Terms for Classical India
Aryans
Ashoka
Gupta
Caste system
Hinduism
Sanskirt
Upanishads
Dharma
Buddhism
Tamils
Indo-European immigrants, mostly composed of hunting and herding
people from central Asia, who settled in India and adjusted to
agricultural life during the Vedic and Epic Ages. The Aryans created
Sanskrit as a language and used it to develop literary epics called
Vedas. Village chiefs guarded the villages from outside attacks and
maintained healthy family relationships. The families themselves were
patriarchal.
Chandragupta’s grandson. He strongly supported and believed in
Buddhism because he thought the ideas and thoughts it embodied
would unify all of India’s people. At the same time, he also supported
Hinduism, supporting the construction of shrines. Ashoka expanded
India’s area of control through brute force and fighting, being ruthless
along the way. He worked to improve trade and communication as
well.
After the Kushan state collapsed, the Guptas came into power. They
provided India for two centuries its longest stability. Though, they did
not regulate a large area compared to the Mauryan dynasty. The Huns
eventually conquered them and overturned their rule.
A social pyramid where priests or Brahmans were at the top, followed
by warriors, traders and farmers, common laborers, and untouchables.
It was forbidden for one caste level to marry a person from another
caste level.
Belief in reincarnation, being able to move up in class or level if one
strives to perform at their best abilities. It originated during the Aryan
time period, the Vedic and Epic ages, though there was no formal
founder. It was popular with the people of India because it appealed to
many different groups of people, due to there being many different
ways of worshiping and different ideas about the gods.
The first literary language of India created by the Aryans. It helped
them develop their own literary epics which focused primarily on
religious figures and such.
Sacred scriptures of the Hindus. They stressed the shallowness of the
worldly possessions such as riches. Formal ceremonies were attacked
by the Upanishads, believing them to be unnecessary.
The law of moral consequences. Ashoka believed that dharma would
unify his people and discipline those who caused trouble. He also
encouraged his officials to follow the same practices of being humane.
Belief that enlightenment could be achieved if one abandons earthly
desires. It supported a nirvana, a place where suffering and agony
ceased to exist. Buddhism was not supported very much in India;
though Ashoka supported it, the Brahmans opposed it, as well as the
Gupta emperors. The dominance of Hinduism attracted many who
were loyal to their cause as well.
Southern Indians who were merchants that traded cotton and silks,
dyes, drugs, gold, ivory, etc. and earned large amounts of money. Also,
they promoted India’s culture to places like Malaysia and Indonesia.
Chandragupta Maurya
Gurus
Bhagavad Gita
They helped bring back pottery, wine, metals, slaves, and gold to India.
First Indian ruler of Mauryan dynasty. He was essentially the first to
unify India together. Chandragupta’s way of ruling was autocratic; he
relied on his position’s political and military power, building up a large
army of chariots and troops mounting on elephants. When he passed
away as a religious ascetic, he passed on his throne to his son.
The mystics of Hinduism. They worked together with the Brahmans to
help agree and decide on official Hindu doctrines.
A classical sacred hymn that stressed that honorable behavior is
compatible with spirituality and could help lead one to unity with
divinity. Therefore, aggressive warriors or merchants who strongly
believed in Hinduism could ascend and unite with higher beings, and it
also legitimizes the governments’ actions and the caste system.