Where and when Hinduism began, and what its followers believe and practice

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Beliefs and texts (cards A to D). Card A, beliefs, in our words: followers believe in brahman, an ultimate reality, which is one with each person's soul, the atman. They believe that all beings pass through a cycle of rebirth, samsara, shaped by karma, the effects of actions, until they reach liberation, moksha. Card B, the Vedas and Upanishads, in our words: the Vedas are the oldest sacred texts. The Upanishads, which belong to the Vedic writings, explore ideas such as brahman and atman. In general, scholars date the Upanishads after the earliest Vedas, the great epics after the Upanishads, and the Puranas after the epics. Card C, epics and stories, in our words: the Mahabharata is one of two great epics. It includes the Bhagavad Gita, a conversation about duty between the warrior Arjuna and Krishna. The other epic, the Ramayana, tells the story of Rama. The Puranas tell stories of the gods. Many followers believe that Rama and Krishna are avatars, forms taken on earth, of the god Vishnu. Card D, the gods, in our words: Vishnu and Shiva are the gods with the widest following, and the goddess Durga also has a wide following. Followers who center their worship on Vishnu are called Vaishnavas, and those who center it on Shiva are called Shaivas.

2. 1.

   A student writes that the Bhagavad Gita is one of the four Vedas. What should Ari point out from the cards?

   • The Gita is a Veda that was added to the Mahabharata later
   • The Gita is part of the Puranas, which tell stories of the gods
   • The Gita is part of the Mahabharata, an epic, and not a Veda
   • The Gita is part of the Upanishads, which explore brahman and atman
3. 2.

   Which sentence is written the way a history book would write it, Esme asks?

   • Each soul is one with brahman, as card A says
   • Followers believe each soul is one with brahman
   • Scholars have measured the oneness of the soul with brahman
   • Followers hold a belief that scholars have shown to be mistaken
4. 3.

   Cards C and D both mention Vishnu. What do they show together about Vishnu, Jun asks?

   • Rama and Krishna are gods who gave Vishnu his many avatars
   • Many followers worship Vishnu and see Rama and Krishna as his avatars
   • Vishnu is one of the four Vedas, and Rama and Krishna are the others
   • Hindus worship Vishnu above Shiva and the goddess Durga
5. 4.

   Card D names Vaishnavas and Shaivas. How do the two groups differ, Kira asks?

   • Vaishnavas center worship on Shiva and Shaivas center it on Vishnu
   • Vaishnavas and Shaivas belong to two different religions
   • Vaishnavas follow the Vedas and Shaivas follow the epics
   • Vaishnavas center worship on Vishnu and Shaivas center it on Shiva
6. 5.

   Card B says the Upanishads explore ideas such as brahman and atman. What kind of text is that, Milo asks?

   • A text that explores ideas, not a story of the gods
   • A text that records the worship done at home each day
   • A text that sets out the laws of ancient kings
   • A text that tells the story of Rama in order
7. 6.

   Card B puts the earliest Vedas first and the Puranas last. What does that order suggest about how the tradition grew, Noah asks?

   • The Puranas replaced the Vedas, which were then no longer used
   • One author wrote each group of texts in turn, from the Vedas to the Puranas
   • Writings were added over time, so the tradition kept growing
   • The tradition shrank over time as writings were lost
8. 7.

   A follower says Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu. A historian writes that "many followers believe" it. How do the two statements differ, Pia asks?

   • The historian speaks as a believer; the follower reports the belief
   • The follower speaks as a believer; the historian reports the belief
   • Both statements say the belief has been proven by evidence
   • The historian's statement is worthless because it is not the follower's
9. 8.

   Card A says followers believe each person's soul, the atman, is one with brahman. What is brahman in this card, Ren asks?

   • The effects of actions that shape the next life of a soul
   • The name of a priest who memorized the Vedas as a student
   • An ultimate reality, believed to be one with the soul
   • The cycle of rebirth that each soul passes through over time
10. 9.

    Card C says Rama and Krishna are believed by many followers to be avatars of Vishnu, and card B says the Puranas came last. What can Tala say about when such stories took shape?

    • The Puranas came before the epics and so told of Rama and Krishna first
    • Stories of the gods grew over time and were gathered in later texts
    • Each story of the gods was fixed in a single year
    • The gods first appeared in the Puranas, with no earlier mention
11. 10.

    The Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna inside the Mahabharata. Why do historians treat it as a source on beliefs about duty, Zee asks?

    • They treat it as the view of one small group of followers
    • They treat it as a record of a real conversation word for word
    • They do not treat it as a source, because it has religious meaning
    • It shows ideas about duty followers valued, not a record of events