Flashcards
Ancient India
Cards in this deck (36)
- 1Where is the Indus River Valley today?~ India
~ Pakistan
~ Nepal
~ Bangladesh - 2Describe the geography of the Indus River ValleyIt's a very interesting mix of highlands, desert, jungle, and oceans. All contribute to the rise of the cultures of the Indus Valley.
- 3This region has a monsoon season. Describe a monsoon season.A seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia, between May & September bringing rain between October & April
- 4_____ became widely used off of the Indus River.Irrigation
- 5Crops grown near the Indus River included...Wheat, barley, peas, rice, cotton, & domesticated animals such as sheep, cattle, goats
- 6List items that Indus cultures traded with othersCow, animal hides, melons, cucumbers, water buffalo
- 7Indus cultures relied heavily on _____, and did so greatly with _____.trade; Mesopotamia
- 8Trading with Mesopotamia led to the development of what?Carts, boats, irrigation, tools, easier travel, beads, copper items
- 9List some characteristics of the Indus culture's ancient cities~ 1st known sanitation system/separate rooms for bathing
~ Most city dwellers were traders/artisans
~ Cities often walled in like a fort
~ All homes had access to water
~ Most made of dried brick/ 1 story
~ Granaries located in middle of town - 10What are some differences between ancient India, Egypt, & Mesopotamia?~ India was more peaceful, had no large temples, had good hygiene, and had a water system.
~ India's writing has yet to be fully translated, the others have
~ Different geography - 11What are some similarities between ancient India, Egypt, & Mesopotamia?~ Cities built next to rivers
~ All had writing on clay tablets, pots, seals, & walls
~ Had social orders - 12What are the nine basic beliefs of Hinduism?1.) One Supreme Being
2.) Divinity of Four Vedas
3.) World undergoes endless cycles
4.) Karma
5.) Soul reincarnates until all karma resolved
6.) Divine unseens beings exist
7.) Enlightened master is essential
8.) All life is sacred
9.) No religion is only way - 13What is Dharma?Divine law that prevails over every level of existence and is related to the soul
- 14What is karma?Cause/effect; good deeds, thoughts, etc. that dictate next reincarnation. Create your own destiny
- 15What is reincarnation?The belief that a soul will continue to live on earth through rebirths until all karma is resolved. No soul is deprived from reincarnation
- 16Who is Brahma?The first god of triumvirate who created the world, and created the vedas, one from each of his mouths
- 17Who is Vishnu?Second god of the triumvirate who preserves the world, maintain order/harmony. Depicted as a blue-skinned man with 4 arms.
- 18Who is Shiva?The third god of the triumvirate who is to destroy the world and re-create it. Depicted with occasionally a blue body, has a third eye, and a trident
- 19Who is Ganesh?Remover of obstacles, patron of arts/sciences.
Depicted with an elephant's head on a human body - 20Who is Krishna?Teacher of sacred scripture, considered to be an avatar (direct descent from God).
Depicted with blue-black skin, wearing a yellow loincloth and crown of peacock feathers - 21Who is Saraswati?Goddess of knowledge, art, music, wisdom, learning.
Depicted as graceful youth with white skin and white sari. - 22A passage from the Rig Veda tells of how the world was formed from Purusa. Who came from what body part?"The brahmin was his mouth, his two arms became the Kshatriyas, his thighs are what the vaisya is, and from his feet, the shudra was made."
- 23Who are the brahmin?The seers, reflective ones, priests
- 24Who are the Kshatriyas?Protectors of society, warriors, nobles
- 25Who are the vaisyas?The craftsmen, artisans, farmers, producers of material things
- 26who are the shudras?The unskilled laborers or laboring class
- 27Who are the Harijan?"Untouchables"
~ Hired to do dirty work
~ Sight of them forbidden in temples, schools, wells
~ Worked at night - 28What are the jobs of the Harijan?~ Cleaning up feces, sweat, urine
~ sweepers, washers - 29What is the goal of Hinduism?All about truth within us. There is no correct way to salvation. Continue to reincarnate until all issues are resolved, reach pinnacle of consciousness where man/God are one
- 30How do karma and reincarnation contribute to the Caste System?If you had bad karma, you were believed to reincarnate into a lower caste of the caste system. The lower the caste, the more karma you had to resolve.
- 31Name 4 advantages of the caste system~ Allowed continuity of traditions
~ Divided work among everybody
~ Prevented exploitation of labor
~ Separate castes were able to work together
~ Families, with no intermarriage, could have pure lineages - 32Name 4 disadvantages of the caste system~ Higher castes would take advantage of/exploit lower castes
~ Separation caused distrust in other castes
~ Caste system weakened ability to defend themselves
~ Warfare was hard/uncoordinated
~ Higher castes only helped themselves - 33How was the caste system justified by the theory of Gunas?Gunas' qualities have dominance that cause people to act differently & fits them well for certain occupations
- 34How was the caste system justified by the Vedas?No caste system idea approved if not found in the Vedas.
- 35How was the caste system justified by karma?People of lower castes have to blame themselves for their suffering due to their past misdeeds in past lives
- 36How was the caste system justified by religious laws?Caste system justified by Smriti literature, and law books are meant to justify caste system & provide clear guidelines to enforce laws concerning social division