Chapter 5

Question 1

subcontinent

Answer 1

a large landmass that is smaller than a continent

Question 2

monsoons

Answer 2

seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry

seasons

Question 3

Sanskrit

Answer 3

the most important language of ancient India

Question 4

caste system

Answer 4

divided Indian society into groups based on a person’s birth, wealth, or occupation

Question 5

hinduism

Answer 5

the largest religion in India today

Question 6

reincarnation

Answer 6

the process of rebirth

Question 7

karma

Answer 7

the effects good or bad actions have on a person’s soul

Question 8

jainism

Answer 8

a religion based on the teachings of a man named Mahavira

Question 9

nonviolence

Answer 9

the avoidance of violent actions

Question 10

fasting

Answer 10

going without food on purpose

Question 11

meditation

Answer 11

the focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas

Question 12

the buddha

Answer 12

the “enlightened one”

Question 13

buddism

Answer 13

a religion based on the teachings of the Buddha

Question 14

nirvana

Answer 14

a state of perfect peace

Question 15

missionaries

Answer 15

people who work to spread their religious beliefs

Question 16

Chandragupta Maurya

Answer 16

a military leader who seized control of the entire part of northern India

Question 17

asoka

Answer 17

the strongest Mauryan leader

Question 18

Candra Gupta

Answer 18

Gupta’s leader during their highpoint

Question 19

metallurgy

Answer 19

the science of working with metal

Question 20

alloys

Answer 20

mixtures of two or more metals

Question 21

hindu-arabic numerals

Answer 21

the very numbers we use today

Question 22

inoculation

Answer 22

injecting a person with a small dose of a virus to help them build up a defense to the disease

Question 23

astronomy

Answer 23

the study of stars and planets

Question 24

establish

Answer 24

set up on a firm or permanent basis

Question 25

process

Answer 25

a series of steps to lead to a specific outcome