Traditions and Encounters, 2/e

Jerry H. Bentley, University of Hawai'i
Herbert F. Ziegler, University of Hawai'i

EARLY SOCIETIES IN SOUTH ASIA

Study Questions


1		Why is so little known about the Harappan society? What is it that we do know about the nature of that society?



2		How do historians and archeologists explain the decline of the Harappan culture?



3		How were the Indo-European migrants different from the cultures that already existed in India?



4		Trace the origins of the caste system, making sure to include a discussion of varna and jati.



5		Discuss the nature of patriarchy in early Indian societies. What is the Lawbook of Manu and how does it relate to gender roles?



6		What are the Vedas and what do they teach us about early Indian societies?



7		What are the fundamental religious teachings of the Upanishads?



8		How did the religious beliefs as expressed in the Upanishads dovetail with the social order during the Vedic age?



9		In what ways did the religion of the Upanishads include an ethical system?



10		How did the Dravidian and Aryan cultures blend during this period?

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