3-An Indian named Mohandas Gandhi was one

of the 1st modern-day leaders to preach

nonviolence

4-India is a small country in Asia

1-All the people in India speak the same language

2-India is a communist country

5-India showed little or no development until the

British took control

A new religion formed from both Aryans & Indus Valley

people

Priests gathered hymns of praise into 4

collections called Vedas (viewed as sacred)

They’re eventually

interpreted by wise Hindu

teachers

Upanishads

Ideas of the Upanishads

1.The sacred, infinite

force (Brahman) is in all living things

Everything in nature is

tied together

There are different “faces” of Brahman

2.

3 all-important gods -Brahma the creator

-Vishnu the protector -

Shiva the destroyer

PolytheismBelief in more

than 1 god

3.

The soul lives on & is reborn into a new body

Nothing that lives ever

entirely dies

Reincarnation

4.

A person’s conduct in this life determines his/her position in the next life

KarmaEthical law of cause &

effect

To earn a good rebirth each caste has its own

Dharma, or duty

Example: Boy in warrior caste

had to be willing to fight, kill & be killed

Hindus believe 4 different groups of people were

created from body of God

Social divisions of

India

Parts of God Occupation

ServantsFeet

Merchants & farmersLegs

Rulers & warriorsArms

Priests (brahmin)Mouth

The “Untouchables”

You don’t touch or share food with an untouchable

Higher castes = pure

Their impurity transfers to you!

Untouchables today in India have the worst jobs.“Dirty” jobs (removing &

burying dead bodies)

Only the top 3 castes study the

vedas

There are actually

thousands of castes now!