Classical Era in the EastChapter 4 section 4

Chapter 7

Essential Questions:How did the caste system influence India?How did Confucianism affect politics in China?What were the major accomplishments of the civilizations of India and China during the “Classical Era”?How did these civilizations compare with the civilizations of the West?What factors contributed to the rise and fall of empires and dynasties in the East?

China and India Vocabulary

* Use post-it notes, write the term on the top, the picture on the under side, and the definition on the notebook under the post-it.

BureaucracyConfucianismHinduismIslamCivil service

Major Beliefs of HinduismGods Reincarnation Karma Sacred Objects

Hindus believe that there are many gods and goddesses. Each of these gods, however, is a manifestation of on Supreme Being.

Hindus believe that at death, a person’s soul is reborn as another living thing. This creates an endless cycle of rebirth for each soul.

It refers to a person’s behavior in life, which Hindus belief determines that person’s form in the next life. People who live a good life will be reborn in a higher caste. Those who do not are reborn in a lower caste.

Hindus believe the Ganges River is sacred and has the power to wash away sin and evil. The cow is also considered sacred, and religious Hindus do not eat beef.

Caste system

Major Beliefs of Buddhism• Basic Philosophy – Buddhism is based on the philosophy of self-denial

and meditation. Buddhists also believe in reincarnation.• Gods and Holy Books – Buddhists do not believe in a single Supreme

Being. They also do not have a primary holy book. Their basic beliefs are found in book called Sutras.

• Four Noble Truths – These truths explain life’s meaning. They explain that pain and suffering is caused by human desires, such as the desire for material wealth and selfish pleasures. Only by giving up wrongful desires can a person find peace and harmony.

• Eightfold Path – To give up selfish human desires. Buddhists believe one should follow this path: have the right goals, have the right perspectives, be aware, act in a worthy manner, speak truthfully, live righteously, respect all living things, and meditate.

• Nirvana – by following the Eightfold Path, an individual can escape the soul’s endless reincarnations and achieve nirvana – a state of eternal peace and bliss.

Indian Empires

• Create a Venn diagram comparing the Mauryan and the Gupta empires.

• Which similarity do you consider most important? Explain

Mauryan Both Gupta•Chandragupta used spies•Asoka followed the teachings of Buddha

•Unified through force•Required high taxes•Lasted for about 100 years

•Defeated the Shakas•Period of great cultural achievements•Invaded by Hunas

Indian Culture

Create the diagram below, list one or more specific developments in Indian culture

ReligionLiterature/ArtsScience/MathTrade

Religion Mahayana Buddhism Hinduism became more personal

Literature/Arts Buddhist sculptureKalidasa wrote Shakuntala

Science/Math The decimal systemMedical guides

Trade Profited from Silk Roads tradeTraded with Rome, Africa, SE Asia, Arabia, and China

Major Beliefs of Confucianism• Natural Order – there is a natural order to the universe

and to human relationships. Each person had a role in society, which reflects his or her position in the universe.

• Role of Each Person – each person’s social role brings a number of obligations. If everyone fulfills these roles by meeting their obligations, people and society will be in harmony.

• Relationships – in each relationship, there is a superior and an inferior. The superior must show love and responsibility, while the inferior must show loyalty and obedience.

• Mandate of Heaven – if the ruler benefits his people and provides them with food and protection, then the people will obey their ruler, who will continue to hold the Mandate of Heaven (the right to rule).

Chinese Ethical SystemsConfucianism Daoism Legalism

Social order, harmony, and good government should be based on family relationships

The natural order is more important than the social order

A highly efficient and powerful government is the key to social order

Respect for parents and elders is important to well-ordered society

A universal force guides all things

Punishments are useful to maintain social order

Education is important both to the welfare of the individual and to society

Human beings should live simply and in harmony with nature

Thinkers and their ideas should be strictly controlled by the government

Strong dynasty establishes peace and prosperity: it is

considered to have Mandate of Heaven

In time, dynasty declines and becomes corrupt; taxes

are raised; power grows weaker.

Disaster such as floods, famines, peasant revolts,

and invasions occur.

Old dynasty is seen as having lost Mandate of

Heaven; rebellion is justified.

Dynasty is overthrown through rebellion and

bloodshed; a new dynasty emerges.

The new dynasty gains power, restores peace and order, and claims to have

Mandate of HeavenROLE OF

MANDATE OF HEAVEN

How to look at a Quote or a Document

1. Who is the author?2. Who is the audience?3. What is the time period?4. What are the words you do not understand?

And what do those words mean?5. Summarize or put into your own words what

the quote or document is saying.

Quote

• “Guide the people with governmental measures and control or regulate them by the threat of punishment, and the people will try to keep out of jail, but will have no sense of honor or shame. Guide the people by virtue and control or regulate them by li (moral rules and customs), and the people will have a sense of honor and respect.”

Confucius, The Analects

Two Great Empires: Han China and Rome

Han Dynasty 202 bce – 220ce• Empire replaced rival kingdoms• Centralized, bureaucratic

government• Built roads and defensive walls• Conquered many diverse peoples in

regions bordering China• At its height – area of 1.5 million

square miles and population of 60 million

• Chinese became common written language throughout empire

• Ongoing conflict with nomads• Empire fell apart; restored by Tang

dynasty in 618ce

Roman Empire 27bce – 476ce• Empire replaced republic• Centralized, bureaucratic

government• Built road and defensive wall• Conquered many diverse peoples in

regions of three continents• At its height – area of 3.4 million

square miles and population of 55 million

• Latin did not replace other written languages in empire

• Ongoing conflict with nomads• Empire fell apart; never restored

Classical China and IndiaIdeas and Instituions

Fundamental Ideas and InstitutionsChina *Confucianism

*Civil Service, extensive bureaucracyIndia *Calendar based on the cycles of the sun 365 days in a

year*Modern numerals, zero and the decimal system*Hinduism*Caste System

Classical China and India Cultural Diffusion Patterns and Barriers

Culture Cultural Spread IsolationIndia Spread of religions to

AsiaHimalayas Mountains

China *Buddhism spread from India*Silk Road – opportunity for diffusion

The Great Wall

Classical Civilizations of India

Mauryan LocationCharacteristicsAchievements

GuptaLocationCharacteristicsAchievements

The Classical Civilizations of China

QinLocationCharacteristicsAchievements

HanLocationCharacteristicsAchievements

Pulling It All Together

• Select 2 of the civilizations you learned about in this unit. Describe two achievement or contributions of these civilizations, and explain why they are still important to our world today.