6th grade ancient history review

India

2 questions on the CST

• The Aryans invaded India in 1500 B.C.

•India’s first major religion was Hinduism, which involved a universal spirit called Brahman. The worship of this spirit is sometimes called Brahmanism.

• Vedas (meaning knowledge) are a collection of sacred hymns and poems.

•India developed great literature in Sanskrit (an ancient language of India), such as the Bhagavad Gita (story of the warrior Prince Arjuna).

•They also developed Hindu-Arabic numeral system, the decimal system, and the zero.

• The caste system organized Indians into four classes - the Brahmins (teachers, scholars and priests), the Kshatriyas (kings and warriors), the Vaishyas (traders), and Sudras (agriculturists, service providers, and some artisan groups).

•The Buddha’s life and teachings, such as honesty, non-violence, and compassion, created a new religion called Buddhism, which spread throughout India to Central Asia.

•The Buddha's Four Noble Truths:1. Life is suffering2. People suffer because of desire3. The only way not to suffer is to have no desires4. The Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering and end the cycle of reincarnation

•Nirvana, or escape from suffering, can be obtained by following the Eightfold Path.

•Traders and missionaries carried Buddhism to other countries.

Which letter on the map above is the location of the Indus River Valley and the early civilization it supported?

A location AB location B C location C D location D

According to the quotation, why did the Aryans pray to the goddess Dawn?

A for adequate rainfallB for the arrival of each day C for sunlight to grow crops D for salvation

“Send thy most excellent beams to shine and light us… Granting us food.”

~from the Rig Veda

The Hindu caste system states that

A each state must care for its own members.B people can move easily between castes. C people who were born into a caste stay there for life. D all people are treated equally.

What was most likely the kind of job performed by the Untouchables?

A jobs requiring skill and educationB jobs too lowly for others to wantC jobs involving the exchange of money D jobs that needed training