1. Think About As You Read
1. Why was the Indus River important in ancient India? fertile soil/alluvial plain/surplus crops/granary 2. How did Aryans change India? Hinduism/caste system 3. What kind of ideas from the ancient Indians do we still use in the world today? math/zero/numeric system/numbers/Hinduism/Buddhism

2. Vocabulary and People
Irrigation- Indus and Ganges Rivers/monsoon Hinduism- a religion brought to India by the Aryans; belief in the god Brahma as the creator of all Caste System- groups/class/hierarchy/power/race/social status/Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra Outcastes- Untouchables/dirty jobs/outside of caste system Reborn- reincarnation/good=good, bad=bad/karma Buddhism- Ashoka/peace/universities/roads/irrigation/traders spread Himalayas- separated/isolated/subcontinent/blocked/divided Indus River- fertile soil/alluvial plain/nutrients/grow crops Aryans- nomads/changed India/brought caste system/brought Hinduism Hindus- follow Hinduism/Diwali/Holi/dharma/karma/vegetarians/cows are sacred

3. Using What You Learned
The Aryans made Hinduism an important religion. This religion divided people into four groups called castes. People who did not belong to one of the four groups were Outcastes. The Aryans believed that after people die they were reborn as another living thing. About 500 BC in India, the Buddha started a new religion called Buddhism.

4. Read and Remember
The ancient Indians used water from the Indus River for irrigation.
The numbers we use today were created by the ancient Indians.
The Aryans made family life in India important.
The Buddha did not believe in the Hindu gods.
Buddhists believed that people should not be divided into groups.