1. Hinduism
Seat work
Students will quietly enter the room, find your seats and discuss your three sticky notes on pages with your row group.

2. Hinduism What religion slowly became Hinduism? Brahmanism
What are the two Hindu epic poems the book discuses?
Ramayana, Mahabharata
What is liberation from reincarnation called?
Moksha

3. Hinduism
What does this diagram tell you about the Hindu belief of reincarnation, or rebirth?
Ask students to state anything they know about the Hindu belief of reincarnation, or the rebirth of the soul into a new body upon death.

4. Key Ideas Hinduism grew out of Brahmanism.
Hindus believe in a supreme God, Brahman,
who is the source of all things.
Hindus believe that people’s actions
determine how they are reincarnated.
Hinduism spread across India and to
Southeast Asia and has had a lasting impact
on those regions.

5. Hinduism
The Roots of Hinduism
During the Vedic age, only Brahmins, or priests, could study the Vedas and perform rituals to gods.
Thus, Brahmins held great power in early Indian society.

6. The Evolution of Hinduism
Around 500 B.C., Indian beliefs about old gods and rituals began to change. People began to ask questions about their lives.
Thinkers known as gurus discussed the questions and wrote their ideas in the Upanishads.

7. The Evolution of Hinduism
The Upanishads, along with the epic poems Ramayana and Mahabharata, explain Hindu beliefs and practices.
The most sacred section of the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad-Gita, which describes how Hindus view the nature of the soul, life, and God.

8. Hinduism
Beliefs About God
Hinduism has many gods and traditions, but it has two core beliefs.
Hindus believe that all the gods that Indians worship are forms of Brahman, the supreme God and source of all things.
The second core Hindu belief is that every person is born with a soul, which is also a form of Brahman.

9. Hinduism
Beliefs About Life
Hinduism teaches that when people die, most will undergo reincarnation.
Good karma will bring rebirth into a higher caste. Bad karma results in rebirth into a lower caste.

10. Beliefs About Life Hindus believe in four life goals:
Hinduism
Beliefs About Life
Hindus believe in four life goals:
Doing what is right by following dharma and the rule of ahimsa
Striving for well-being through honest work
Seeking pleasure
Achieving moksha

11. The Impact of Hinduism Hinduism spread because it is flexible.
It accepts all gods as forms of Brahman.
It does not require priests or regular religious services.
Hindus pray at local temples or personal shrines wherever they go.

12. Hinduism
The Impact of Hinduism
Where did Indian traders and priests spread Hinduism after A.D. 1?
What percentage of Indians today are Hindus?

13. Effects of Hinduism on Indian Life
How is Indian life influenced by Hinduism?
Effects of Hinduism on Indian Life
Students should consider not only the religious aspects of Hinduism but also how it is connected to geography. For example, much of Hinduism was spread by traders, and priests established shrines throughout India as they traveled from place to place. Students should also consider the effects of Hinduism on art, literature, holy days, architecture, and duties of caste.