The following questions are taken from the India Unit Pre-Test and are based around the same major ideas that will be found on the exam. The exam will, of course, consist of more than fourteen questions.
1) Why is little known about the early Indus Valley civilizations? a) they had no writing system b) no one can translate their writing c) no one is sure they even existed d) the civilizations were conquered by the Mongols and all records destroyed
2) Early Indian society was based on religious texts called _________. a) Vedas b) Rajas c) Griots d) Biblioteques
3) Brahmins were important because _________. a) they were the warriors b) they were the common people; the majority c) they were the highest ranking d) they were the servants who kept life simple
4) Hinduism is _________. a) an old religion with thousands of different gods b) an old religion with one eternal god c) an new religion created in the last hundred years d) a sect of Islam
5) Hindu sacred texts include _________. a) the Qu’ran b) the Bible c) Vedas d) Dharmas and Kharmas
6) Jainism is _________. a) a sect of Hinduism that believes in non-violence b) a sect of Hinduism that support conversion by force c) a sect of Islam that has long fought Hindus d) a sect of Christianity found in India
7) Buddha was _________. a) a god in India b) the Indian name for Muhammed c) the capital of India d) a philosopher who found a way to achieve nirvana

8) Buddhism today is _________. a) the largest religion in the world b) the only religion to have never been involved with violence c) mostly found in India d) most found in various forms in East Asia
9) The Mauryan Empire was founded by _________. a) Chandragupta Maurya after the birth of Christ b) Chandragupta Buddha after the creation of Buddhism c) Chandragupta Maurya after the fall of Alexander the Great d) Islamic invaders from Arabia
10) Ashoka was _________. a) a Mauryan warrior who later converted to Buddhism b) a Mauryan warrior who conquered most of India c) the capital of the Mauryan Empire d) the capital of the Gupta Empire
11) True or False : The collapse of the Mauryan Empire led to many divided kingdoms across India.
12) True or False : Under the Gupta Empire, many different religions became more popular than Hinduism and Buddhism.
13) True or False : The rule of the Gupta Empire was considered a “golden age” in Indian history.
14) True or False : Unlike the previous rulers, the Gupta Empire banned all trade with China and Africa with the hope that it would preserve traditional Indian culture.