Study Guide for World History Test
Classical India and China
Aryan Invasion of India and the Creation of the Caste System
a. Which group of people invaded India around 1500 B.C.E.?
b. What is the path that the group of people
used to invade India? Both describe the path
and mark it on the map to the right.
c. Identify the different levels of the caste system in India (in the correct order) AND identify
which occupation(s) is/are associated with each. Include the untouchables.
Hinduism
a. Who founded Hinduism? Explain fully.
b. What are the Vedas and the Upanishads?
c. Explain the meaning/significance of each of the following:
1. Brahman
2. atman
3. dharma
4. karma
5. samsara
6. reincarnation
7. moksha
d. Explain the connection between Brahman and the other Hindu gods.
e. What are the levels of the Caste system?
Buddhism
a. Where did Buddhism begin?
b. What India ruler helped to spread Buddhism to the rest of Asia?
c. Who was the founder of Buddhism (before he became known as the Buddha)?
d. In order the achieve enlightenment, the Buddha taught that people must first accept the Four
Noble Truths. What are the Four Noble Truths ? What do they state?
e. The Buddha also taught that once someone has accepted the Four Noble Truths, he/she must follow
the Eightfold Path in order to achieve enlightenment. What is the Eightfold Path? What are its
basic teachings?
Mauryan Empire
a. Who was the first leader of this empire?
b. What is the connection between the leader you identified above in “a” and Asoka?
c. How did Asoka promote Buddhism throughout the Mauryan Empire? Explain thoroughly.
d. Which empire was larger, the Mauryan or Gupta Empire?
Gupta Empire
a
2500 B.C.E.
b
500 B.C.E.
c
0
500 C.E.
a. Which letter on the above timeline matches each of the following?
Gupta Empire _____
Indus River Valley Civilization ______
Mauryan Empire ______
b. What was the name of the next empire to form in India after the Mauryan Empire AND who
was its first leader?
d. Why is the time of the Gupta Empire known as a “golden age” in India’s history?
e. Be able to identify/describe significant accomplishments of the Gupta Empire. List the
mathematical accomplishments of the Gupta Empire.
Three Schools of Thought in Classical China
a. What are the names of the three schools of thought that arose in classical China?
b. What are the key teachings of Daoism?
c. What are the key teachings of Confucianism?
d. What symbol is shown to the right?
What idea does it symbolize AND with what religion(s) is it
associated?
e. What are the key teachings of Legalism?
Qin Dynasty
a. Be able to identify the location of the Qin Dynasty on a map.
b. Who was the first leader of the Qin Dynasty?
c. Of the three philosophies we learned about that started in China, which was used by the first
Emperor of Qin?
d. How did the first Emperor of Qin handle opposition to his rule and his policies, especially opposition
from Confucian scholars?
e. Identify the four techniques we learned in class that the first Emperor of Qin used to unify his
empire:
1.
2.
3.
4.
f. What did the first Emperor of Qin have built in order to protect his empire from invasions from
the north?
g. Describe the tomb of the first Emperor of Qin.
h. Which dynasty next followed the Qin Dynasty?
Han Dynasty
a. Be able to locate the Han Dynasty on a map.
b. Who founded the Han Dynasty?
c. How did Wudi's treatment of Confucian scholars differ from the way in which they were treated
under the Qin Dynasty?
d. What is a civil service job? How did the way in which someone obtained a civil service job change
under the Han Dynasty? (Your explanation should include the role of Confucianism in the process
for obtaining a civil service job).
e. Identify and describe the significant accomplishments of the Han Dynasty.