SECTION 1 (pp. 52–55)
Indus River Valley Civilizations
1.How did the geography and climate of the Indian
subcontinent influence the development of early civilizations there?
2.What was daily life like for the people of the first Indus
River valley civilization? SECTION 2 (pp. 56–59)
Indo-Aryan Migrants
3.Compare and contrast the society of the first Indus River
valley civilization with that of the Indo-Aryans. SECTION 3 (pp. 60–65)
Hinduism and Buddhism
4.In what ways did life in ancient Indian society reflect the
beliefs of Hinduism?
5.Which elements of Hinduism did the Buddha retain?
Which did he reject? SECTION 4 (pp. 66–68)
Ancient Indian Dynasties and Empires
6.How successful were the Mauryan and Gupta rulers in
consolidating and holding on to power?
SECTION 5 (pp. 69–71)
Ancient Indian Life and Culture
7. What rights did women have in ancient Indian society?
8.Why was the period of Gupta rule known as a “golden
age” in Indian history?
Reviewing Themes
1. Geography How did the physical geography and climate of the Indian subcontinent help lead to the development of a unique civilization?
2. Science, Technology & Society What were the particular scientific and technological achievements of ancient Indian civilization?
3. Culture In what ways did Hinduism and Buddhism influence daily life in ancient India?
Thinking Critically
1. Evaluating What sources do scholars use to find out about daily life in ancient Indian society?
2. Supporting a Point of View Explain why you agree or disagree with the following statement: The ancient Indus River valley civilization was superior to the Indo-Aryan society that replaced it.
3. Drawing Inferences How might Siddhartha Gautama’s observations of the world have influenced his religious philosophy?
4. Analyzing Information How did Buddhism and Hinduism change the course of Indian history?
Evaluating The “golden age” of Gupta rule saw impor- tant advances in science, medicine, and mathematics, many of which are still valid today. Write an essay explaining how achievements in Indian science still have uses in modern life. Use the following table to organize your ideas.
Writing About History
72 CHAPTER 3
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Ancient India Today Mathematics
Science Medicine
Connecting Architecture to History
Study the photograph below of the ruins of a city in the Indus Valley. Then answer the questions that follow.
1.Which is the best general statement about the people who built this city?
a. They took pride in a well-planned, orderly city.
b. They valued large open spaces around their homes.
c. They preferred architecture that used many different geometric forms.
d. They preferred to build with materials that could be dismantled and moved quickly.
e. Their city was constructed in a haphazard and poorly planned fashion.
2.Explain your choice of statements in question 1. Give specific examples to support your point of view.
Using Biographies
Read the following quote from Siddhartha,a novel about the early life of the Buddha. It was published in 1922 by Hermann Hesse. Then answer the questions.
“Siddhartha went into the room where his father was sitting on a mat made of bast. He went up behind his father and remained stand- ing there until his father felt his presence. . . . Siddhartha said: ‘With your permission, Father, I have come to tell you that I wish to leave your house tomorrow and join the ascetics [holy men]. . . . I trust my father will not object.’”
3.Which statement best describes the main point the author is making about Siddhartha in this passage?
a. Siddhartha wanted his father’s opinion of his plan.
b. Neither Siddhartha nor his father were ascetics.
c. Siddhartha was a respectful and obedient son.
d. Siddhartha’s father was a kind man.
e. Siddhartha’s father was violently opposed to his son’s plan to join the ascetics.
f. Siddhartha was fearful of his father, who was harsh and heavy-handed toward his son.
4.Based on this passage, why did Siddhartha wish to leave his father’s house?
Alternative Assessment
Building Your Portfolio
Science, Technology & Society
Like the people of ancient India, Ameri- cans today recognize the importance of water as a resource. Using your textbook and other sources, show how modern people have developed technologies similar to those found in the early Indus River valley. Create a chart to summarize your findings.
Internet Activity: go.hrw.com
KEYWORD: SP3 WH3
Choose a topic on Ancient Indian Civilizations to: • study ancient India and create a travel poster. • write a biography of a leader of the Mauryan Empire. • explore the geographic regions of India and create a
brochure.
c. 1300 B.C.
Daily Life According to tradition, the Chinese found the city of Anyang.
c. 1000 B.C.
Daily Life
Emperor Wen Wang establishes a zoo in China.
c. Late 1000s B.C.
Politics The Zhou dynasty begins in China.
c. 1000 B.C.–700 B.C.
Science and Technology Iron is in widespread use in China. 771 B.C. Global Events Invaders destroy the Zhou capital. 74 c. 1500 B.C. The Arts
Chinese potters create leak- proof stoneware pottery.