| A | B |
|---|
| Mount Everest | the highest peak in the Himalayas and the tallest mountain on Earth |
| Indo-Ganges Plain | a region in India through which the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers flow |
| Indus River Valley | the land surrounding the Indus River in Pakistan |
| Harappa | the site of one of the earliest civilizations in South Asia |
| Deccan Plateau | a dry, high region south of the Indo-Ganges Plain |
| Western Ghats | rolling mountains west of the Deccan Plateau in southern India |
| Eastern Ghats | rolling mountains east of the Deccan Plateau in southern India |
| subcontinent | a large area of land that is separated from other countries by water and land |
| monsoon season | rainy season in monsoon climates in which winds blow from the southwest for six months |
| subsistence farming | the process of growind food mainly for self-consumption |
| Harappa | the site of one of the earliest civilizations in South Asia |
| Mohenjo-Daro | an ancient city in the Indus River Valley in Pakistan |
| Cyrus II | 585 B.C.-529 B.C. Persian king who established the Persian Empire |
| Darius I | 550 B.C.-486 B.C. Persian king who expanded the Persian Empire to include India |
| Chandragupta Maurya | 360 B.C.-298 B.C. Soldier who started the Mauryan Empire , the first Indian empire, and later became a monk |
| brahmin | a priest held the highest position in Aryan society |
| sudra | a serf in Hindu society |
| Sanskrit | the main language of the Aryans |
| Vedas | "Books of Knowledge" that contain much of the stories and songs of the Aryans |
| Zoroastrianism | a religion founded by the Persian prophet Zoroaster based on the belief of one god as supreme and the enemy of evil |
| Ganges River | an important river in India, Hindus believe it represents purity |
| reincarnation | the Hindu belief that the spirit and soul goes from one life to the next |
| caste | in Hinduism, a lifelong social group into which one is born |
| Hinduism | the main religion of India that is based on Aryan beliefs |
| Rig Veda | one of the best known books of the Vedas containing more than 1000 hymns |
| Brahman | believed by Hindus to be the universal truth being, which is the source of everything |
| dharma | in Hinduism, the order of the universe |
| Bodh Gaya | the town in northern India where Siddhartha was enlightened and became Buddha |
| meditation | in Buddhism, a way of clearing the mind |
| enlightenment | in Buddhism, a state of pure goodness, the goal of reincarnation |
| Buddhism | the religion that is based on the teachings of the Buddha |
| the Buddha | the "Enlightened One," what Siddhartha Gautama came to be known |
| Four Noble Truths | in Buddhism, beliefs about human suffering |
| Eightfold Path | the Buddhist way of living that can help Buddhists find relief from their suffering |
| Ashoka | 304 BC-237 BC Grandson of Chandragupta Maurya who used stone columns to mark the territory of his empire and make announcements |
