Deck 3: Ancient India and the Rise of Buddhism, 2600 B.C.E.- 100 C.E.

Question 1

The first urban society in India developed in

A)The Ganges River Valley.
B)Pataliputra.
C)The Indus River Valley.
D)Mohenjo-Daro.
E)Kalinga.

Answer 1

The Indus River Valley.

Question 2

The Indus Valley Civilization traded with the city of Ur,based on the evidence of

A)Letters from Mesopotamia to the Indus.
B)Pieces of Mesopotamian writing found in Harappa.
C)Burial remains located in Harappa.
D)An Indus seal located in Ur.
E)Harappan weapons found in Ur.

Answer 2

An Indus seal located in Ur.

Question 3

The earliest Indian farmers planted

A)Rice and wheat.
B)Potatoes and rice.
C)Wheat and barley.
D)Maize and barley.
E)Yams.

Answer 3

Wheat and barley.

Question 4

Under Ashoka's rule,despite havinga history of being disunited,what concept provided a major unifying force?

A)Ancestor worship.
B)Political unity.
C)Religion.
D)Internal trade.
E)Fear of invasion.

Question 5

In addition to chronicling his thoughts,ideas and movements,Ashoka spread the word of the Buddha by

A)Building temples in every large city throughout India.
B)Having inscriptions and texts carved into stone pillars.
C)Requiring all people in his realm to convert to Buddhism.
D)Making Buddhism the national religion of his empire.
E)Placing a high tax on anyone who was not a Buddhist.

Question 6

How did Ashoka travel around his empire?

A)Parchment.
B)Elephant.
C)Canoe.
D)On foot.
E)Carried in a litter.

Question 7

Other than the stone pillars of Ashoka,what did Indians write on before the third century B.C.E.?

A)Palm leaves.
B)Marble.
C)Parchment.
D)Clay.
E)Iron sheets.

Question 8

Since there is no written evidence available,what other evidence have scholars used to explain the social stratification of the Harappan Era society?

A)Scholars made assumptions based on studying other societies that existed at the time.
B)India and Mesopotamia were involved in trade, and Sumerian writing describes India's social system.
C)Since Mesopotamia and India were involved in trade, it is assumed that small shops and craftsmen existed and that wealth and occupational diversity were associated with these.
D)Scholars made assumptions based on studying evidence of societies that existed after the Harappan.
E)Archaeologists have studied the residences of different sizes and complexity, which indicates classes based on wealth.

Question 9

Which of the following factors has limited the information available to scholars studying the Harappan society?

A)Building materials were made of sandstone, which did not withstand the wear of time.
B)Most sites indicate that they were destroyed in invasions, leaving little to study.
C)Harappan script has not been deciphered.
D)Present-day national turmoil has limited diggings.
E)Ancient Indian towns had little contact with each other, and scholarly comparisons have been limited.

Question 10

Since Harappan writing has not been translated,scholars have studied other sources existing at the same time and have concluded that among their more important trading partners were the

A)Mesopotamians.
B)Persians.
C)Chinese.
D)Greeks
E)Hittites.

Question 11

The concept of dharma occurs repeatedly in Ashoka's inscriptions.He uses the word to mean the teachings of the Buddha who asked what of each individual follower?

A)Reaffirm one' s relationship with the family.
B)Acknowledge the king's divinity.
C)Fight a holy war against Hinduism.
D)Spread the word of Buddha by personal missionary work.
E)Follow correct conduct according to law and custom.

Question 12

Sanskrit made the study of South Asia more comprehensible because it

A)Has many of the same characters as Chinese.
B)Is related to Arabic and is a Semitic language.
C)Has many core vocabulary words related to other Indo-European languages.
D)Is related to Chinese and part of the Indo-European languages.
E)Is related to the Harappan language.

Question 13

Indo-European languages are believed to have spread from herding peoples originally from this region:

A)The Anatolian Plateau
B)Greece
C)Spain
D)The Pontic Steppe
E)The Fertile Crescent 

Question 14

India is surrounded by major bodies of water,which include the

A)Bay of Bengal and the Red Sea
B)Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
C)Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea 
D)Persian Gulf and the Bay of Bengal.
E)Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

Question 15

How many periods of rain did the monsoon patterns bring each year?

A)One.
B)Three.
C)Four.
D)Two.
E)Six.

Question 16

In exchange for shells,Mesopotamia imported what trade good from the Indus Valley?

A)Cotton textiles.
B)Lapis lazuli.
C)Wax seals.
D)Bronze swords.
E)Gold.

Question 17

What is the source of India's main rivers,the Indus and the Ganges?

A)The mountains in Anatolia.
B)The Andes Mountains.
C)Monsoon rain.
D)Indus Valley rivers.
E)The Himalayan Mountains.

Question 18

The modern inhabitants of north India speak an Indo-European language descended from Sanskrit called

A)Hindi.
B)Greek.
C)Dravidian.
D)Sanskrit.
E)Egyptian.

Question 19

Harappan buildings were made of

A)Sandstone.
B)Marble.
C)Thatch.
D)Concrete.
E)Mud brick.

Question 20

Even though his armies were victorious,why did Ashoka feel remorse after the Battle of Kalinga?

A)He lost a large part of his empire.
B)The massive slaughter on both sides weighed heavily on his mind.
C)It brought the Mauryan dynasty to an end.
D)A new independent country had been created.
E)He was forced to execute the king of Kalinga, who had fought bravely.

Question 21

Women in the Vedic society were able to do all of the following except

A)Own property.
B)Remarry without permission.
C)Be educated.
D)Be in public areas without supervision.
E)Recite hymns in public.

Question 22

The Rig Veda provides what insight into the early Indo-European society in India?

A)It illustrates the transition from herding to farming.
B)Horses were still the most important animal in society.
C)The position of women in society was similar to that of men.
D)Girls were educated.
E)All of these.

Question 23

This is a collection of over 1,000 poems written in Sanskrit approximately 1000 B.C.E.

A)The Gida 
B)The Periplion 
C)The Varna 
D)The Rig Veda 
E)None of these choices are correct.

Question 24

The term Indo-Aryan refers to what about the Vedic peoples?

A)Race.
B)Social system.
C)Language family.
D)Political system.
E)Original homeland.

Question 25

What caused the change in the role of women in the Vedic Era around 1000 B.C.E.?

A)Limits were placed on the types of occupations in which women could engage.
B)Originally nomads, the people of this era had become settled farmers.
C)Since men could now have four wives, each woman had less status in the home.
D)Female deities were eliminated, which affected women's image in society.
E)Women's role and responsibility was left entirely up the elders of each village.

Question 26

How was Soma used in Vedic culture?

A)As copper coins in the earliest stages of coin making.
B)As a part of a marriage ceremony.
C)As the ritual passage to adulthood required of all young men.
D)As a type of intoxicating drink used in various ceremonies.
E)As a group of required chants.

Question 27

According to the "Hymn of the Primeval Man," what part of the body is associated with Brahmins?

A)Arms.
B)Feet.
C)Mouth.
D)Head.
E)Eyes.

Question 28

The distribution of languages in northern India came from Indo-European foundations,and as a result,Hindi evolved in the north.However,in southern India,which was not affected by the immigration,the people speak

A)Harappan.
B)A form of Greek.
C)Sri Lankan.
D)Hindi.
E)Dravidian.

Question 29

The most important animal to the Indo-European nomads was the

A)Cow.
B)Sheep.
C)Dog.
D)Pig.
E)Horse.

Question 30

India's caste system uses this term to describe the groups who tended to marry,share meals,and view other members of the same group as equals.

A)Karma 
B)Jati 
C)Varna 
D)Sati 
E)Veda 

Question 31

Vedic religious rituals involve all of the following except

A)Animal sacrifice.
B)Human sacrifice (usually a prisoner or slave).
C)Special rites performed by Brahmin priests.
D)Correct offerings made to each specific god.
E)Focusing on day and night as well as the seasons.

Question 32

What new text from c.900 - 600 B.C.E.introduced the idea of transmigration of the soul?

A)Artha Veda.
B)Ramayana.
C)Mahabharata.
D)Bhagavad Gita.
E)Upanishad.

Question 33

The term varna refers to what issue in Indian society?

A)Women's right to marry without permission.
B)The relationship of the Brahmins to the Buddha.
C)Royal succession.
D)The various social groups in Indian society.
E)The patriarchical family unit.

Question 34

According to varna,social groups are ranked according to

A)Wealth.
B)Community ranking.
C)Purity.
D)Family heritage.
E)Royalty.

Question 35

According to the Rig Veda,which group offered animal sacrifices to the gods?

A)Brahmins.
B)Scribes.
C)Kings.
D)Conquered leaders.
E)All of these choices are correct.

Question 36

How does karma,an important dogma in the Upanishads,translate into the life of every Indian?

A)By making special demands on special tradesmen.
B)By explaining the responsibility of women in the household.
C)By stipulating the order of the hymns that are said in public by Brahmins.
D)By claiming that people's acts in this life would determine how they would be reborn in the next. 
E)By establishing the practice of sacrificial rituals.

Question 37

Indo-European immigrants who migrated into India called themselves "Aryan," which means noble or

A)Host.
B)Bure.
C)Selected.
D)Warrior.
E)Jati.

Question 38

According to varna,who is the purest in Indian society?

A)Warriors who had died in battle.
B)Women who had died during childbirth.
C)Brahmins.
D)Merchants who donated to the temples.
E)Kings.

Question 39

The Mahabharata and the Ramayana,the two great Sanskrit religious epics,were written down approximately

A)2000 B.C.E.
B)1000 B.C.E. 
C)500 B.C.E. 
D)400 C.E. 
E)1000 C.E. 

Question 40

In the epic Bhagavad Gita,the warrior is concerned that by fulfilling his dharma,he would jeopardize

A)His place in the eyes of the king.
B)The cycle of death and rebirth.
C)His duty to his ancestors.
D)The souls of the soldiers he would kill in the upcoming battle.
E)His relationship with the god Krishna.

Question 41

According to Buddhist teaching,many Indians were unable to achieve nirvana,but made donations to Buddhist monasteries because

A)They would be able to be classified as monks and nuns.
B)It was an obligation expected of all Buddhists.
C)They would have a part in the Buddhist order that made decisions.
D)They wanted to improve their worldly lives and future rebirths.
E)It would raise the status of Buddhist nuns to the ranks of monks.

Question 42

Historical evidence implies that India was an important link between Rome and

A)Japan.
B)Greece.
C)Sri Lanka.
D)China.
E)Egypt.

Question 43

What is the literal meaning of the word buddha?

A)God-man.
B)Sacred King.
C)Worship of nature.
D)Abstinence from wealth.
E)Awakened and enlightened one.

Question 44

Mahavira,the founder of the Jains,died by

A)Renouncing food and water.
B)Committing sati.
C)Fighting in battle.
D)Execution from a prince.
E)Being exposed to leprosy.

Question 45

From reading the Periplus and relating it to archaeological discoveries today,scholars have deduced that trade was very active on the southwestern coast of India because

A)Foreign ships were too big to travel through the shallow waters between India and Sri Lanka.
B)Since Buddhism rejected wealth, very little trade was carried out on the eastern coast of India.
C)Goods from the southwestern coast area had the most precious goods to trade.
D)Foreigners were able to pay in Roman and Greek coins.
E)Precious goods on the eastern coast must be paid for in Roman and Greek coins.

Question 46

In the epic Ramayana,the actions of Sita emphasized

A)The cycle of death and rebirth.
B)The importance of the power of the gods in Indian mythology.
C)A woman's loyalty to her husband.
D)The power of the Brahmins.
E)The relationship between the gods and humans.

Question 47

Jains believe in all of the following concepts except

A)Right faith.
B)Right conduct.
C)Right knowledge.
D)Superiority of human life over other living creatures.
E)Harming no living being.

Question 48

According to Megasthenes,one of the ways a Mauryan court official observedforeigners was to

A)Force them to sign in at the palace.
B)Give them servants to watch over their modes of life.
C)Make all foreigners live in the same building.
D)Confine foreigners to one border town.
E)Force foreigners to marry a local.

Question 49

In his first sermon,the Buddha urged his followers to avoid the extremes of self-gratification and

A)Self-indulgence.
B)Self-awareness.
C)Self-mutilation.
D)Self-denial.
E)Self-hatred.

Question 50

Which of the following were true about both Buddhism and Jainism?

A)Both challenged Brahminic authority. 
B)Both banned animal sacrifice.
C)Both denied the authority of Vedic hymns. 
D)All of these choices are correct. 
E)None of these choices are correct. 

Question 51

What part of the Mauryan military often intrigued foreigners?

A)How the military was organized inside the government structure.
B)The use of war-chariots.
C)The use of cavalry.
D)Elephants.
E)The navy.

Question 52

Megasthenes was an ambassador to the Mauryan court at Pataliputra,sent by what ruler?

A)Ptolemy I.
B)Alexander the Great.
C)Cyrus II.
D)Seleucus I.
E)Han Wudi.

Question 53

When Siddhartha decided to stop starving himself,he went where to meditate for 49 days?

A)To a temple.
B)Under a bodhi tree.
C)In a cemetery.
D)In his palace.
E)At the side of the road.

Question 54

Please define the following key terms.
dharma

Question 55

What aspect of Megasthenes' description of Indian society is puzzling to modern-day analysts?

A)Buddhists seem to be a small number in Indian society.
B)The largest group in society was the farmer-merchant group.
C)The caste system seemed more open and had more ranks. 
D)Farmers were exempt from military service.
E)The king's closest advisors included religious officials.

Question 56

Where did many early followers of Buddha worship?

A)At temples.
B)At home altars.
C)Where enlightenment occurred to each individual.
D)Wherever there were images of Buddha.
E)Where the Buddha received enlightenment.

Question 57

Please define the following key terms.
Indus River

Question 58

By following the Eight-fold Path and understanding the Four Noble Truths taught by Buddha,one can achieve nirvana,which

A)Ends the death and rebirth cycle.
B)Ends the system of jate.
C)Prohibits immolation.
D)Abolishes dharma.
E)Ends the power of the Brahmin.

Question 59

Although the Buddha gave specific instructions not to worship his image in any form,later Buddhists did create images of the Buddha,which included all of the following forms except

A)As a young man.
B)As a warrior.
C)As a god in a sitting position.
D)Having Greek features.
E)The form of sculpture.

Question 60

What historical problem is involved in Ashoka's claim that he spread Buddhism beyond the borders of northern India by supporting dharma?

A)While he did send missionaries, there is no independent evidence of Buddhism spreading outside India during Ashoka's reign.
B)Most documents of Ashoka's reign were destroyed after his death.
C)The only mention of this phase in Ashoka's reign comes from later Buddhist sources.
D)Any records showing that Ashoka had violated his vows to the Buddha would have been destroyed.
E)Records of this phase of Ashoka's reign might have merely been used as propaganda to enhance his image.

Question 61

Please define the following key terms.
varna

Question 62

Please define the following key terms.
Ashoka

Question 63

Please define the following key terms.
Mahabharata

Question 64

Please define the following key terms.
Ramayana

Question 65

Please define the following key terms.
jati

Question 66

Please define the following key terms.
nirvana

Question 67

Please define the following key terms.
chakravartin

Question 68

Please define the following key terms.
monsoon

Question 69

Please define the following key terms.
karma

Question 70

Please define the following key terms.
Mauryan Dynasty

Question 71

Please define the following key terms.
nomads

Question 72

Please define the following key terms.
Harappa

Question 73

Please define the following key terms.
Indo-European

Question 74

Please define the following key terms.
Jainism

Question 75

Please define the following key terms.
Bhagavad Gita

Question 76

Please define the following key terms.
Vedic Religion

Question 77

Please define the following key terms.
Rig Veda

Question 78

Please define the following key terms.
Brahmin

Question 79

Please define the following key terms.
Sanskrit

Question 80

Please define the following key terms.
Buddha