India unit (M14, L1; M15, L1-2)

Subcontinent

A large landmass that is smaller than a continent

Ganges River

Located in India, this river flows from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal and is considered sacred to Hindus

Delta

triangular area of marshland formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of some rivers

Indus River

A river in Pakistan with a wide fertile plain in which the Indian subcontinent's first civilization developed

Monsoons

seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons

colony

a territory inhabited and controlled by people from a foreign land

partition

divide into parts; Great Britain did this with India and Pakistan

Hinduism

A religion native to India, featuring belief in many gods and reincarnation

Caste System

A Hindu social class system that controlled every aspect of daily life

Harappa

a large ancient city in present day Pakistan that the Indus civilization is named for

Mohenjo-Daro

Indus Valley city much like Harappa; laid out in a grid pattern with irrigation and sewer system.

Sanskrit

the most important language of ancient India, it is the basis of several modern languages

Vedas

Collections of hymns, songs, prayers, and rituals honoring the various gods of the Aryans.

Aryans

nomads from central Asia who migrated to India and settled in the Indus River valley after the Harappan civilization ended

Rajas

leaders of Aryan villages in India

varnas

The Vedas said all societies have 4 of them based on temperaments that vary from person to person

Brahmins

The priest varna of the caste system (the "thinkers" of society)

Kshatriyas

The warrior and ruler varna of the caste system (the "leaders" of society)

Sudras

Caste made up of the peasants and laborers (the "hard workers" of society)

Vaisyas

Caste made up of farmers, craftspeople, and traders (the "skilled" workers of society)

jatis

social groups determined by birth and associated with specific occupations

Dalits

aka the Untouchables, lowest class in the caste system-people who do all the dirty work of society

Chandragupta Maurya

united parts of India, Afghanistan, and Asia into India's first empire; improved farming and trade, standardized weights and measures

Gupta Empire

Indian empire that formed after the Mauryan Empire; saw important advances in math, medicine, and astronomy

Mughal Empire

a powerful kingdom established in northern India by Turkish Muslims around 1550

East India Company

a British trading company that set up large, profitable trading post colonies in India

Mohandis Gandhi

Leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule, known for his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.

citadel

a fortified structure, often used to protect a city or serve as a military base.