be good vehicles for teaching moral lessons?
7. Based on what you have read about the shift in power from the Aryan warriors to the Brahmins, what generalization could you make about people and their relationship with their gods in Aryan civilization and society?
Section 3 p. 65
3. How did people in China adapt to the environment?
4. What were the characteristics of Shang and Zhou government and social structure?
5. Identify major cultural achievements in early China.

6. Suppose that you had to learn a language written in unfamiliar characters, rather than a language using an alphabet you know. Give three examples of how your life and schooling might be different.
7. How did environmental catastrophes affect Chinese government?