Download Ancient India - David W. Butler High School

1.Read p. 98 in the book, “A Love for All Time”, about Rama
and Sita.
-Why are Rama and Sita studied within Hinduism?
2. Define the following terms:
1. Reincarnation
2. Karma
3. Moksha
4. Dharma
5. Yoga
6. Ahimsa
7. Brahman
 Indus Valley
 Buddhism and Hinduism
1. Complete the map analysis on p.
92 by answering the questions in
the text.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Geography: very diverse
 Himalayas to the north
 Sea coast to the east and west
 Monsoons: seasonal winds
 bring heavy rains in summer
 bring cool, dry air in winter
 2 main rivers: Indus and Ganges
Diversity of modern India
-divided by states (like the USA)
- see the major countries bordering India
-Pakistan
-Afghanistan
-China
 C. 3000 to 1500 BC main cities
along Indus River:
 Mohenjo-Daro
 Harappa
 Cities laid out in grid pattern
 had sewage system
 Farming civilization
 some trade w/ Mesopotamia
 Not sure why it ended:




maybe floods,
change in climate,
earthquake,
change of river…
 1500 to 400 BC :
 Indo-European people migrated to Ganges River area
 Controversy: were they from India or not?
 Written language- c. 1000 BC called Sanskrit
 Rajas- Local rulers, fought each other
 Very patriarchal, practiced suttee/suti:
 woman had to kill herself on husband’s funeral pyre
(fire)…only wealthy women who could financially provide for themselves
had the scandalous option not to participate in this ritual.
 Very rigid caste system: (social structure)
 Brahmans: priests and scholars
 Kshatriyas: warriors
 Vaisyas: commoners (i.e. merchants/farmers)
 Sudras: peasants/ manual laborers
 Untouchables: less than human, had to live separate and do
jobs no one else would do, outcasts
Bhagavad Gita- technically
part of Vedas. Speech by
god Krishna before a battle,
“when taking action, don’t
worry about the end result,
only the moral rightness of
the action itself”.
Read about the
Bhagavad Gita on p.
100 and 101. Answer
the question.
 Grew out of early Aryan beliefs
 Sacred writings called Vedas
 Key concepts:
 1 main force called Brahman
 Brahman shows itself through many gods/goddesses
 Main gods –
 Brahman = creator,
 Vishnu = preserver,
 Siva = destroyer
 Moksha- People want to merge w/ Brahman
 Can only merge if from Brahmin caste,
 those who do not merge are reincarnated
 Level of reincarnation (to a better or worse caste) is
determined by your karma: force generated by your
actions in life (idea: what goes around comes around OR
you reap what you sow)
dharma:
- divine law that governs karma
-expectations within your caste of what you should be
doing in order to have good karma
(Hinduism- main religion in India)
 Using p. 102, create a Venn Diagram on Jainism and
Hinduism
Jains
- Notice how they are
dressed
- Notice what is
important to them
 Read the quote on the top of p. 97 labeled “History’s
Voices”, from the Rigveda.
 In your notes, write a journal entry describing which
body part belonged to each varna. (Must be at least ½
a page in length….at least 5-7 complete sentences)
~Explain WHY you think each body part was
assigned to each varna, based on what you know about
the varnas and the purpose of the body.
~Be sure to add a visual (a journal entry
assignment always has a written and visual
component)
 Pick up a piece of blank paper and scissors
 1-Fold it hamburger style; 2- fold two flaps backwards; 3- glue middle
 Should look like an accordion
 Use my example!
 Label both sides as below:
 Define terms on the inside flap/ be sure to understand the meaning!
 Hindu Beliefs :
 Reincarnation
 Karma
 Moksha
 Dharma
 Yoga
 Ahimsa
 Brahmin
Sacred Texts:
Vedas
Upanishads
Ramayana
Mahabharata
Bhagavad Gita
 With your group, create a dialogue or script between
Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, and a Hindu priest.
 The dialogue should be based on the similarities and
differences of each person’s belief system.
 Rehearse your dialogues!!!!
 PERFORM for CLASS!!!!!!
Judaism
Number of
followers
world wide
Key
concepts
Founder
Name of
deity
Holy book
Religious
symbol
Buddhism
Hinduism
Confucianism
Christianity
Islam