Chapter 6 - Ancient India Review

Which statement best describes how Buddhism and Hinduism differ on the concept of nirvana?

• Unlike Hindus, Buddhists believe that nirvana can be achieved in our lifetime.

• Unlike Hindus, Buddhists believe that there is a higher goal than achieving nirvana.

• Unlike Hindus, Buddhists believe that only members of a high caste can achieve nirvana.

Which action was forbidden by India’s caste system?

• eating certain foods

• moving from one village to another

• marrying someone from a different caste

Which factor most contributed to the improvement of trade in India during the period of Gupta rule?

• the development of better ships

• the construction of a network of roads

• the establishment of colleges and universities

Gupta rulers supported the construction of which types of structures in order to improve life in India?

• dams and canals

• temples and libraries

• roads and universities

The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

1. All life is suffering.

2. The cause of human suffering is desire and attachment.

3. ?

4. The way to rise above suffering is the Eightfold Path.

Which statement replaces the question mark in this list?

• All Suffering Teaches Us Something

• The Cure for Suffering is Detachment

• The Desire to Escape Suffering is Natural

The rulers of the Gupta Empire built roads throughout the empire to link neighboring cities with one another.

Which of these would most likely have been an argument used to support this project?

• India is so distant from other civilizations that good transportation is needed to improve connections to the outside world.

• India is vulnerable to attack from a number of different locations, so a system of roads is needed to move the army around quickly.

• Indian settlements are so widely separated that a system of roads is needed to improve trade and ensure a sense of unity among the population.

One accomplishment of Aryan control of India was the development of...

• a polytheistic religion

• a written Sanskrit alphabet

• a river valley civilization

Which statement best explains why the Aryans’ settlement in India helped in the creation of a written form of their language?

• Once the Aryans had taken control of India, they developed a bureaucracy that needed to keep good records to control the vast territory.

• The peoples that the Aryans conquered already had an alphabet that the Aryans adopted for their own language once they had taken control.

• By giving up their nomadic lifestyle, the Aryans were able to develop a settled way of life that made it possible to develop their culture further.

Which of these words is the best synonym for the Hindu concept of dharma?

• duty

• unity

• punishment

After converting to Buddhism, Emperor Ashoka established many laws that followed Buddhist principles.

Which statement is an example of the kind of law that Ashoka would have written?

• No animals should be killed.

• Only prisoners of war may be made into slaves.

• Execution may not be used as a punishment for any crime.