Deck 6: India and Southeast Asia

Question 1

What is the underlying message of the cycle of reincarnation?

A) Strive for economic success
B) Be the best and strongest human being you can be
C) You are where you deserve to be
D) Always work to change your life and the world around you
E) Enlightenment is the right of all of humanity

Answer 1

You are where you deserve to be

Question 2

The varna system was developed to create

A) a uniform legal code in India.
B) social order among groups.
C) standardized religious beliefs.
D) an integrated economic system to aid merchants.
E) a trained army of citizen soldiers.

Answer 2

social order among groups.

Question 3

Buddhists who followed the original teachings of the Buddha without many outside influences are called

A) practitioners of Aryanism.
B) "embracers of the new concepts."
C) Yogacarans.
D) practitioners of Theravada.
E) the School of the Lightning Bolt.

Answer 3

practitioners of Theravada.

Question 4

The Vedic Age was a new historical period in India marked by

A) the dominance of Indo-Europeans.
B) the migration of merchant traders into India.
C) the emergence of the Vedic Empire.
D) a new weather pattern, the Vedic Storms.
E) a switch to the Vedic alphabet.

Question 5

Which of the following was not a way that individuals sought an alternative path to salvation?

A) Practicing yoga
B) Practicing meditation
C) Eating a special diet
D) Moving to the forest
E) Becoming a Brahmin

Question 6

Which of the following is not an element of the Hindu religion?

A) Fertility rituals
B) The denial of the existence of a soul
C) The Vedic religion of north Indian Aryans
D) Sacred places
E) Female deities

Question 7

The Indus Valley system of writing

A) is called cuneiform.
B) is called hieroglyphics.
C) is called Sanskrit.
D) is called Linear A.
E) has not been deciphered.

Question 8

The reincarnation of the atman into a given class depends on

A) economic standing in society.
B) karma or deeds in life.
C) physical strength.
D) one's place within the caste system.
E) divine grace.

Question 9

The ultimate spiritual reward in Buddhism is

A) material wealth.
B) nirvana.
C) everlasting life in heaven.
D) union with the ancestors.
E) union with the gods.

Question 10

Race became an issue of class differentiation in the Vedic Age as the Aryas competed with the Dasas. Historians believe

A) Aryas did not stay in India very long.
B) Aryas were Indo-European and lighter skinned.
C) Sanskrit, which Aryas wrote, was learned from people of the Indus River Valley.
D) racial divisions did not last long because of massive intermarriage.
E) there are no living descendants of Aryas.

Question 11

Release from the cycle of reincarnation is called

A) samsara.
B) yoga.
C) jati.
D) moksha.
E) atman.

Question 12

The collection of Indian poetic hymns dedicated to the various deities and describing sacred practices is the

A) Ramayana.
B) Upanishads.
C) Dammapada.
D) Rig Veda.
E) Bhagavad-Gita.

Question 13

Buddhism and Jainism gained popularity in the late Vedic period because

A) they offered an alternative to the ritualistic, exclusive religion of the Brahmins.
B) there was more trade with China, and missionaries were sent.
C) naturalistic religions were felt to be more in keeping with the sky-gods of old.
D) they reinforced pre-existing social norms.
E) each posited polygamy as an option.

Question 14

Which of the following was probably not one of the components of the systems failure that brought down the Indus Valley cities?

A) The Hakra River system drying up
B) Invaders from the north and east driving out the inhabitants
C) Massive flooding
D) Salinization of farmland
E) Increased erosion

Question 15

The Brahmins may have delayed the introduction of writing because

A) religious rituals depended on the performance of incantations.
B) oral tradition had survived so long that they did not have a written form of Sanskrit until much later.
C) they were trying to protect their status within society as the keepers of knowledge.
D) they were opposed to the introduction of foreign technology.
E) they didn't oppose writing; we just haven't translated it yet.

Question 16

Some followers of Buddhism took vows of

A) social service and humanism.
B) marriage and parenthood.
C) fealty, loyalty, and knighthood.
D) extravagance and epicurianism.
E) celibacy, nonviolence, and poverty.

Question 17

Three harvests each year have been possible in some parts of India because of

A) the volcanic ash in Indian soil.
B) the conservative crops grown in India.
C) high rainfall from the monsoons.
D) traditionally advanced agricultural techniques.
E) the construction of aqueducts for irrigation.

Question 18

The two main cities of early Indian civilization are

A) Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
B) Akkad and Thebes.
C) Syracuse and Illyria.
D) Troy and Delhi.
E) Riazan and Antioch.

Question 19

Siddhartha Gautama articulated the "Four Noble Truths," which taught that

A) life is suffering, and suffering is caused by desire.
B) life is mystical and ephemeral.
C) the meaning of life can be understood by worshiping a plethora of gods and deities.
D) humanity is sinful by nature.
E) the worship of God is the highest calling of man.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about women in the Vedic Age cannot be learned from Vedic literature?

A) They are depicted as slaves to men.
B) They are depicted as strong and resourceful, reflecting a favorable position in society.
C) They could own property.
D) They were usually married in their mid- to late teens.
E) They studied sacred lore and composed religious hymns.

Question 21

When ancient societies suffered catastrophic "systems failures" like the one in the Indus Valley,

A) the poor suffered hugely, while the rich further concentrated their wealth.
B) ordinary people adjusted to their circumstances, but the elite disappeared.
C) everyone died of unexplained causes.
D) elite people moved to more pleasant areas.
E) disease ran rampant.

Question 22

The Mauryan leader Ashoka converted to Buddhism and became a unique leader because

A) of his visions and revelations.
B) his grandfather Chandragupta had insisted on it.
C) of Buddhist support for his government policies.
D) he was overwhelmed by the brutality of his early conquests.
E) of his abdication in favor of Siddhartha Gautama.

Question 23

Which of the following has not been a factor in India's habitual political fragmentation?

A) The extremely varied Indian landscape.
B) The many different forms of economic activity.
C) India's complex social hierarchy.
D) Many languages and cultural practices.
E) The Hindu practice of pilgrimage.

Question 24

During the first centuries C.E., the two great epics of India take their final form; they are

A) the Iliad and the Odyssey .
B) the Vedas and the Upanishads.
C) The Tripitaka and The Collected Works of Nagarjuna .
D) The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Laws of Manu .
E) the Ramayana and the Mahabharata .

Question 25

Why is the Gupta Empire described as a theater-state?

A) It used actors as administrative officials.
B) They had no real control over their bureaucracy.
C) It shared the wealth of the empire with all equally.
D) The splendor and ceremonies of court advertised the benefits of empire.
E) They sacrificed their enemies in an open theater.

Question 26

Early representations of the Buddha

A) are large and impressive.
B) show him standing rather than seated.
C) show him with a pot-belly.
D) show him indirectly in forms such as footprints.
E) were an important commodity in long-distance trade.

Question 27

A significant factor in extending Gupta power structures was

A) a close alliance with the Brahmins in exchange for land.
B) a semidemocratic council that gave a forum to outlying areas.
C) strengthened trade with the Roman Empire along the Silk Road.
D) building an extensive navy to maintain control along the peninsular regions.
E) building a fearsome army by giving land in exchange for service.

Question 28

According to archaeologists, which of the following is evidence that Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were governed by strong central authorities?

A) The many smaller settlements in the region that have also been excavated.
B) Paintings found in tombs.
C) The regularity of the city plans and the uniform size of bricks used for construction.
D) Texts that mention great rulers.
E) All of these.

Question 29

The Mauryan government united much of India after

A) about the time of the death of Alexander the Great.
B) the assassination of Maurya.
C) the introduction of Buddhism.
D) the Indo-European invasion.
E) an outbreak of the bubonic plague.

Question 30

Even in the period of political fragmentation following the demise of the Mauryan Empire, there were signs of local vitality. Which of the following was not an indicator of success during this time?

A) Coinage
B) Growth of craftwork
C) Flourishing of long-distance trade, particularly with the extension of the Silk Road
D) Building of sumptuous temples and monuments
E) Importation of the Confucian classical education system

Question 31

The chief source of revenue for the Gupta Empire was

A) the sale and regulation of iron implements.
B) a 25 percent tax on agricultural produce.
C) a government agricultural monopoly.
D) a tax on all foreigners.
E) the salt monopoly.

Question 32

Hinduism can be described as an evolution of the Vedic religions because

A) it adapted its notions of eternal time to be closer to those of Buddhism and therefore attract more followers.
B) it focused on fewer gods and became a more organized religion.
C) it was based on the Vedas, but these were finally written down in an orthodox form with prescribed formats.
D) it combined Aryan and Dravidian elements.
E) unlike Buddhism, Hinduism argues that the atman evolves into an enlightened spirit that retains the self.

Question 33

Which of the following is evidence for an ancient conflict between Aryas and Dasas?

A) The system of varnas.
B) Oral tradition.
C) The different origins of regional languages in present-day north and south India.
D) B and C
E) A, B and C

Question 34

What was an advantage of the division of Indian society into varnas and jatis?

A) It affirmed the essential equality of all people.
B) It allowed greater social mobility.
C) It promoted nonconformity.
D) It gave people the benefit of belonging to a supportive, unified group.
E) It made it easier for large, highly-centralized empires to emerge.

Question 35

One of the most important contributions made by Gupta intellectuals was the

A) concept of zero.
B) astronomical telescope.
C) development of a written Indian language.
D) invention of the maritime compass.
E) invention of gunpowder.

Question 36

During the Gupta period, India developed an extensive land and sea trading network by exporting what products?

A) Silk, spices, and porcelain
B) Cotton cloth, ivory, and metalwork
C) Slaves, sugar, and lapis lazuli
D) Cattle, blue dye, and sandalwood
E) Religious implements, incense, and paraffin

Question 37

According to Hindu polytheism, all gods are

A) hostile to competing gods.
B) incapable of intervening in human affairs.
C) uninterested in rituals expressing devotion.
D) male.
E) manifestations of a single divine force.

Question 38

The mandala theory of foreign policy is:

A) "it is better to be feared than loved."
B) "my enemy's enemy is my friend."
C) "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
D) "turnabout is fair play."
E) "extremism in the pursuit of liberty is no vice."

Question 39

Unlike metal objects excavated in the Middle East, those found in the Indus Valley were

A) mostly jewelry.
B) prestige objects for the elite.
C) vessels used to furnish tombs.
D) tools and other useful objects.
E) nonexistent, since the Indus Valley civilizations did not have metal-working technology.

Question 40

The Gupta Empire collapsed in 550 C.E.

A) when Emperor Gupta was charged with corruption.
B) when the Mandate of Heaven signaled the end of the dynasty.
C) after inva sions by Central Asian nomads.
D) when popular sovereignty became the will of the people.
E) due to overspending on temple construction.

Question 41

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Bhagavad-Gita

Question 42

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Gupta Empire

Question 43

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Mohenjo-Daro

Question 44

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Tamil kingdoms

Question 45

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Ashoka

Question 46

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Mahabharata

Question 47

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Harappa

Question 48

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
karma

Question 49

Funan lost power to the Srivijayan Kingdom because

A) it could not grow rice.
B) it was more vulnerable to pirates.
C) the most important trade route between India and China shifted.
D) Indian traders preferred to do business with Hindus.
E) Funan was defeated in a war with China.

Question 50

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Buddha

Question 51

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Theravada Buddhism

Question 52

Srivijayan kings sought to increase their power by

A) emulating the Indian theater-state.
B) adopting Chinese Legalism.
C) building up large armies.
D) constructing fortresses instead of temples.
E) worshiping Ahuramazda.

Question 53

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
moksha

Question 54

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Mauryan Empire

Question 55

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
varn a/jati

Question 56

The collapse of the Mauryan Empire led to

A) a Dark Age of material hardship and cultural decline.
B) widespread civil wars.
C) a period of continuing economic and cultural development.
D) mass abandonment of the roads and towns the empire had helped build.
E) a campaign of persecution against Central Asian nomads.

Question 57

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Mahayana Buddhism

Question 58

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Vedas

Question 59

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Hinduism

Question 60

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
monsoon

Question 61

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
theater-state

Question 62

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Borobodur

Question 63

The condition of Indian women seemed to change during the Gupta Empire in India. What changes can you name and why did they occur?

Question 64

What are the traditi onal duties of an Indian man through the ideal life cycle? In your view, how is a typical American life cycle similar to and different from this model?

Question 65

Describe the rise and importance of the Mauryan Empire.

Question 66

At the end of the Vedic period, the authority of the Brahmins was challenged by individuals seeking new spiritual answers. What was the result of this challenge?

Question 67

The Indus, the Nile, and the Tigris-Euprates Rivers all were home to early civilizations. Compare and contrast the civilizations in the three regions.

Question 68

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Funan

Question 69

As a historian writing about the Indus River Valley, you would depend on archaeological research. How would you describe that civilization?

Question 70

Discuss the role of trade in the history of the states of Funan and Srivajaya.

Question 71

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms.
Srivijaya