Name: _____________________________________

Chapter 3 – Study Guide

Section 1

Define: subcontinent: _____________________________ veneration: ___________________________

monsoon: _____________________________ plateau: _____________________________

What are some possible reasons for the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization? _____________
______________________________________________________________________________

Why is the Indus Valley civilization referred to as the “lost civilization”? ___________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Which two rivers influenced the early Indian civilization? _______________________________

Which features of the Indus Valley cities suggest that they had a well-organized government?
_____________________________________________________________________________

Section 2

Define: Vedas: ______________________________ Brahmins: ______________________________

Kshatriyas: __________________________ Vaisyas: _______________________________

Sudras: _____________________________ Indra: _________________________________

Rajah: _________________________________Brahman: _____________________________

How did the Aryans divide people? ________________________________________________

During the Vedic age, the Aryans changed from __________________ to ________________

When the power shifted from the Kshatriyas to the Brahmins, how did society change?
_____________________________________________________________________________

What is contained in the Mahabarata? _______________________________________________

What did the Aryans learn from the Dravadians? ______________________________________

According to the Bhagavad-Gita, what is an important Aryan religious belief? ______________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Section 3

Ideograph: ______________________________ Clan: _______________________________

Calligraphy: _________________________ Dynastic Cycle:___________________________

Loess: ______________________________ Feudalism: ______________________________

How was power divided under feudalism? ________________________________________________

What was the Mandate of Heaven? ______________________________________________________

Why was the Chinese system of writing difficult to learn? ____________________________________

Why was Huang-He the nicknamed “The River of Sorrows”? _________________________________

What are some notable Chinese inventions? _______________________________________________

Short Answer

*Describe the relationship between China’s geography and its belief that it was the sole source of civilization?
_________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

* List one Chinese achievement in the arts and one in technology _______________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

* Identify the following: yin and yang; Mandate of Heaven; dynastic cycle; feudalism ______________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

* Why does an air of mystery surround the Indus Valley civilization? ______________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Essay (Choose one)

1. Compare the class structure in India during the Vedic Age with that in the United States today
2. By about 500 B.C., the people of India developed a written language, Sanskrit. How did this
development promote unity in India?
3. Describe the effect of geography had on the development of early civilization in China.
Essay Guidelines

Read the questions CAREFULLY! Ask yourself, what are they specifically asking? Overall, give a specific,
clear, to the point explanation.
How to do that:
Read the questions CAREFULLY! Ask yourself, what are they specifically asking? Overall, give a specific,
clear, to the point explanation.
How to do that:
1. Get right to the point. Don't rewrite the question! 2. Answer in specific terms, not in general.
3. When using examples, make sure that it is clear why you are using that particular example to answer the
question.
1. Avoid making all encompassing statements, such as using the words "all," "every," "no one," etc.
unless they are true.
2. Be prepared to defend every statement you make with recognized facts. For example, if you make a
statement, follow it up with a quote from the text or other recognized authority or a specific example.