Ancient India Vocabulary

5. empire A later empire known as a “Golden Age” because people made big advances in math, art, and science.
6. A religion started by the Buddha that teaches how to end suffering by following a clear path of right choices.
8. People who moved into the Indian subcontinent long ago and brought new languages and traditions.
11. A famous Maurya emperor who chose to follow peace and kindness after a violent war and shared his ideas across the land.
13. The group at the top of the caste system, usually priests, teachers, and people who studied sacred texts.
14. A major religion from South Asia with many beliefs, including duty (dharma), actions and results (karma), and rebirth.
15. A large land area that is part of a continent but looks separate because of mountains and seas, like India and nearby countries.

1. A large empire that ruled much of India long ago and helped make the region more united.
2. Very old sacred books written in Sanskrit that have hymns, prayers, and instructions for religious ceremonies.
3. valley civilization A very old civilization (about 4,000 years ago) in South Asia known for large, planned cities, streets, and baths.
4. A major city of the Indus Valley Civilization, where archaeologists found houses, streets, and tools.
7. A seasonal wind that brings heavy rains; these rains are very important for growing crops.
9. One of the biggest Indus Valley cities, famous for its huge public bath and neat city layout.
10. system A long-lasting social system that divided people into groups with certain jobs and rules about who they could marry.
12. An ancient language used in old religious texts and stories; many modern South Asian languages come from it.