fbpx

KidsKonnect

Vedic Period Facts & Worksheets

The Vedic age was the period in ancient India that gave birth to the Indian civilization.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /World History /Ancient Empires & Civilizations /Vedic Period Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Vedic Period Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

The Vedic age was the period in ancient India that gave birth to the Indian civilization. It took place during the early days of the Aryan migration in the north-west of India and continued through to the Buddha era.

See the fact file below for more information on the Vedic Period or alternatively, you can download our 28-page Vedic Period worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY VEDIC PERIOD (C. 1500–1200 BCE)

  • The Rig Veda has three distinct groups known as the Aryans, Dasas, and Dasyus.
  • The Dasas and Dasyus did not perform sacrifices or obey the commandments of the gods, whereas the Aryans came with their own religious belief system.
  • During the early Vedic period, women enjoyed a respectable position, with the freedom to choose who they married and the option to remarry if their husband died. They were their husband’s partner in all religious and social ceremonies.
  • There was no child marriage and social castes were not yet rigid and hereditary.
  • The people worshipped nature, like earth, fire, wind, and rain. There were no temples or idol worship.

LATER VEDIC PERIOD (C. 1100-500 BCE)

  • After the 12th Century BCE, Rig Veda transformed from semi-nomadic life to agricultural.
  • Horses remained important to the Vedic leaders.
  • Living the nomadic lifestyle resulted in the creation of trade routes that reached beyond the Hindu Kush.
  • Women’s position in society diminished and child marriages became common.
  • Industry and agriculture grew.

RELIGION

  • Their religion, Vedas, involved the worship of many gods and goddesses.
  • Prajapati and Vishnu were important gods. The main Vedic deities called Indra and Agni lost their significance.
  • Priests became very powerful, dictating rules and rites to the people.
  • Rituals and sacrifices became more elaborate.
  • This later led to the formation of part of the foundation of the Hindu religion.
  • Buddhism and Jainism also began emerging towards the end of this era.

SOCIETY

  • Aryans were from central Asia and spoke an Indo-European language.
  • The Vedic period saw equal rights amongst the social and economic classes.
  • This period saw an emerging hierarchy of social classes. The Rajan were at the top and the Dasi were at the bottom.
  • Food in that time was milk, grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, wildlife, and certain meats.
  • Cows were not allowed to be killed.
  • Clothes were made from cotton, wool, and animal skins.
  • Garments often consisted of a single cloth wrapped around the whole body and draped over the shoulder.

THE CASTE SYSTEM

  • Later in the Vedic age, the people began distancing themselves from the Rajan way.
  • The Varna hierarchy was born. Monogamy dominated society, with polygamy only being practised amongst royalty and noble families.
  • The division in society broke into four social groups: Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.
  • Brahmanas: associated with purity of parentage, good conduct, glory, teachers, and priests.
  • Kshatriya: associated with strength, fame, ruling, warfare, government, and administrators.
  • Vaishya: associated with material possessions, agriculture, farming, merchants, and bankers.
  • Shudras: associated with labourers and servants.
  • The rise of the caste system led to inequality in society.
  • Households and the hierarchy of position started with the husband.
  • Home life became idealised, with wives taking on a more docile role.
  • They believed in the four stages of life, also known as four ashramas, from birth to death.
    • Brahmacharya (student life) – birth – 25 years of age
    • Grihastha (household life) – 25 – 48 years of age
    • Vanaprastha (retired life) – 48 – 72 years of age
    • Sannyasa (renounced life) – 72+

POLITICAL ORGANISATION

  • Politics was organised into tribes with chiefs.
  • Later in the Vedic period, tribes began to merge into small kingdoms.
  • This led them to have a capital and an administrative system put in place.
  • The government turned into a monarchy with a king known as Rajan.

ECONOMY

  • The economy was sustained with farming, agriculture, and bounty they got through war.
  • Agriculture dominated the economy.
  • The increase in crops led to new occupations being born.
  • These included carpentry, leatherwork, pottery, astrology, jewellery, winemaking, and various others.
  • People traded through bartering.

LITERATURE

  • Literature during the Vedic age came in four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva.
  • Rig Veda: the oldest religious text in the world.
  • Yajur Veda: instructions on how to perform rituals. Also fell under the mantra language.
  • Sama Veda: music of the time.
  • Atharva Veda: spells and charms.
  • The Indian epics Mahabharata and Ramayana were written during this period.

Vedic Period Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Vedic Period across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Vedic Period worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Vedic age which was the period in ancient India that gave birth to the Indian civilization. It took place during the early days of the Aryan migration in the north-west of India and continued through to the Buddha era.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Vedic Period facts
  • Fill in the Blanks
  • Crisscross
  • Quiz
  • True or False?
  • Match the Words
  • Your Own Words
  • Wordsearch
  • Pop Quiz
  • Word Jumble

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Vedic Period Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 4, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources