Traditions and Encounters, 4th Edition (Bentley)

Chapter 4: EARLY SOCIETIES IN SOUTH ASIA


1			There are very few names of prominent individuals included in this chapter. Why is this so? What is it about the nature of the society and the available historical sources that makes it difficult to discern individuals?




2			What were the advantages of the caste system to the development of Indian societies during this time period? Why do you believe this system managed to persist for millennia?




3			The religious beliefs of this period emerged as a result of the blending of Aryan and Dravidian traditions and significant developments in the later Vedic age. These beliefs were the underpinnings of the Hindu religion, which is still the most prevalent religion of the Indian subcontinent. What aspects of this belief system make it so appealing to people? How did it both reflect and support other social institutions?