Ancient India Unit Test Review!
Team Challenge!
• The board will start with position 1 and will rotate
clockwise each time a new question is asked.
• You may discuss with your table for the correct
answer but be careful not to give away the answer
to other teams!
• Write the correct answer on your dry erase boards
(Nice and big please!)
Question #1
Because of its large size and its position in relation
to large masses of land and water, India is called
A. a plateau.
B. an isthmus.
C. an ecosystem.
D. a subcontinent.
Question #2
As the Brahmaputra River flows from the
mountains into the valley, it becomes
A. slower and deeper.
B. clearer and cleaner.
C. rockier and rougher.
D. narrower and colder.
Question #3
During the summer in India, the monsoon brings
A. heavy rain.
B. dust storms.
C. unbearable heat.
D. pleasant mornings.
Question #4
On the map, find the northern tip of the Bay of
Bengal. Why is the nearby soil so fertile?
A. Many kinds of fish live in the bay.
B. Flooding rivers deposit rich minerals.
C. Pure water flows from the mountains.
D. People have farmed there for centuries.
Question #5
Compared with the Eastern and Western Ghats,
the Deccan Plateau has
A. denser forests.
B. a drier climate.
C. a longer coastline.
D. steeper mountains.
Question #6
Farmers in the Deccan Plateau use the iron-rich
black soil principally to raise
A. tea.
B. sheep.
C. cotton.
D. oranges.
Question #7
Which phrase best describes the Eastern and
Western Ghats?
A. fertile plains
B. sandy beaches
C. mountain ranges
D. marshy wetlands
Question #8
Which of the following parts of India has the most
fertile farmland?
A. the Hindu Kush
B. the Deccan Plateau
C. the Himalaya Mountains
D. the plains along the Ganges
Question #9
Much of the water in the Indus, Ganges, and
Brahmaputra rivers comes from
A. natural springs in the desert.
B. melting ice in the mountains.
C. rain-fed streams in the plateau.
D. large lakes in the northern plain.
Question #10
How has the location of the Himalaya Mountains
benefited India?
A. roads for trade routes
B. consistent water supply
C. protection from enemies
D. prevention of earthquakes
Question #11
Travelers went through the Khyber Pass to cross
the
A. Hindu Kush.
B. Eastern Ghats.
C. Deccan Plateau.
D. Himalaya Mountains.
Question #12
The lower Indus River (the part nearer the sea)
flows through what is now the country of
A. Iran.
B. Tibet.
C. Nepal.
D. Pakistan.
Question #13
A traveler in the Thar Desert would be likely to see
many
A. elephants.
B. sand dunes.
C. small farms.
D. walled cities.
Question #14
Where were the earliest known settlements in
India?
A. on the plateau
B. near the desert
C. beside the rivers
D. in the mountains
Question #15
How are the Indus and Ganges rivers similar to the
Nile River in Egypt?
A. They begin in the same general area.
B. They carry silt that enriches the soil.
C. They flow in the same general direction.
D. They have big floods that prevented early
settlement.
Question #16
Harappan civilization, which included ancient
Mohenjodaro, developed in the
A. Western Ghats.
B. Deccan Plateau.
C. Indus River valley.
D. Ganges River valley.
Question #17
In which of these years was Mohenjodaro an active
settlement?
A. 8000 B.C.E., while people were discovering how to
farm
B. 2550 B.C.E., while the Great Pyramid was being
built in Egypt
C. 1000 B.C.E., while King David was ruling over Israel
D. 600 B.C.E., while the Neo-Babylonian Empire ruled
Mesopotamia
Question #18
How did modern scholars learn that Mohenjodaro
had ever existed?
A. Astronauts saw it from space.
B. Historians read ancient scrolls.
C. Archaeologists found its ruins.
D. Geographers studied old maps.
Question #19
Part of Mohenjodaro was raised and surrounded
by a wall. What does this suggest about the city?
A. It had traders who stayed near the roads.
B. It had religious leaders who lived separately.
C. It had rich people who owned the best homes.
D. It had enemies who might attack the residents.
Question #20
Which fact shows that Mohenjodaro was carefully
planned?
A. Wheeled carts were pulled by animals.
B. The workshops were made of mud bricks.
C. Some of the houses were larger than others.
D. Nine streets divided the lower city into blocks.
Question #21
What does the list below show about the
civilization that included Mohenjodaro? • Invaders
• Floods • Earthquakes
A. likely causes for its beginning
B. theories for why it disappeared
C. problems with being near a river
D. reasons it was led by strong rulers
Question #22
The discovery of a scale, stone weights, and a
marked rod suggests that the people of
Mohenjodaro
A. had uniform ways to measure.
B. knew how to make tools of iron.
C. traded with people from far away.
D. started a new kind of mathematics.
Question #23
Archaeologists found a structure that was 39 feet
long and 8 feet deep, with a well nearby and a
drain along one side. How was it likely used?
A. for bathing
B. for cooking
C. for making wine
D. for grinding grain
Question #24
What evidence shows us how men in
Mohenjodaro might have dressed?
A. pictographs
B. an ancient statue
C. a report by a visitor
D. remains of an old robe
Question #25
Which feature of Mohenjodaro was quite different
from other settlements of that time?
A. high wall
B. dirt roads
C. brick homes
D. sewer system
Question #26
Where did most of the people of Mohenjodaro
live?
A. in the citadel
B. in the tall tower
C. in the lower city
D. in the courtyards
Question #27
Homes in Mohenjodaro had from one to a dozen
rooms. What does this suggest about the city?
A. Some houses had indoor bathrooms.
B. Some apartments held several families.
C. Some people were wealthier than others.
D. Some families had grandparents living with
them.
Question #28
A war game played in ancient India is thought to
be an early form of
A. chess.
B. hockey.
C. dominoes.
D. basketball.
Question #29
Which of these questions about Mohenjodaro
would be hardest to answer on the basis of
artifacts?
A. What foods did people eat?
B. What songs did people sing?
C. What games did people play?
D. What clothes did people wear?
Question #30
What was the main achievement of the Maurya
family?
A. to unify India
B. to impose Buddhism
C. to build famous temples
D. to improve the lives of peasants
Question #31
How did Chandragupta Maurya begin building his
empire?
A. He sent ships to far-off islands.
B. He conquered neighboring kingdoms.
C. He sponsored settlements by colonists.
D. He persuaded other rulers to unite with him.
Question #32
Which of these would you not consider an
achievement under Chandragupta’s rule?
A. He created a strong central government.
B. He used torture and spies to make people obey.
C. He made sure farmers had water for their crops.
D. He built a royal road more than one thousand
miles long.
Question #33
Why was Chandragupta poor in his later years?
A. He put a stop to foreign trade.
B. He was overthrown by his son.
C. He decided to live as an ascetic.
D. He lost the conquered territories.
Question #34
King Ashoka was Chandragupta’s
A. father.
B. enemy.
C. brother.
D. grandson.
Question #35
Ashoka expanded the Mauryan Empire until he
A. moved to China.
B. gave up violence.
C. reached the mountains.
D. surrendered to his cousin.
Question #36
Which experience led to a deep change in Ashoka’s
values?
A. marrying a Buddhist
B. seeing a very bloody battle
C. hearing Buddha's first sermon
D. discovering old age and illness
Question #37
Which Buddhist value did these actions by Ashoka
reflect? • He gave up hunting. • He became a
vegetarian.
A. respect for all living things
B. toleration of other religions
C. honesty in words and actions
D. awareness that everything changes
Question #38
How did Chandragupta’s rule differ from Ashoka’s?
A. Chandragupta had a larger empire than Ashoka
did.
B. Chandragupta used Buddhism to keep his
people happy.
C. Chandragupta made laws that were fairer than
Ashoka's laws.
D. Chandragupta used force to be sure no one
threatened his power.
Question #39
Which of Ashoka’s actions best expressed his
Buddhist values?
A. allowing slavery
B. keeping a strong army
C. putting criminals to death
D. treating all of his servants well
Question #40
What did Ashoka do with the territories the
Mauryas had conquered?
A. returned them to their former rulers
B. used them as a base for new conquests
C. kept them as peaceful parts of his empire
D. granted them to wealthy merchants as gifts
Question #41
In what important way did Ashoka spread Buddhist
teachings?
A. He required conquered people to convert.
B. He had edicts carved into pillars and walls.
C. He had peasants taught how to read and write.
D. He made speeches in many places around the
empire.
Question #42
What happened on the Indian subcontinent in the
time period between the Mauryan and Gupta
empires?
A. It went through a golden age.
B. It experienced a great famine.
C. It was filled with small kingdoms.
D. It was conquered by the Sumerians.
Question #43
How did the first Gupta ruler form alliances with
other rulers?
A. by giving them land
B. by arranging marriages
C. by killing them in battle
D. by sending wise advisers
Question #44
How was the Gupta Empire different from the
Mauryan Empire?
A. It got rid of the caste system.
B. It was governed with harsh laws.
C. It was made up of five kingdoms.
D. It gave local areas a lot of independence.
Question #45
Which factors in the Gupta Empire most helped
the growth of learning?
A. peace and stability
B. poverty and hunger
C. power and conquest
D. change and rebellion
Question #46
Which of these finds by an archaeologist would be
evidence of a golden age?
A. walled cities
B. fine sculptures
C. metal weapons
D. animal skeletons
Question #47
The images of Gupta kings on coins show that the
empire had people who were skilled in
A. writing literature.
B. planning buildings.
C. conducting warfare.
D. working with metal.
Question #48
What change took place in Hinduism during the
Gupta Empire?
A. Many of its laws were improved.
B. Many of its legends were written down.
C. Many of its complex rituals were abandoned.
D. Many of its most sacred temples were
destroyed.
Question #49
In the Gupta Empire, what was an important use
for all the following materials? • Stone • Wood •
Bronze • Terra-cotta clay
A. weapons
B. sculptures
C. cooking pots
D. wheeled carts
Question #50
Which of the following groups of people made it
possible to construct complex buildings like this
one?
A. slaves
B. monks
C. astrologers
D. mathematicians
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Final Challenge Question!
Directions: Write the following answer on your
boards!
How does the sculpture of
Buddha illustrate a Buddhist
ideal or value?