WHI.04: India, China, and PersiaPersia

Objectivesp. 043

WHI.4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the civilizations of Persia, India, and China in

terms of chronology, geography, social structures, government, economy, religion, and contributions

to later civilizations by

a) describing Persia, with emphasis on the development of an imperial bureaucracy;

b) describing India, with emphasis on the Aryan migrations and the caste system;

c) describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Hinduism;

d) describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Buddhism;

e) describing China, with emphasis on the development of an empire and the construction of the

Great Wall;Great Wall;

f) describing the impact of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.

Essential Understandingsp. 044

1. Classical Indian civilization began in the Indus River Valley and spread to the Ganges River

Valley, then through the Indian subcontinent. It continued with little interruption because of its

geographic location.

2. The Indo-Aryan people migrated into the area, creating a structured society (caste system) and

blended their beliefs with those of the indigenous people.

3. During the Golden Age of classical Indian culture, Indian people made significant contributions to

world civilization.

4. Hinduism was an important contribution of classical India.4. Hinduism was an important contribution of classical India.

5. Hinduism influenced Indian society and culture and is still practiced in India today.

6. Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama in a part of India that is in present-day Nepal.

7. Buddhism became a major faith when Asoka sent missionaries throughout Asia.

8. Classical China was centered on the Huang He (Yellow River) and was geographically isolated.

Invaders entered China from the North. The Great Wall was built for China’s protection.

9. Chinese culture began around 1500 B.C. (B.C.E). Of Chinese contributions to civilization,

Confucianism and Taoism are among the most noted.

10.Built on earlier Central Asian and Mesopotamian civilizations, Persia developed the largest

empire in the world.

Essential Questionsp. 044

1. Why were physical geography and location important to the development of Indian

civilization?

2. What impact did the Aryans have on India?

3. Why was the caste system central to Indian culture?

4. What were the accomplishments of the Mauryan and Gupta empires?

5. What are the beliefs of the Hindu religion?

6. How did Hinduism influence Indian society and culture?6. How did Hinduism influence Indian society and culture?

7. What are the beliefs of Buddhism?

8. How did Buddhism spread?

9. Why was the Great Wall of China built?

10.What were contributions of classical China to world civilization?

11.Why were Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism important in the formation of

Chinese culture?

12.How did Persia govern its empire?

Why Do I Need To Know This?p. 044

1.Almost one fifth of the world’s people today practice Hinduism and Buddhism.

2.The diversity of peoples, cultures, beliefs, and languages in India continues to pose challenges to Indian unity today.

3.The people, events, and ideas that shaped China’s early history continue to influence China’s role in today’s world.

4.The pattern of a strong central government has remained a permanent part of Chinese life.

5.Tolerance and wise government are characteristics of the most successful methods of rule.

India

p. 45-49

India – Hinduism1. Aryans

p. 056

The Aryans were tall light skinned Indo-European warriors who invaded and conquered India about 1500 B.C.

a. invaded India through the Khyber Pass in the Hindu Kush mountains

Aryans

India – Hinduism2. The Caste System

p. 056

Brahmins – priests

Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors

Vaishyas – peasants and traders

Shudras – laborers

the “untouchables” actually lived outside the caste system

people were born into their caste for life (could not move between castes)people were born into their caste for life (could not move between castes)

The Four Castes of India

Aryan/ Indian god

known as Brahma

Untouchables

India – Hinduism3&4 – Founder and Writings

p. 056

3. cannot be tracked down to one founder with a single set of ideas

4. most religious writings are collected in the Vedas and Upanishads

India – Hinduism5. Basic Beliefs

p. 056

a. Hindus see religion as a way of liberating the soul from illusions, disappointments, and mistakes of everyday existence

b. this liberation is called moksha – a state of perfect understanding of all things

c. usually have to go through the process of reincarnation (the rebirth of the soul or spirit over and over again) until moksha is achieved

d. dharma – the duty/responsibility of each person within the caste

e. a soul’s karma (good or bad deeds) follows from one reincarnation to another and determines specific life circumstances

� ideas about karma and reincarnation strengthened the caste system

India – Hinduism6. Hindu Deity

p. 056

The world soul, Brahman, was sometimes seen as having three personalities

a. Brahma – the creator

b. Vishnu – the protector

c. Shiva – the destroyer.

d. Hindus are free to choose the deity they worship, or even none at all

Brahma Vishnu Shiva

Ganesh Shakti Murugan

India – Jainism1. Jainism

p. 057

believe that everything in the universe has a soul and should not be harmed

India – Buddhism1-3. Founder, writing, meaning

p. 057

1. founded by Siddhartha Gautama

� achieved enlightenment after fasting and meditating under a fig tree for 49 days

2. The Tripitaka is the earliest collection of Buddhist writings.

3. became known as the Buddha “the enlightened one”

India – Buddhism4. Four Noble Truths

p. 057

a. first – everything in life is suffering and sorrow

b. second – the cause of all suffering is people’s selfish desire for the temporary pleasures of this world

c. third – the way to end suffering is take away desire

d. fourth – the way to overcome such desires and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold Path – 1)Right View, 2) Right Intention, 3) Right Speech, 4) Right Action, 5) Right Livelihood, 6)Right Effort, 7) Right Mindfulness, 8)

Right Concentration

India – Buddhism5. Eightfold Path

p. 057

Eightfold Path – the path to enlightenment 1)Right View, 2) Right Intention, 3) Right Speech, 4) Right Action, 5) Right Livelihood, 6)Right Effort, 7) Right Mindfulness, 8) Right Concentration

India – Buddhism6. Basic Beliefs

p. 057

a. by following the Eightfold Path, anyone could reach nirvana – the Buddha’s word for release from selfishness and pain

b. accepted the idea reincarnation

c. accepted the idea karma

d. rejected the caste system

e. rejected the many gods of Hinduism

�the final goals of moksha and nirvana are similar(p.65)

India – Buddhism7. Theravada Buddhism

p. 057

�those who held to the Buddha’s stricter, original teachings belonged to the Theravada sect

�a religion that emphasized individual discipline

Theravada Buddhism

India – Buddhism8. Mahayana Buddhism

p. 057

�although Buddha had forbidden people to worship, some began to teach he was a god

�some even believed they could become Buddhas called bodhisattyas

�they made Buddhism a religion that offered salvation to all and allowed worship

Buddhist missionaries went to Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia and China

Buddhism never gained a significant foothold in India

India – Buddhism9. Spread

India – Mauryan Empire1. Spread

p. 059

Spread into South and East India

India – Mauryan Empire2. Mauryan Leader who took power in 320 BCE

p. 059

Chandragupta Maurya

a. What did he do?Unified all of northern India for the 1st timecreated a bureaucratic government

India – Mauryan Empire3. Ashoka is the Greatest.

p. 059

a. brought the Mauryan Empire to its greatest heightsb. was Buddhist, but urged religious toleration; turned away from war, helped

spread Buddhism to Chinac. built extensive roads so he could visit the far corners of Indiad. also built free hospitals and veterinary clinics

India – Gupta Empire1. Founding

p. 059

Chandra Gupta I

a. How is he different from Ashoka?Chandra Gupta I was Hindu

India – Gupta Empire2. Prospering

p. 059

It prospered through trade and conquest.

a. Advantageous about location?Located on the Indian Ocean and the Silk Roads

India – Gupta Empire3. Achievements during the Golden Age.

p. 059

a. MathCreated the concept of zero and the decimal system. Calculate the value of pi to within four decimal places -3.1415

b. MedicineCompiled medical guides that classified more than 1000 diseases and more than 500 medical plants. learned how to perform surgery (including cosmetic surgery) and possibly gave inoculationscosmetic surgery) and possibly gave inoculations

Pi

India – Gupta Empire3. Achievements during the Golden Age.

p. 059

c. Astronomycreated a calendar based on the cycles of the moon, adopted a seven-day

week, and divided the day into hours proved the earth was round by observing a lunar eclipse

d. LiteratureKalidasa was one of India’s greatest writers of this time; wrote many playsKalidasa was one of India’s greatest writers of this time; wrote many plays

India – Gupta Empire4. Traded products.

p. 060

Spices, gems, woods, silkAlso spread Buddhism to other regions, especially China

China

p. 51-55

China – Warring States Period (475-221 BCE)1. Dynasties so far.

p. 060

Xia (2100-1600 BC)

Shang (1600-1046 BC)

Zhou (1045-256 BC)

China – Warring States Period (475-221 BCE)2. Zhou’s importance

p. 060

Roads to improve tradeCoined moneyIron works

China – Warring States Period (475-221 BCE)3. Warring States Period

p. 060

�Period when seven powerful states were fighting for control of all of China

�Took place during the last two

centuries of the Zhou Dynasty

�many philosophical ideas

emerged as a way to end the

fighting fighting

China – Confucianism1. Key to order.

p. 060

Good government could be restored if China if society was organized around five basic relationships.

1) ruler and subject, 2) father and son, 3) husband and wife, 4) older brother and younger brother, and 5) friend and friend

Ancestor worship

China – Confucianism2. Filial Piety.

p. 060

Respect for parents and elders

China – Confucianism3. Key to career advancement.

p. 060

Education is the key to career advancement.

Annual Income by Level of Education

China – Daoism (Taoism)1. Founder.

p. 060

Laozi

China – Daoism (Taoism)2. Key to order.

p. 060

Stressed the natural order was more important than the social order.

China – Daoism (Taoism)3. Basic philosophy.

p. 060

� Humans should live simply and in harmony with nature.� A universal force called the Dao guides all things; everything in nature

follows the Dao except humans

China – Legalism1-2. Founders and Main Beliefs

p. 061

1. founders were Hanfeizi and Li Si2. believed a highly efficient and powerful government is the key to social

order� a ruler should provide rich rewards for people who carried out their duties well and the disobedient should be harshly punished� Legalists stressed punishment more than rewards� rulers should burn all writings that might encourage people to think � rulers should burn all writings that might encourage people to think critically about government

China – Yin and Yang1-3.Philosophy, Representation

p. 061

1. represent the natural rhythms of life; the two opposing forces of nature2. yin – cool, dark, female and submissive3. yang – warm, light, male and aggressive

China – Q’in Dynasty1. First Ruler, Philosophy, Autocracy

p. 061

1a. the first ruler was Shi Huangdi, a Legalist (the first emperor of a united China)

b. established an autocracy – a government in which the ruler has unlimited power and uses it in an arbitrary manner

China – Q’in Dynasty2. Shi Huangdi’s Setbacks

p. 061

� commanded all the noble families to live at the capital citya. seized their land and carved China up into 36 administrative districts

� murdered hundreds of Confucian scholars and ordered “useless” books burned

China – Q’in Dynasty3. Shi Huangdi’s Achievements

p. 061

� build a highway network of over 4,000 miles� set uniform standards for Chinese writing� built/connected the Great Wall of China to defend against attacks by

nomadic invaders1,400 miles long, built along the tops of hills and mountains

Great Wall from Space

China – Han Dynasty1-2. Government and Civil Service System

p. 061

1. The Han Dynasty followed Shi Huangdi’s policy of establishing a centralized government

� reached its height under emperor Wudi

2. Series of exams that people had to take and pass in order to work for the government.

� worked so well it continued in China until 1912� worked so well it continued in China until 1912

� highly valued all Confucian teachings

China – Han Dynasty3. Accomplishments

p. 061

� paper was invented in 105 AD

� to unify the empire, the Chinese government encouraged assimilation, or the

process of making conquered peoples part of the Chinese culture

� established the Silk Road which linked China to Rome, Europe and the

Middle East

Persia – Cyrus the Great1. Location

p. 062

1. from 550 to 539 B.C., Cyrus conquered the entire Fertile Crescent and most of Anatolia

• Persians were descendents of the Indo-Europeans

Persia – Cyrus the Great2. Cyrus’s Governing Style

p. 062

� It’s what the Persians will be famous fora. he was kind towards conquered peopleb. honored local customs and traditions - would kneel and pray at local

temples instead of destroying themc. Conquered peoples enjoyed remarkable freedomsd. in 538 B.C. he allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem

Persia – Darius the Great1. Extent of Empire

p. 062� Cyrus’s son Cambyses, extended the Persian Empire to include Egypt; publicly scorned the Egyptian religion

� Darius took over after Cambyses died

1. expanded the Persian empire to include everything from Egypt to India (2,500 miles wide) (the US is 2,680 miles wide)

a. his only failure was his inability to conquer Greece

Persia – Darius the Great2-3. Legacy of Governing

p. 062

2. Darius’s greatest genius lay in administration3. How did he govern?

a. divided the empire into 20 provinces called satrapiesb. each was governed by a satrapc. an excellent road system; the Royal Road ran from Susa to Sardis

(1,677 miles)d. the use of standard money, which helped promote traded. the use of standard money, which helped promote trade

Persia – Zoroastrianism1. Main Beliefs

p. 062

1. the world was divided between good (truth) and evil (darkness)

a. Ahura Mazda (good) followers would be lifted into paradise

b. Ahriman would (evil) followers would suffer forever in a fiery pit

Persia – Zoroastrianism2-3. Holy Books and Links

p. 062

2. the holy writings of Zoroastrianism were collected in books called the Avesta

3. developed the ideas about heaven, hell and a final judgment

a. similar concepts in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam