Ancient India

Unit Highlights

In this unit, students will analyze primary and secondary sources to explain the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of India. Students will be able to:

  • Describe the Geography of India and explain how it allowed for the development of Civilization.

  • Explain the significant effects of the Aryan invasions.

  • Sequence the evolution from Brahmanism to Hinduism

  • Explain the main beliefs of Hinduism.

  • Classify the caste system of India

  • Sequence the life of Buddha

  • Explain the main beliefs of Buddhism

  • Evaluate the achievements of Asoka the rise of the Mauryan empire

  • Classify the intellectual achievements of India.

Flocabulary

Unit Vocabulary

  • Alloy

  • Aryan Migration/Invasion

  • Asoka the Great

  • Atman

  • The Bhagavad Gita

  • Brahmanism

  • Brahmin

  • The Buddha/Siddhartha Gautama

  • Buddhism

  • Caste System

  • Dharma

  • The Eightfold Path

  • The Four Noble Truths

  • Ganges River

  • Hinduism

  • Indus River

  • Inoculation

  • Karma

  • Kshatriya

  • The Mahabharata

  • The Mauryan Empire

  • The Middle Way

  • Moksha

  • Monsoons

  • Nirvana

  • The Ramayana,

  • Samsara

  • Sanskrit

  • Shudra

  • Stupas

  • Untouchable

  • Vaishya

  • The Vedas

Activity 1: Ancient India

Pre-Test

Using your prior knowledge, brainstorm, list, and/or draw what you know about Ancient India in a thinking map. Complete this assignment on the Thinking Maps Learning Community or on paper. You may include:

  • Information you know or kind of know about Ancient India.

  • Guesses about Ancient India.

  • Questions you have about Ancient India.

  • Information you would like to know about Ancient India.

  • What comes to mind when you think of Ancient India.