World History Semester Review

Why is India considered to be a subcontinent?

• Because it is seperated from Asia by a shallow sea.
• Because it has few large river, unlike the rest of Asia.
• Because it has landforms that are not found in other parts of Asia.
• Because it is a large land mass separated from Asia by mountain ranges.

Why are the ancient cities of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro considered to be part of the same civilization?

• They are located close together.
• They are similar in their construction.
• Harappan documents describe the settlements as sister cities.
• Harappan historians have written stories about the leaders of these cities.

_______ winds influence India's weather during the summer bringing as much as 200 inches of rain to portions of the subcontinent.

• Hail storms
• Desert winds
• Monsoon winds
• Destructive blizzards

The Harappan civilization was the first major Indian civilization established along the ________ River.

• Brahmaputra
• Chenab
• Ganges
• Indus

How were the early Aryan and Harappan civilizations similar?

• They created large cities.
• They settled in the Indus Valley.
• They used Sanskrit to communicate.
• They organized under the leadership of a king.

Aryan communities were small, included members of an extended family, and were led by a raja, who was often a ______.

• King
• Merchant
• Priest
• Warrior

Which statement accurately characterizes the purpose of the Vedic texts?

• They explained the punishments for breaking laws.
• They described the religious rituals of Brahmanism.
• They retold acts of heroism of early Aryan warriors.
• They instructed doctors how to cure certain diseases.

The ancient Vedic texts were passed down orally through many generations until Aryan priests wrote them down in ______.

• English
• Hindi
• Persian
• Sanskrit

How were early Aryan social levels determined?

• by whether a person was rich or poor
• according to a person's profession
• according to a person's place of birth
• by whether a person was male or female

Aryan society was divided into four social classes, or ______, according to a person’s profession, which was believed to determine a person’s temperament.

• atmans
• gramas
• rajas
• varnas