Subcontinent a large landmass that is similar to a continent

Vocabulary

Chapter 5 Vocabulary

1. 
   Subcontinent – a large landmass that is similar to a continent
   
2. 
   Monsoons – seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons
   
3. 
   Sanskrit – the most important language of ancient India
   
4. 
   Caste System – divided groups of Indian society that was based on a person’s birth, wealth, or occupation
   
5. 
   Hinduism – the largest religion in India today
   
6. 
   Reincarnation – the process of rebirth
   
7. 
   Karma – the effects that good or bad actions have on a person’s soul
   
8. 
   Jainism –religion based on the teachings of a man named Mahavira
   
9. 
   Nonviolence – the avoidance of violent actions
   
10. 
    Fasting – going without food
    
11. 
    Meditation – the focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas
    
12. 
    The Buddha – a man named Siddhartha Gautama; means the “enlightened one”
    
13. 
    Buddhism – a religion based on the teachings of the Buddha
    
14. 
    Nirvana – a state of perfect peace
    
15. 
    Missionaries – people who work to spread their religious beliefs
    
16. 
    Candragupta Maurya – a military leader in the 320s BC who founded the Mauryan Empire
    
17. 
    Asoka – Emperor of Mauryan Empire around 270 BC
    
18. 
    Candra Gupta II – became Emperor of India in 375
    
19. 
    Metallurgy – science of working with metals
    
20. 
    Alloys – mixtures of two or more metals
    
21. 
    Hindu-Arabic Numerals – numbers created by Indian scholars; still used today
    
22. 
    Inoculation – injecting a person with a small dose of a virus to help him or her build up defenses to a disease
    
23. 
    Astronomy – the study of stars and planets
    
24. 
    Establish – to set up or create
    
25. 
    Process – a series of steps by which a task is accomplished
    

Section 1: Geography and Early India

Geography of India

Landforms and Rivers

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  India is called a subcontinent because it is so big and is separated from the rest of the continent by physical features like mountains.
  
• 
  The Himalayas are in northern India and are the highest mountains in the world.
  
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  Must of India is fertile plains and rugged plateaus.
  
• 
  The first civilization, the Indus, was in the valley leading from the Himalayas; located in Pakistan today.
  

• 
  Most of India is hot and humid, especially during winter.
  
• 
  Climate is influenced by monsoons.
  
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  Monsoons are in the summer and bring heavy rains and flooding; some areas get 100 to 200 inches of rain during a season.
  

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  Located in the Indus River Valley.
  
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  Grew as irrigation and agriculture improved.
  
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  Surplus of food led to towns and cities.
  

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  Harappan civilization was named after the city of Harappa, Pakistan, where ruins were discovered.
  
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  Thrived between 2300 and 1700 BC.
  
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  Had 2 large cities: Harappa and Mohenjo Daro; both on the Indus River about 300 miles apart.
  
• 
  Both had a fortress, brick streets, storehouses, workshops, market stalls, and houses; also public wells.
  

• 
  Very advanced civilization; bathrooms with indoor plumbing, excellent artisans with high quality tools, developed system of weights and measures.
  
• 
  Developed India’s first writing system; not yet able to read it
  
• 
  Possibly had kings and strong central governments; king may have been worship like a god
  
• 
  Ended by early 1700s BC, cause unknown
  

• 
  Took power in Indus Valley after Harappan fell.
  

• 
  Skilled warriors, using advanced weapons and chariots
  
• 
  Took control of entire Indus Valley
  
• 
  Most info comes from Vedas, religious writings like poems, hymns, myths, and rituals written by priests.
  

• 
  Were nomads who, over time, settled into villages and farmed.
  
• 
  Villages based on family ties with one group leader, no single ruling authority for all.
  
• 
  Leaders were called rajas; they often fought each other.
  

• 
  Didn’t originally read or write so memorized poems and hymns ,like the Vedas.
  
• 
  Spoken language was Sanskrit. Became root of many languages today.
  

Indian Society Divides

The Varnas (or social hierarchy)

• 
  4 main varnas: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaisyas (farmers, craftspeople, and traders), and Sudras (laborers and non-Aryans)
  
• 
  Strict interaction rules!
  

• 
  Each varnas divided into castes based on person’s birth, wealth, or occupation.
  
• 
  Castes rose and fell in popularity.
  

• 
  Developed sutras (guides) which listed rules for caste system; very strict.
  
• 
  Rule breakers could be banned and become untouchables.
  

The Vedas

• 
  Aryan religion based on Vedas, each has poems and hymns.
  
• 
  Oldest Veda is Rigveda, written before 1000 BC.
  

• 
  Texts are thoughts of Brahmins about the Vedas.
  
• 
  Oldest Veda is Rigveda, written before 1000 BC.
  

Hindu Beliefs

• 
  Polytheistic: 3 major gods: Brahma the Creator, Siva the Destroyer, and Vishnu the Preserver
  
• 
  All are part of single universal spirit called Brahman
  

• 
  Hindu teaches that everyone has a soul that makes them who they are.
  
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  Believe that the soul will reunite with Brahman.
  
• 
  Believe that the world is an illusion and may take several lifetimes to see through the illusion.
  

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  Reborn into new physical form; form based on karma.
  
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  Good karma leads to rebirth in higher caste…leads to salvation or Moksha.
  
• 
  Teaches that one should accept place in the world without complaint; obeying one’s Dharma.
  

• 
  Teaches that women could reach salvation but women were inferior to men.
  
• 
  Not allowed to read Vedas or other sacred texts.
  

• 
  Not everyone agreed with Hinduism.
  
• 
  Based on teachings of Mahavira (born about 599 BC) …was a monk and established Jainism.
  
• 
  4 Principles: Injure no life, Tell the truth, Do not steal, and Own no property.
  
• 
  Practiced non-violence of any life (human, bug, plant, animal, etc.)
  
• 
  Vegetarians
  

Siddhartha’s Search for Wisdom

The Quest for Answers

• 
  Siddhartha Gautama, born about 563 BC, was a prince (warrior class)
  
• 
  Saw others suffering and struggling/ pain in the world
  
• 
  Left home to look for answers about meaning of life.
  

• 
  Spent time searching for answers in various ways: fasting, meditations, etc.
  
• 
  Sat under a tree near Gaya and meditated for 7 weeks
  
• 
  His realization: suffering comes from 3 things: wanting what we like but don’t have, wanting to keep what we have and like, and not wanting what we dislike but have.
  
• 
  7 more weeks of meditation (Tree of Wisdom) then spoke to companions (First Sermon)
  
• 
  From this point on, he is called the Buddha or “Enlightened One”
  

Four Noble Truths

• 
  Suffering and unhappiness are apart of human life. No one can escape sorrow.
  
• 
  Suffering comes from our desires for pleasure and material goods. People cause their own misery because they want things they cannot have.
  
• 
  People can overcome desire and ignorance to reach nirvana. Nirvana frees the soul from suffering and the need for further reincarnation.
  
• 
  People can overcome ignorance and desire by following an eightfold path.
  
  • 
    Right Thought-Believe in the Four Noble Truths
    
  • 
    Right Intent-Think of kindness, compassion and non-violence,
    
  • 
    Right Speech-Avoid lies and gossip; say the truth and praise others.
    
  • 
    Right Action-Respect and love others; Don’t steal, kill, act selfishly.
    
  • 
    Right Livelihood-Make a living in a way that doesn’t harm others.
    
  • 
    Right Effort-Embrace good and prevent evil.
    
  • 
    Right Mindfulness-Be responsible for oneself and the environment; control your feelings and thoughts.
    
  • 
    Right Concentration-Focus and practice meditation.
    

• 
  Rejected animal sacrifice.
  
• 
  Challenged authority of Hindu priests.
  
• 
  Opposed the caste system; won much support for this.
  
• 
  Empowered people to change their lives.