World History: 4. Early Civilizations of India, Lessons 1–4

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. subcontinent
    a large, distinct landmass that is part of a larger landmass
    A subcontinent is a large landmass that is set apart from the rest of the continent.
  2. monsoon
    a seasonal wind in southern Asia
    Seasonal winds, known as monsoons, help shape life in this region.
  3. achievement
    the action of accomplishing something
    Many of the achievements of the Indus Valley people showed an advanced knowledge of mathematics.
  4. granary
    a storehouse for threshed grain or animal feed
    Some scholars think that these farmers stored their surplus crops in a granary, or special building used to hold grain.
  5. citadel
    a stronghold for shelter during a battle
    Most cities had a huge citadel, or fortified area.
  6. evidence
    knowledge on which to base belief
    Some evidence suggests that standing water in drains may have bred mosquitos that spread disease and weakened Indus Valley populations.
  7. migrate
    move from one country or region to another and settle there
    Over many centuries, they migrated into India with their livestock, mixed with local people and adopted local beliefs.
  8. caste
    a hereditary social class among Hindus
    Today, caste is a fixed social class into which a person is born.
  9. varna
    one of four traditional social divisions in Hindu society
    The Vedas identify four varnas, or groupings based on one skill.
  10. jati
    a Hindu caste or distinctive social group
    The term for an occupation-based caste is jati, meaning "birth group."
  11. status
    the relative position or standing of things or persons
    By 500 CE or so, another group outside of the jatis emerged. They were knows as Untouchables, and later Dalits, who did work considered impure and had a low social status.
  12. guru
    a Hindu or Buddhist religious leader and spiritual teacher
    To find those answers, thinkers and teachers known as gurus left their homes to live in the forest, to think, and to talk about religious ideas.
  13. issue
    an important question that is in dispute and must be settled
    Like the Ramayana, it deals with moral issues. These include the conflict between loyalty to family and duty.
  14. reincarnation
    the doctrine that a person may be reborn successively
    Reincarnation is the rebirth of a soul in a new body.
  15. karma
    effects of one's actions that determine his or her destiny
    Karma is the effect of a person's actions in this and in previous lives.
  16. ahimsa
    spiritual doctrine of nonviolence toward all living things
    Dharma also includes the rule of ahimsa, or avoiding doing harm to any living thing, truthfulness, and moderation and self-control.
  17. devote
    give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
    The way of devotion is also known as the path of love. People on this path devote themselves to loving God.
  18. meditate
    think intently and at length, as for spiritual purposes
    To meditate means to calm or clear the mind, often by focusing on a single object.
  19. enlightenment
    the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation
    He had, at last, achieved enlightenment—a state of perfect wisdom.
  20. consequence
    a phenomenon that is caused by some previous phenomenon
    The Buddha accepted the Hindu idea of karma—the idea that a person's actions have consequences in this or in future lives.
  21. nirvana
    the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation
    Nirvana is a state of blissful peace without desire or suffering.
  22. monastery
    the residence of a religious community
    These became Buddhist monasteries, or religious communities.
  23. widespread
    distributed over a large area or extent
    Mahayana Buddhism is widespread in Bhutan, Vietnam, China and Taiwan, Mongolia, the Koreas, and Japan.
Created on Mon Jun 28 13:56:41 EDT 2021 (updated Fri Jul 02 10:51:44 EDT 2021)

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