Vocabulary: Ancient India Name Period # Directions: 1. Write out the complete definition for the following vocabulary words. (You may use your textbook pgs. 52 & 59 or LongmanDictionary.com) 2. Draw and color a picture or cartoon that will help you remember the definition. 3. Write out a sentence using the word correctly. (You may use a sentence from the book or from the Internet.) Highlight the vocab word. monsoon A strong wind that brings HEAVY rain to southern Asia in the summer The VERY rainy season that occurs in southern Asia in the summer plateau A flat area of land that is elevated, or raised, above the land around it A large area of flat land that is higher than the land around it A huge mass if ice that slowly slides over a land area glacier A very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land
granary A place to store grain A building in which grain is stored sewer system A network of pipes that disposes of sewage or waste water A fortress built to protect a city citadel A castle or fort that in past times was used to protect the people of a city if the city was attacked Built in the past as a place where people could go for safety if their city was attacked
A class or group in Hindu society caste One of the classes into which the Hindu people of India were traditionally divided A division of society based upon differences of wealth, rank, or occupation Vedas A collection of Hindu sacred writings An ancient language of India Sanskrit A language that was spoken many years ago in India and is still used in the practice of Hinduism
Brahmanism An ancient Indian religion in which the Brahmins (priests and religious scholars) are the dominant class The belief that a person s soul is reborn into a new body after death reincarnation The idea or belief that people are born again with a different body after death A journey to a holy place pilgrimage A Journey to a holy place for religious reasons Goods given to the poor alms Money, clothes, food, and other things given to poor people
A person who gives up worldly pleasures ascetic Relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure An ideal state of happiness and peace nirvana The state of perfect happiness and peace in Buddhism where there is release from all forms of suffering A Holy man who devotes his life to religious practice monk A member of a religious community of men who usually promise to remain poor, unmarried, and separated from the rest of society A command that is obeyed like law edict An official order given by a person with power or by a government
A territory that is part of a country or an empire province One of the large areas into which some countries are divided, and which usually has its own local government A home for monks monastery A place where monks live and work together A roll of material like paper or papyrus scroll A long piece of paper that rolls around one or two cylinders and that usually has something written or drawn on it A wall painting mural A usually large painting that is done directly on the surface of a wall