Terms : Hide Images
| 110708238 | Himalayas | Mountain region marking the northern border of the Indian subcontinent; site of the Aryan settlements that formed small kingdoms or warrior republics. | |
| 110708239 | Monsoon | Rainy season in southern Asia when the southwestern monsoon blows, bringing heavy rains | |
| 110708240 | Vedic Age | The period from 1500 B.C.E. to 500 B.C.E. during which the Aryans created the Vedas - a collection of hymns, chants, ritual instructions, and other religious teachings. | |
| 110708241 | Epic Age | 1000-500 B.C.E. in India. The two important epics of the time were Mahabharata and Ramayana. | |
| 110708242 | Aryan | A member of the prehistoric people who spoke Proto-Indo European | |
| 110708243 | Indus River | The earliest Indian civilization, dating back to 2500 B.C.E., began in the valley of this river in the northwestern part of the subcontinent of south Asia | |
| 110708244 | Ganges | River sacred to the Hindus with bad flooding. | |
| 110708245 | Sanskrit | An Indo-European language that was the language of the Vedas, developed by Aryans | |
| 110708246 | Vedas | Sacred texts in the Hindu religion, they are a set of four collections of hymns and religious ceremonies transmitted by memory through the centuries by Aryan priests | |
| 110708247 | Rig-Vedas | First epic, contains 1028 poems and hymns dedicated to Aryan gods. | |
| 110708248 | Mahabharata | (Hinduism) a sacred epic Sanskrit poem of India dealing in many episodes with the struggle between two rival families | |
| 110708249 | Ramayana | A Hindu epic written in Sanskrit that describes the adventures of the king Rama and his queen | |
| 110708250 | Upanishads | A group of writings sacred in Hinduism concerning the relations of humans, God, and the universe. | |
| 110708251 | Varnas | Aryan social classes | |
| 110708252 | Caste Systems | A set of rigid social categories that determined not only a person's occupation, but also and his/her position in society | |
| 110708253 | Brahmins | Priests, at the top of the Aryan-made caste system | |
| 110708254 | Sudras | The second lowest in the caste system made up of peasants and farmers; most of the Indian population | |
| 110708255 | Untouchables | Lowest level of the indian society; not considered a part of the caste system; did degrading jobs | |
| 110708256 | Indra | Chief deity of the Aryans; depicted as a colossal, hard-drinking warrior. | |
| 110708257 | Chandragupta Maurya | King, founder of the Mauryan Empire | |
| 110708258 | Mauryan Empire | The first state to unify most of the Indian subcontinent. It was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 324 B.C.E. and survived until 184 B.C.E. From its capital at Pataliputra in the Ganges Valley it grew wealthy from taxes. | |
| 110708259 | Ashoka | Third ruler of the Mauryan Empire in India (r. 270-232 B.C.E.). He converted to Buddhism and broadcast his precepts on inscribed stones and pillars, the earliest surviving Indian writing. | |
| 110708260 | Dharma | The law of moral consequences | |
| 110708261 | Kushans | Dynasty that succeeded the Mauryas in northwestern India; sponsors of Buddhism; empire did not extend to Ganges River valley. | |
| 110708262 | Guptas | A dynasty that united the indian states after the Mauryan empire in 3rd century C.E. | |
| 110708263 | Gupta Empire | Golden Age of India; ruled through central government but allowed village power; restored Hinduism | |
| 110708264 | Hinduism | An eastern religion which evolved from an ancient Aryan religion in which followers strive to free their soul from reincarnation until the soul is finally freed. This religion is practiced primarily in India. | |
| 110708265 | Karma | In Hindu belief, all the actions that affect a person's fate in the next life | |
| 110708266 | Gurus | Originally referred to as Brahmans who served as teachers for the princes of the imperial court of the Guptas | |
| 110708267 | Vishnu | A Hindu god considered the preserver of the world | |
| 110708268 | Shiva | An important Hindu deity who in the trinity of gods was the Destroyer | |
| 110708269 | Reincarnation | Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding | |
| 110708270 | Bhagavad Gita | A Hindu holy book where the god Krishna teaches the importance of selflessness, performing religious duties, and of devotion to God. | |
| 110708271 | Siddhartha Gautama | The founder of buddhism, the Buddha | |
| 110708272 | Nirvana | The lasting peace that Buddhists seek by giving up selfish desires | |
| 110708273 | Buddhism | A world religion or philosophy based on the teaching of the Buddha and holding that a state of enlightenment can be attained by suppressing worldly desire | |
| 110708274 | Kamasutra | (Hinduism) an ancient Sanskrit text giving rules for sensuous and sensual pleasure and love and marriage in accordance with Hindu law | |
| 110708275 | Stupas | Stone shrines built to house pieces of bone and personal possessions said to be relics of the Buddha; preserved Buddhist architectural forms. |
