subcontinent
a large landmass that is smaller than a continent
monsoons
seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons
Harappan Civilization
the civilization that grew up in the Indus River Valley, some settlements were also found along the Sarasvati River
Sanskrit
the most important language of ancient India, at first it was only a spoken language but then people figured out how to write it
varnas
social divisions in Aryan society
Brahmins
priests
Kshatriyas
rulers and warriors
Vaisyas
farmers, craftspeople, and traders
Sudras
laborers and non-Aryans
caste system
divided Indian society into groups based on a person's birth, wealth, or occupation
Vedas
Aryan religion was based on these which contained sacred hymns and poems
Hinduism
the largest religion in India today
reincarnation
the process of rebirth that Hindus believe in
karma
the effects that good or bad actions have on a person's soul
moksha
salvation, or freedom, from life's worries and the cycle of rebirth
dharma
a set of spiritual duties that Hindus believe each person has to fulfill
Jainism
a religion based on the teachings of a man named Mahavira who is believed to have been born around 599 BC; this religion practiced nonviolence
nonviolence
the avoidance of violent actions (ahimsa)
Sikhism
religion that has roots in the teachings of the Guru Nanak, who lived in the AD 1400s
fasting
going without food
meditation
the focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas
Siddhartha Gautama
the "Buddha" who found enlightenment under a tree and founded the religion of Buddhism
Buddhism
a religion based on the teachings of Buddha
nirvana
a state of perfect peace
missionaries
people who work to spread their religious beliefs
Candragupta Maurya
a military leader who founded the Mauryan empire
Asoka
Candragupta's grandson who became king and extended the Mauryan empire over most of India
Candra Gupta II
he took the throne in India in 375; the Gupta society reached its high point during his rule
metallurgy
the science of working with metals
alloys
mixtures of two or more metals
Hindu-Arabic numerals
the numbers we use today
inoculation
injecting a person with a small dose of virus to help him or her build up defenses to a disease
astronomy
the study of stars and planets