Study Guide Answer Key
Chapter 6
Terms:
1. subcontinent-large land mass that is part of a continent but distinct from it; India is an example of a subcontinent
2. monsoon-strong wind that blows one direction in winter and the opposite direction in summer
3. Sanskrit-written language developed by the Aryans
4. raja-prince who led the Aryan tribe in India
5. caste-social group that a person is born into and cannot change
6. guru-religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism
7. Hinduism-one of the oldest religions in the world; grew out of the religion of the Aryans in ancient India; they believe all life is sacred
8. Buddhism-a religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha; it teaches that the way to find truth is to give up all desires
9. reincarnation-rebirth of the soul or spirit in different bodies over time
10. dharma-in Hinduism the divine law that requires people to perform the duties of their caste
11. karma-in Hinduism the good or bad energy a person builds up based upon whether he or she lives a good or bad life; good karma will move a person closer to Brahman in their next life
12. Braham-in Hinduism it is the universal spirit of which all gods and goddesses are different parts
13. nirvana-in Buddhism it is not a place, but a state of wisdom and freedom from the cycle of rebirth; comes from the Sanskrit word for blowing out a candle
14. theocracy-a form of government headed by a religious leader; the Dali Lama is an example of a theocracy
15. dynasty- series or line of rulers from the same family
16. stupa-Buddhist shrines that have the shape of a dome or mound
17. pilgrim-person who travels to go to a religious shrine or site
18. centralized government-a system of government in which rulers run the government from a capital city
Questions:
1. the Arabian Sea
2. the Harappans
3. they conquered the Harappans and created the caste system
4. the Indus and the Ganges
5. the Himalayan Mountains
6. earthquakes and floods
7. the winter monsoons bring the cold, dry air of the mountains and the summer
monsoons bring the warm, wet air from the Arabian Sea
8. a drought will occur
9. the caste system
10. life is full of suffering, people suffer because they desire worldly things, to end suffering one must stop desiring things, and the only way to stop desiring things is to follow the Eightfold Path
11. Hinduism
12. the founder of Buddhism
13. Theravada and Mahayana
14. the Gupta Empire
15. Chandragupta Maurya
16. Asoka
17. Mahabharata and Ramayana
18. Indian mathematics and science
19. none