Chapter 6- India and Southeast Asia Flashcards

0
Q

The Indian subcontinent is divided into how many regions?

A

Three

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1
Q

In which direction is the Indian subcontinent vulnerable to attack?

A

The Northwest

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2
Q

Which six states are a part of the subcontinent?

A

Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka

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3
Q

What three distinct regions is the Indian subcontinent divided into?

A

The mountainous northern zone, the great basins of the Indus and Ganges River’s, and the peninsula proper

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4
Q

Describe the Northern subcontinental zone.

A

Foothills and high meadows on the edge of the Hindu Kush and Himalaya ranges

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5
Q

Describe the Great Basins topographical zone

A

Plains covered in a layer of silt from the Ganges and Indus rivers

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6
Q

What two natural barriers separate Northern India from the plateau proper zone?

A

The Vindhya range and Deccan (rocky plateau)

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7
Q

What gives the Indian Subcontinent it’s tropical climate?

A

Mountains that shield it from the arctic winds

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8
Q

What is the Indian subcontinent’s most dramatic source of moisture?

A

Monsoon winds

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9
Q

What causes monsoon winds?

A

Drastic temperature difference between the continents and the ocean.

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10
Q

The southwest monsoon begins in which month?

A

June

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11
Q

What is the staple crop along the Ganges River?

A

Rice; moist, wet climate.

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12
Q

What are the staple crops of most areas in the Indian subcontinent?

A

Wheat, barley, and millet.

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13
Q

Describe agriculture in the Indus Valley

A

No precipitation; requires extensive irrigation

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14
Q

Describe the monsoon winds’ effect on trade and transportation of the Indian Subcontinent

A

It was not a barrier; mariners learned to navigate and plan around the seasonal winds.

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15
Q

What were the Vedas?

A

Religious texts from which we get most of our knowledge of the Vedic age.

16
Q

The Vedic age covered what time period?

A

1500-500 BCE

17
Q

What do most historians believe happened in 1500BCE that began the Vedic age?

A

Animal-herding warriors speaking Indo-European languages migrated to Northwest India

18
Q

What happened to agriculture after the Indus Valley civilization collapsed?

A

There was no central authority to direct irrigation efforts, so it shifted to patriarchal groups of cattle herders.

19
Q

What new technology allowed groups to migrate into the Ganges plain?

A

Iron metallurgy

20
Q

During the Vedas period, which 2 groups engaged in bitter warfare?

A

The Aryas and the Dasas.

21
Q

The Aryan people spoke languages in which language family?

A

Indo-European

22
Q

The Dasas people spoke languages in which language family?

A

Dravidian

23
Q

Social identity in India was divided into which 2 categories?

A

Varna and jati

24
Q

The Varna system of social identity consisted of which 4 groups?

A

Brahmin- priests and scholars, Kshatriyas- warriors and officials
Vaishya- merchants, artisans, landowners
Shudra- peasants and laborers

25
Q

What was the 5th group of the Indian caste system?

A

Untouchables, cast away from society because of their occupations

26
Q

Why did the Indian social hierarchy exist? (Legend)

A

A creature named Purusha was sacrificed. From his mouth came the Brahmans; his arms, the Kshatriyas; thighs, Vaishya; Feet, Shudra.

27
Q

The Varna were further divided into what groups?

A

Jati, “caste”

28
Q

The class and caste systems were related to what belief?

A

Reincarnation

29
Q

How did reincarnation relate to the class/caste system?

A

Each person had an immortal essence that is reborn into another body after death. This essence carried with it Karma, the idea that deeds in the past determine status/form in future lives.

30
Q

What is karma?

A

The traditional Indian belief that deeds performed carry into future lives and determine the form/status of the reincarnated soul.

31
Q

Describe the deities of the Vedic religion.

A

They were male and associated with the heavens