Question 1

Which of the following was a set of commentaries on the Vedas that emphasized spiritual meditation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Upanishads 
B)  Kamasutra 
C)  Rig Veda 
D)  Mahabharata 
E)  Epistularias 
A)  Upanishads 
B)  Kamasutra 
C)  Rig Veda 
D)  Mahabharata 
E)  Epistularias

Question 2

What were the three "twice-born" castes?

Accepted Answer

A)  Sikh, Hamar and Maltese 
B)  Sudra, brahmin and kshatriya 
C)  Vaisya, kshatriya and brahmin 
D)  Brahmin, bodhi and mahayana 
E)  Sudra, ashakan and pariah 
A)  Sikh, Hamar and Maltese 
B)  Sudra, brahmin and kshatriya 
C)  Vaisya, kshatriya and brahmin 
D)  Brahmin, bodhi and mahayana 
E)  Sudra, ashakan and pariah

Question 3

What was the role of the board of censors during the Mauryan Empire?

Accepted Answer

A)  To function as the secret police 
B)  To prevent corruption and investigate incompetence within the government 
C)  To monitor and prevent criticism of the Mauryan ruler 
D)  To oust any remaining Greeks affiliated with Alexander the Great 
E)  To punish insurgents 
A)  To function as the secret police 
B)  To prevent corruption and investigate incompetence within the government 
C)  To monitor and prevent criticism of the Mauryan ruler 
D)  To oust any remaining Greeks affiliated with Alexander the Great 
E)  To punish insurgents

Question 4

Asceticism in ancient Indian religion

Accepted Answer

A)  served as a substitute for sacrificial practices as a means to placate and communicate with the gods. 
B)  enabled priests to facilitate communication between believers and the gods. 
C)  enhanced sacrificial practices. 
D)  provided means of firmly establishing one's experiences apart from the realm of spiritual meditative processes. 
E)  reduced food consumption, as desired by Ashoka. 
A)  served as a substitute for sacrificial practices as a means to placate and communicate with the gods. 
B)  enabled priests to facilitate communication between believers and the gods. 
C)  enhanced sacrificial practices. 
D)  provided means of firmly establishing one's experiences apart from the realm of spiritual meditative processes. 
E)  reduced food consumption, as desired by Ashoka.

Question 5

Modern yoga can trace its origins to the ancient practice of

Accepted Answer

A)  karma. 
B)  dharma. 
C)  asceticism. 
D)  sati. 
E)  samsara. 
A)  karma. 
B)  dharma. 
C)  asceticism. 
D)  sati. 
E)  samsara.

Question 6

On a practical level, what function did the notion of reincarnation serve?

Accepted Answer

A)  It destroyed the caste system. 
B)  It provided hope for the lower class. 
C)  It prevented the assimilation of the poor into Indian society. 
D)  It weakened the authority of Jainism. 
E)  It increased the popularity of Buddhism. 
A)  It destroyed the caste system. 
B)  It provided hope for the lower class. 
C)  It prevented the assimilation of the poor into Indian society. 
D)  It weakened the authority of Jainism. 
E)  It increased the popularity of Buddhism.

Question 7

What was true of marriage in ancient India?

Accepted Answer

A)  Unhappy couples could easily divorce. 
B)  Polygamy was common. 
C)  Even when there were no sons, women could not inherit property. 
D)  Widows were revered. 
E)  Child marriage was not unusual for girls. 
A)  Unhappy couples could easily divorce. 
B)  Polygamy was common. 
C)  Even when there were no sons, women could not inherit property. 
D)  Widows were revered. 
E)  Child marriage was not unusual for girls.

Question 8

The Indian warrior caste was known as the

Accepted Answer

A)  kshatriya. 
B)  pariah. 
C)  brahmin. 
D)  vaisya. 
E)  jati. 
A)  kshatriya. 
B)  pariah. 
C)  brahmin. 
D)  vaisya. 
E)  jati.

Question 9

Which statement correctly describes Harappan civilization?

Accepted Answer

A)  It showed no similarity to the civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. 
B)  Its culture never attained the status of a true civilization. 
C)  It was much more agricultural than its contemporaries in Egypt and Mesopotamia. 
D)  It was a collection of over fifteen hundred towns and cities, ruled by landlords and rich merchants. 
E)  It never developed an urban center of over 3,000 people. 
A)  It showed no similarity to the civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. 
B)  Its culture never attained the status of a true civilization. 
C)  It was much more agricultural than its contemporaries in Egypt and Mesopotamia. 
D)  It was a collection of over fifteen hundred towns and cities, ruled by landlords and rich merchants. 
E)  It never developed an urban center of over 3,000 people.

Question 10

What happened after Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism?

Accepted Answer

A)  He founded Jainism. 
B)  He attempted to foster a system of fair trade with neighboring regions. 
C)  He had trees planted and shelters built to provide respite for travelers. 
D)  He brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka. 
E)  He made Hinduism illegal. 
A)  He founded Jainism. 
B)  He attempted to foster a system of fair trade with neighboring regions. 
C)  He had trees planted and shelters built to provide respite for travelers. 
D)  He brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka. 
E)  He made Hinduism illegal.

Question 11

After the decline of the Mauryan Empire, the new kingdom that was founded by nomadic warriors in Bactria was the

Accepted Answer

A)  Macedonian Empire. 
B)  Chan Empire. 
C)  Kushan Kingdom. 
D)  Shungas Republic. 
E)  Xiongnu Empire. 
A)  Macedonian Empire. 
B)  Chan Empire. 
C)  Kushan Kingdom. 
D)  Shungas Republic. 
E)  Xiongnu Empire.

Question 12

Ashoka was most notable for

Accepted Answer

A)  his conversion to Buddhism and facilitating its spread through India. 
B)  conquering the Tamil portion of India. 
C)  overseeing the writing of the Vedas. 
D)  fighting an extensive war against Alexander the Great. 
E)  None of these are correct. 
A)  his conversion to Buddhism and facilitating its spread through India. 
B)  conquering the Tamil portion of India. 
C)  overseeing the writing of the Vedas. 
D)  fighting an extensive war against Alexander the Great. 
E)  None of these are correct.

Question 13

The Indus Valley economy was based primarily on agriculture.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

The ultimate goal of all Hindus is to

Accepted Answer

A)  attain a blissful, eternal afterlife. 
B)  attain an ultimate spiritual reunion with Brahman and escape the cycle of existence. 
C)  attain eternal life by exchanging one's karma for Atman. 
D)  be reborn again and again. 
E)  achieve enlightenment in the Western Paradise. 
A)  attain a blissful, eternal afterlife. 
B)  attain an ultimate spiritual reunion with Brahman and escape the cycle of existence. 
C)  attain eternal life by exchanging one's karma for Atman. 
D)  be reborn again and again. 
E)  achieve enlightenment in the Western Paradise.

Question 15

Which of the following was the most significant factor of Chandragupta Maurya's reign?

Accepted Answer

A)  His alliance with Alexander the Great. 
B)  His adoption of Buddhism and making it the official religion of the kingdom. 
C)  His centralization of the first dynasty to control much of India. 
D)  His production of sacred texts including the Upanishads. 
E)  His engagement in long-distance trade with the Roman Empire. 
A)  His alliance with Alexander the Great. 
B)  His adoption of Buddhism and making it the official religion of the kingdom. 
C)  His centralization of the first dynasty to control much of India. 
D)  His production of sacred texts including the Upanishads. 
E)  His engagement in long-distance trade with the Roman Empire.

Question 16

Which statement about the relationship between the Indus River and Aryan cultures is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  The incoming Aryan culture destroyed the native Indus culture and its heritage. 
B)  Elements of both cultures provided creative impulses for ancient Indian civilization. 
C)  Both groups lived in harmony together, after the establishment of a strong central government. 
D)  Both groups assisted each other militarily to ward off a common threat from outside. 
E)  The two cultures were constantly at war. 
A)  The incoming Aryan culture destroyed the native Indus culture and its heritage. 
B)  Elements of both cultures provided creative impulses for ancient Indian civilization. 
C)  Both groups lived in harmony together, after the establishment of a strong central government. 
D)  Both groups assisted each other militarily to ward off a common threat from outside. 
E)  The two cultures were constantly at war.

Question 17

Most researchers today agree that Aryans were a people originally indigenous to Ancient India.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

What were the Harappan most likely the first to do?

Accepted Answer

A)  Leave written records. 
B)  Master the cultivation of cotton. 
C)  Domesticate animals for farming. 
D)  Create a sustainable navy. 
E)  Introduce a vital trade network into India. 
A)  Leave written records. 
B)  Master the cultivation of cotton. 
C)  Domesticate animals for farming. 
D)  Create a sustainable navy. 
E)  Introduce a vital trade network into India.

Question 19

Ancient Indian scientific activities

Accepted Answer

A)  were based on ideas much like those of Arabia. 
B)  were notably lacking in astronomical interest. 
C)  included the development of the idea that the earth was a sphere. 
D)  were much more significant than Indian religious innovations. 
E)  caused the Indian scientists to be renowned for their world domination in alchemy. 
A)  were based on ideas much like those of Arabia. 
B)  were notably lacking in astronomical interest. 
C)  included the development of the idea that the earth was a sphere. 
D)  were much more significant than Indian religious innovations. 
E)  caused the Indian scientists to be renowned for their world domination in alchemy.

Question 20

Most scholars believe that the Aryans migrated to ancient India from which region of the world?

Accepted Answer

A)  The steppes north and east of the Black and Caspian Seas 
B)  The central regions of Mongolia 
C)  The southern Chinese Highlands 
D)  The northeastern African Savannah 
E)  The Nile Valley 
A)  The steppes north and east of the Black and Caspian Seas 
B)  The central regions of Mongolia 
C)  The southern Chinese Highlands 
D)  The northeastern African Savannah 
E)  The Nile Valley

Exam 2: Ancient India

Which of the following was a set of commentaries on the Vedas that emphasized spiritual meditation?

What were the three "twice-born" castes?

What was the role of the board of censors during the Mauryan Empire?

Asceticism in ancient Indian religion

Modern yoga can trace its origins to the ancient practice of

On a practical level, what function did the notion of reincarnation serve?

What was true of marriage in ancient India?

The Indian warrior caste was known as the

Which statement correctly describes Harappan civilization?

What happened after Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism?

After the decline of the Mauryan Empire, the new kingdom that was founded by nomadic warriors in Bactria was the

Ashoka was most notable for

The Indus Valley economy was based primarily on agriculture.

The ultimate goal of all Hindus is to

Which of the following was the most significant factor of Chandragupta Maurya's reign?

Which statement about the relationship between the Indus River and Aryan cultures is correct?

Most researchers today agree that Aryans were a people originally indigenous to Ancient India.

What were the Harappan most likely the first to do?

Ancient Indian scientific activities

Most scholars believe that the Aryans migrated to ancient India from which region of the world?

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Ferment in the Middle East: the Rise of Islam

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