After having read the chapter and listened to this episode, students should be able to

Understand the major aspects of Harappan civilization and the ways in which it was similar to Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations.

Understand what was distinctive about the class system introduced by the Aryans and how this system affected Indian civilization.

Grasp the main beliefs of Brahmanism and Buddhism, and how each religion influenced Indian civilization.

Understand why India was unable to maintain a unified empire in the first millennium B.C.E., and what enabled the Mauryan Empire to overcome the tendencies toward disunity. 

Appreciate how the culture of ancient India resembled and differed from those of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Understand the major reasons that India became home to an advanced society, and the degree to which it merits comparison with Mesopotamia and Egypt as one of the first civilizations.