Religion in the Vedic Age

9555 Words39 Pages
Unit 2, Lesson 1 Religion in the Vedic Age Essential Questions • • • • • • • • Which general trends took place between 600 B.C.E. and 600 C.E.? What were the basic features and locations of polytheistic religions prior to 600 C.E.? What roles did shamanism and animism play in the lives of people outside the core civilizations? How did the people of Africa, East Asia, and the Mediterranean venerate their ancestors? What were the basic features and locations of Vedic religions and Hinduism (including deities, multiple manifestations of Brahma, and reincarnation)? What were the origins and major beliefs of Hinduism, and how did Hinduism spread? What were the characteristics of the Indian caste system? What was the role of women in ancient India? What are the main ideas of the Lawbook of Manu and The Ramayana? Keywords ancestor veneration divination guru Lawbook of Manu moksha reincarnation Rig Veda sati ritual shaman untouchable varna Vedism Copyright © 2011, K12 Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in whole or in part, including illustrations, without the express prior written consent of K12 Inc. Unit 2, Lesson 1 2 Set the Stage At first, ancient man had few basic needs, such as food, shelter, warmth, and light. Yet all over the ancient world, as people began to create more elaborate societies and larger communities, they also began to crave spiritual understanding. They began to try to determine the meaning of life, death, and what happens afterward. They wanted to find answers to spiritual questions: Where did their souls come from? To where did souls depart after death? Could a soul return to earth in the form of another body? People in these early river civilizations soon realized that they could answer some of those questions by putting their trust in a religious faith. Simultaneously, individuals

More about Religion in the Vedic Age

Open Document