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

   Card A links rebirth, karma and moksha. How do followers say they connect, Bo asks?

   • Followers believe liberation comes first and then the cycle of rebirth begins
   • Followers believe actions shape each rebirth until liberation ends the cycle
   • Followers believe karma is the name of the soul that is reborn
   • Followers believe liberation is reached by those born in India
4. 3.

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

   • Each soul is one with brahman, as card A says
   • Scholars have measured the oneness of the soul with brahman
   • Followers hold a belief that scholars have shown to be mistaken
   • Followers believe each soul is one with brahman
5. 4.

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

   • Hindus worship Vishnu above Shiva and the goddess Durga
   • Rama and Krishna are gods who gave Vishnu his many avatars
   • Vishnu is one of the four Vedas, and Rama and Krishna are the others
   • Many followers worship Vishnu and see Rama and Krishna as his avatars
6. 5.

   Card B says scholars date the Upanishads after the earliest Vedas and the epics after the Upanishads. Which claim does that support, Luz asks?

   • The texts were composed over a long span, in a general order
   • The Puranas came before the Upanishads, since they tell stories
   • The Upanishads came before the earliest Vedas, so the Vedas borrowed from them
   • The texts were composed in a single year by the same author
7. 6.

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

   • A text that sets out the laws of ancient kings
   • 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 tells the story of Rama in order
8. 7.

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

   • The tradition shrank over time as writings were lost
   • Writings were added over time, so the tradition kept growing
   • 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
9. 8.

   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 follower speaks as a believer; the historian reports the belief
   • Both statements say the belief has been proven by evidence
   • The historian speaks as a believer; the follower reports the belief
   • The historian's statement is worthless because it is not the follower's
10. 9.

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

    • The cycle of rebirth that each soul passes through over time
    • 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
11. 10.

    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
    • The gods first appeared in the Puranas, with no earlier mention
    • Each story of the gods was fixed in a single year
    • Stories of the gods grew over time and were gathered in later texts