1. The Indian subcontinent is separated from the rest of Asia by physical barriers(oceans, mountains, desert).
2. The Harappan Civilization developed along the Indus River. The ruins indicate that it was an organized and
advanced society, but we know little about it.
3. Aryans, a group of warrior nomads from Central Asia, conquered much of India around 1200 BC. They brought
with them their language Sanskrit, their religion Brahmanism, and a decentralized system of government.
4. The caste system was a central part of Aryan/Brahman culture. It strictly separated people from different social
classes (known as Varnas). People were not allowed to marry or sometimes even speak to people who were not in
their class.
5. The Vedas were the religious texts of the Aryans. There were a total of four books of poems and hymns (songs).
6. Hinduism, which is still the largest religion in India today, formed from a mixture of Brahmanism and other religions
form Central Asia.
7. Hinduism is a polytheistic (many gods) religion that helped reinforce the caste system. They believed that fulfilling
your dharma (duty) was the most important thing, and your dharma was determined by your caste.
8. Hindus believe that if you fulfill your dharma and do good things you will have good karma and be reincarnated
(reborn) into a better life.
9. Jainism is a religion that believes in a simple life of non-violence. They do not want material wealth or possessions,
and they will not harm any living things.
10. Siddhartha Gautama was a Hindu prince who gave up wealth to seek truth. Through fasting and meditation he
reached spiritual peace and created the Buddhist philosophy.
11. The Buddhist philosophy was based on the Four Noble Truths, and Buddhists attempt to follow the Eightfold Path
to reach nirvana. Buddhist philosophy was opposed to the caste system and made individual thought and action more
important than ritual; it was clearly opposed to the Hindu system.
12. After the death of the Buddha, his teachings spread over hundreds of years throughout India, Southeast Asia, and
East Asia. Missionaries were central to the spread of Buddhism in Asia.
13. Mauryan Empire was founded in 320 B.C. and was the first empire to gain control over most of India. It was
founded by Candragupta Maurya, who was a great military leader. They used military strength and an organized tax
system to build the first Indian empire.
14. Asoka (Mauryan king) converted to Buddhism and changed the focus of the empire from conquering new lands to
providing a better life. He built roads and wells and sent missionaries to spread Buddhism around Asia.
15. The Gupta Empire arose in 320 A.D. to unite India after 500 years of divided smaller states. Candra Gupta I was
the first king. They were Hindus and helped revive Hindu literature and architecture. They were tolerant of other
religions though.
16. Candra Gupta II followed his father and emphasized the importance of Hinduism and the caste system in India.
He also conquered more lands and built a strong economy.
17. The most famous literary works of Ancient India were Hindu religious texts written in Sanskrit.
The Mahabharata is a story of two families battling over a kingdom. The Ramayana is the tale of Prince Ram and his
wife Sita. Both of these stories support Hindu beliefs and show how people should act.
19. The Ancient Indians had advanced knowledge of Math and the Sciences. The numbers we use today are from the
Hindu-Arabic system. Indians were also the first to use the number zero. They also had medical knowledge including
the concept of inoculation and surgery. Finally, they were fine metalworkers. They knew how to make alloys and
made some of the best iron in the ancient world.