Ruback 2009-2010

Ancient India
Unit Guide

Unit Essential Question: How do values/beliefs/religions affect individuals and society?

Key Questions:
• How did the geography of the Indian subcontinent affect the settlement of the Indus River
Valley Civilization?
• Why do historians not have a concrete answer to why the Indus Valley Civilization collapsed?
• What important contributions did the Aryan invaders make to the culture and way of life on
the Indian subcontinent?
• How did the caste system develop? How does Hinduism reinforce this system? What are the
legacies of the caste system?
• What are the origins and beliefs of Hinduism? How did these beliefs continually develop over
time?
• How did Buddhism develop in India? What are the major practices and beliefs? Why is this
not a major religion in India today?
• How might the belief in reincarnation provide a form of social control?
• Who was Changragupta? What area did he control and what were his guiding principles?
• How did Asoka maintain peace and order? Do you believe his ways were justified?

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• identify and categorize the characteristics of a growing and thriving society (PERSIA GEM)
• define each of the following terms and describe examples of each from South Asian history
o civilization
o empire
o golden age
Ruback 2009-2010
• explain the origins and beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism
• locate important physical features, historical sites, and contemporary countries and cites on
a map
• use evidence to develop a thesis statement
• make essential connections between the culture and traditions of ancient and modern India.

Textbook Reading:
Indus Valley p 42-
42
Aryans p 57-61
Hindu/Buddh p 62-66
Mauryan/Gupta p. 172-176