Aryan
a group of indo-europeans who moved south across the hindu kush mountain range. lived in tribal groups with a strong warrior tradition.
Vedas
a collection of prayers, hymns, and other religious teachings
Brahmin
An Aryan social class that consists of priests
Kshatriyas
An Aryan social class that consists of warriors
Vaisyas
An Aryan social class that consists of herders, farmers, artisans and merchants
Dravidian
The original inhabitants of the Indus Valley
Sundras
An Aryan social class that consist of Farmworkers, servants and other laborers
Caste
social groups into which people are born and which they cannot change.
Fierce Indra
the god of war in Aryan religion who has a thunderbolt used for destroying demons, and also uses it for announcing the arrival of rain
Varuna
The Aryan god of creation and order
Agni
The Aryan god of fire who also was a messenger that communicated human wishes to the gods
Animal gods
Aryans worshipped also animal gods such as snake gods and monkey gods
Brahman
A single spiritual power that resides in all things
Mystic
People who devote their lives to spiritual truth through meditation and yoga, or spiritual bodily discipline
rajah
Oftenly the most skilled war leader elected to his position by an assembly of warriors, who rules with the advice of a concel of elders made up of heads of families
Sanskrit
A written language that the Indian people developed
What technological advancement did the Aryans make during 800 B.C
Iron tools
Mahabharata
India's most epic poem that has nearly 100,000 verses, that tells about five royal brothers trying to retake their kingdom from their cousins, and succeed after 18 days of war
Ramayana
A much shorter epic poem that tells of Rama rescuing the beautiful Sita with the help of a monkey general named Hanuman, from the demon-king Ravana.
What does the Legend of Yu show what the Chinese people valued?
It shows that they valued devotion to duty, and their ability to control flood waters and develop irrigation systems for farming.
What was the original name of China?
Zhongguo
For what reasons did ancient China believe that they were the center of the Earth, and the sole source of civilization?
Ancient China believed this because of the isolation from geographical barriers?
Where were the geographical barriers on the map of China that prevented cultural diffusion with other cultures?
To the west and southwest of China are high mountain ranges, and brutal deserts. To the southeast are thick jungles. To the north a desert named Gobi. Finally to the east is endless Pacific Ocean.
What are the name of the two rivers that the Chinese's heartland was, and is today?
The Huang He/ Yellow River, and the Yangzi
Loess
fine windblown yellow soil.