Ancient India

Visual Vocabulary

INDUS & GANGES RIVER

The rivers where the Indus Civilization settled along.

● Provided them with resources, fertile land due to irrigation, trade, & transportation.

MONSOONS

A seasonal wind that causes wet and dry seasons. ● Effects which crops they

can grow and when they can grow them.

SUBCONTINENT

a large landmass that is smaller than a continent● India is a subcontinent of

the Asian continent. India is separated by the Himalayan Mountains.

PLATEAUa flat area of land that is elevated, or raised, above the land around it● The soil on the plateau is black, yellow, or

red. The black soil is rich in iron and good for growing cotton, but the yellow and red soils lack key minerals, making it harder for farmers to grow plants in those areas.

NATURAL RESOURCESResources found in nature and used for trading with civilization who didn’t have access to them.● Creates trade opportunities [+] &

competition over resources [-]● EX: gemstones, coal, oil, silver,

etc.

SANSKRIT

The first language

of Ancient India ● Allowed them to

keep records.

ARYANS

A NOMADIC GROUP THAT INVADED india and took control.

● Established Hinduism and the caste system in India with their control.

HINDUISM

THE MAJOR RELIGION OF INDIA. STILL PRACTICED IN INDIA TODAY.● A polytheistic religion

CASTE SYSTEMThe social hierarchy of India created by the Aryans that divided Indian society into groups based on a person’s birth, wealth, or occupation. ● There was NO moving between

castes during that lifetime.

MOHENJODAROone of the first major settlements in ancient India that became a center of the Indus valley civilization● Mohenjodaro was a large city with possibly

as many as 50,000 people living there at one time. Similar to other settlements of the Indus valley civilization, Mohenjo Daro had an advanced culture.

GOLDEN AGE

A time period of prosperity (wealth), peace, and progress (expansion and growth) during the Gupta Empire● Advancements in arts, science, &

literature