03: Classical Civilization: India Flashcards
0
Q
Alexander the Great
A
- Successor of Phillip II; successfully conquered Persian Empire prior to his death in 323 BCE; attempted to combine Greek and Persian cultures.
- Brought Hellenistic influences to India
- Changes the SPICEs of classical India
1
Q
Buddha
A
- Creator of major Indian and Asian religion; born in 6th century BCE as son of local ruler among Aryan tribes located near Himalayas; became an ascetic; found enlightenment under bo tree; taught that enlightenment could be achieved only by abandoning desires for all earthly things.
- Founded Buddhism, one of the great world religions
- Buddhism influenced much of the world, especially East Asia
2
Q
Himalayas
A
- Mountain region marking the northern border of the Indian subcontinent; site of the Aryan settlements that formed small kingdoms or warrior republics.
- Separated India from East Asia but linked India to Middle East via passes.
- Influenced India’s SPICEs, particularly culture and economy.
3
Q
Monsoons
A
- Seasonal winds crossing Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia during summer bring rains.
- Brought the needed moisture for India’s farming economy
- Culture was affected by the monsoons because people had to adapt.
4
Q
Aryans
A
- European nomadic pastoralists who replaced Harappan civilization; militarized society.
- Brought agriculture and iron tools to India
- Completely changed all the SPICESs of India
5
Q
Sanskrit
A
- The sacred and classical Indian language
- First literary language of India
- Most of what we know of early India was written in sanskrit.
6
Q
Vedas
A
- Aryan hymns originally transmitted orally but written down in sacred books from the 6th century BCE.
- Told us about much of preclassical Indian culture.
- Able to learn about early Indian history.
7
Q
Mahabharata
A
- Indian epic of war, princely honor, love, and social duty; written down in the last centuries BCE; previously handed down in oral form.
- Shows more settled agricultural society 7 better organized political units
- Showed development of SPICEs in India
8
Q
Ramayana
A
- On of the great epic tales from classical India; traces of adventures of King Rama and his wife, Sita; written 4th to 2nd centuries BCE.
- Shows more settled agricultural society 7 better organized political units
- Showed development of SPICEs in India
9
Q
Varnas
A
- Clusters of caste groups in Aryan society; four social castes-Brahmans (priests), warriors, merchants, and peasants; beneath four Aryan castes was a group of socially untouchable Dasas.
- Structure of society in India still lasting through today
- Controlled most SPICEs
10
Q
Untouchables
A
- Low social caste in Hindu culture; performed tasks that were considered polluting—- street sweeping, removal of human waste and tanning.
- Lowest caste in Indian society to this day.
- Helped influence how India works socially.
11
Q
Indra
A
- Chief deity of the Aryans; depicted as a colossal, hard-drinking warrior
- Main god of early Indian culture.
- Shows what early Indian culture believed in and was centered around.
12
Q
Chandragupta Maurya
A
-Founder of Maurya dynasty; established 1st empire in Indian subcontinent; 1st centralized government since Harappan
civilization.
-First ruler to unify most of subcontinent.
-Brought about first example of widespread unity and politics.
13
Q
Mauryan
A
- Dynasty established in Indian subcontinent in 4th century BCE following invasion by Alexander the Great.
- First dynasty to unify most of subcontinent.
- Brought about first example of widespread unity and politics.
14
Q
Ashoka
A
- Grandson of Chandragupta Maurya; completed conquests of Indian subcontinent; converted to Buddhism and sponsored spread of new religion throughout his empire.
- Spread Buddhism through India and sent out missionaries
- Missionaries sent caused the widespread adaptation and conversion of Buddhism in China
15
Q
Dharma
A
- The caste position and career determined by a person’s birth; Hindu culture required that one accept one’s social position and perform occupation to the best of one’s bility in order to have a better situation in the nest life.
- Brought unity to people.
- Allowed the differing Indian peoples to live in relative harmony.
16
Q
Kushans
A
- People from Kush, an African state that developed along the Nile c. 1000 BCE; conquered Egypt and ruled it for several centuries
- One ruler converted to Buddhism and promoted it in India
- Lessened Buddhism’s influence in India because of the association of foreign rule.
17
Q
Guptas
A
- Dynasty that succeded the Kushans in the 3rd century CE, built empire that extended to all but the southern regions of Indian subcontinent; less centralized than Mauryan empire.
- Brought unity to subconinent once again with great impact.
- Brought greatest period of political stability in India.
18
Q
Kautilya
A
- Political advisor to Chandragupta Maurya; one of the authors of Arthashastra; believed the the scientific application of warfare.
- Wrote important treatise on politics.
- Influences India’s political SPICE.
19
Q
Gurus
A
- Originally referred to as Brahmans who served as teacher for the princes of the imperial court of the Guptas.
- Helped formalize Hinduism.
- Helped bring common beliefs to many Indians.
20
Q
Vishnu
A
- The Brahman, later Hindu, god of sacrifice; widely worshipped.
- Manifested the aspects of brahman.
- Helped further Hindu formalization.
21
Q
Shiva
A
- Hindu god of destruction and reproduction;worshipped as the personification of cosmic forces of change.
- Manifested the aspects of brahman.
- Helped further Hindu formalization.
22
Q
Reincarnation
A
- The successive attachment of the soul to some animate form according to merits earned in previous lives.
- Helped keep the caste system in place.
- Kept lower castes from rebelling from the unfair system of classes.
23
Q
Nirvana
A
- The Buddhist state of enlightenment, a state of tranquility.
- The state that Buddhists strive to achieve.
- Brought lower caste members to Buddhism because it was not as daunting and as long a task.
24
Q
Kamasutra
A
- Written by Vatsayana during Gupta era; offered instructions on all aspects of life for higher-caste males, including grooming, hygiene, etiquette, selection of wives, and lovemaking.
- Showed much of what was important to Classical Indian society.
- Showed the cultural and social SPICEs of Classical India.
25
Q
Stupas
A
- Stone shrines built to house pieces of bone or hair and personal possessions said to be relics of the Buddha; preserved Buddhist architectural forms.
- Some indian art that was not destroyed later in time
- shows indian culture SPICE
26
Q
Scholar-Gentry
A
-Chinese Class created by the marital linkage of the local land-holding aristocracy with the office-holding shi; superseded shi as governors of China.
