Ancient India

irrigation

The process of supplying water to areas of land to make them suitable for growing crops.

Indus River Valley

A valley and early civilization along the Indus River, one of the longest rivers in the world.

Himalayas

These mountains separate India from China and are the tallest in the world.

Monsoons

seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons

Hinduism

A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms

Vishnu

A Hindu god considered the preserver of the world

Caste System

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

Sanskrit

an Indo-European, Indic language, in use since c1200 b.c. as the religious and classical literary language of India.

Karma

The belief that actions in this life, whether good or bad, will decide your place in the next life.

Dharma

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties

Reincarnation

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding

Moksha

The Hindu concept of the spirit's 'liberation' from the endless cycle of rebirths.

Buddhism

A religion based on the teachings of the Buddha.

Vedas

Ancient Sanskrit writings that are the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism.

Siddhartha Gautama

Founder of Buddhism

Four Noble Truths

All life invoves suffering; desire is the cause of suffering; elimination of desire brings an end to suffering; a disciplined life conducted life brings the elimination of desire.

Eightfold Path

In Buddhism, the basic rules of behavior and belief leading to an end of suffering

Nirvana

a condition of great peace or happiness

Maurya Empire

Indian empire founded by Chandragupta, beginning with his kingdom in northeastern India and spreading to most of northern and central India. Spread Buddhism.

Gupta Empire

Golden Age of India; ruled through central government but allowed village power; restored Hinduism

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one people to another

nomad

a person who moves from place to place

primary source

A document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study.

Neolithic Revolution

The switch from nomadic lifestyles to a settled agricultural lifestyle is this revolution.

Paleoithic

Early phase of Stone Age(Old Stone Age) when stone implements were used. Pre Farming

Four River Valley Civilizations

Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China

Fertile Crescent

A geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates

Hammurabi's Code

a set of laws that governed life in the Babylonian empire

Silk Road

Connected China, India, and the Middle East. Traded goods and helped to spread culture.

Indian Ocean Complex

the network of trade routes made up of areas of the Middle East, East Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and East Asia that are connected by the Indian Ocean