Australian Curriculum Asian Depth Studies Nick Cummins Suzanne Cory High School [email protected].

Australian Curriculum Asian Depth Studies

Nick CumminsSuzanne Cory High [email protected]

How did we get here?The Melbourne Goals, Dec 2008

“The development of the Australian Curriculum is guided by the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, adopted by the council of state and territory education ministers in December 2008.”

“The Melbourne Declaration acknowledges major changes in the world that are placing new demands on Australian education.”

“India, China and other Asian nations are growing and their influence on the world is increasing. Australians need to become ‘Asia literate’, engaging and building strong relationships with Asia.”

Students need to be able “to relate to and communicate across cultures, especially the cultures and countries of Asia.”

The Australian CurriculumMelbourne Goals

“The Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia priority provides a regional context for learning in all areas of the curriculum. This understanding underpins the capacity of Australian students to be active and informed citizens working together to build harmonious local, regional and global communities, and build Australia’s social, intellectual and creative capital. “

“This priority is concerned with Asia literacy for all Australian students. Asia literacy develops knowledge, skills and understanding about the histories, geographies, cultures, arts, literatures and languages of the diverse countries of our region. It fosters social inclusion in the Australian community. It enables students to communicate and engage with the peoples of Asia so they can effectively live, work and learn in the region. Australia now has extensive engagement with Asia in areas such as trade, investment, immigration, tourism, education and humanitarian assistance and these are vital to the prosperity of all Australians. “

The Australian Curriculum

The Australian Curriculum is underpinned by three cross-curriculum priorities and seven general capabilities

The three cross-curriculum priorities are:

• Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia • Sustainability• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

The seven general capabilities are:

Literacy ICT CompetenceNumeracy Critical and Creative ThinkingEthical Behavior Intercultural UnderstandingPersonal and Social Competence

Where are we now?

The Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) met in December 2010 and was meant to sign off on the four K-10 subjects , English, Math, History and Science for implementation 2012.

Instead only South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, the NT and the ACT have agreed to adoption in 2012.

NSW, Victoria and WA said that they will wait until 2013.

NSW has now said they will wait until after 2014.

The major point of difference is the achievement standards

Minsters are set to meet again in October 2011.

Where are we now?

On Friday, 14 October, the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) approved the Foundation to Year 10 Achievement Standards for the first four learning areas of the Australian Curriculum, English, History, Science and Mathematics

ACT 2013NT 2013QLD 2013SA 2013TAS 2013VIC 2013NSW 2014

How is the Australian Curriculum Organised?

• Historical Knowledge and Understanding

• Historical Skills

• Inquiry Questions

• Overviews

• Depth Studies

Overviews and Depth Studies

Students who have time to immerse themselves in deep historical investigation develop a much higher level of historical understanding of a particular era than those who are asked to race through a chronology of events during the same period.

However, if students work through disconnected depth studies they can get an incoherent and patchy understanding of any given period.

The depth studies have been chosen to be illustrative examples of significant features of any given period.

Therefore if students cannot place these events in broader context the purpose of the Australian Curriculum can be undermined.

Overviews and Depth Studies

ACARA suggests that approximately 10 % of class time should be spent on Overviews and 90% should be spent on Depth Studies.

What is an overview?

‘Historical Knowledge and Understanding includes an overview of the historical period to be covered in each year level 7–10. The overview is not intended to be taught in depth; it will constitute approximately 10% of the total teaching time for the year. The overview content identifies important features of the historical period at the relevant year level and provides an expansive chronology that helps students understand broad patterns of historical change’.

Year 7 OverviewKey inquiry questionsHow do we know about the ancient past?Why and where did the earliest societies develop?What emerged as the defining characteristics of ancient societies?What have been the legacies of ancient societies?

Overview content identifies important features of the period (approximately 60 000 BCE – c.650 CE) as part of an expansive chronology that helps students understand broad patterns of historical change. As such, the overview provides the broader context for the teaching of depth study content and can be built into various parts of a teaching and learning program.

This means that overview content can be used to give students an introduction to the historical period; to make the links to and between the depth studies; and to consolidate understanding through a review of the period.

Year 7 Overview

Overview content for the ancient world (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Rome, India, China and the Maya) includes the following:

The theory that people moved out of Africa around 60 000 BCE and migrated to other parts of the world, including Australia

The evidence for the emergence and establishment of ancient societies (including art, iconography, writing tools and pottery)

Key features of ancient societies (farming, trade, social classes, religion, rule of law)

Year 7 Depth Studies

There are three depth studies for this period, in each there are up to three electives. From each depth study one elective is expected to be studied.

The depth studies for Year 7 are:

Investigating the Ancient Past

The Mediterranean World (Greece or Rome or Egypt)

The Asian World (India or China)

The China Depth StudyThe physical features of China (such as the Yellow River) and how they influenced the civilisation that developed there.

Roles of key groups in Chinese society in this period (such as kings, scholars, craftsmen, women), including the influence of law and religion.

The significant beliefs, values and practices of Chinese society, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: everyday life, warfare, or death and funerary customs.

Contacts and conflicts within and/or with other societies, resulting in developments such as the expansion of trade, the rise of Imperial China (including its material remains), and the spread of philosophies and beliefs.

The role of a significant individual in ancient Chinese history such as Confucius or Qin Shi Huang .

The physical features of China (such as the Yellow River) and how they influenced the civilisation that developed there

The Yellow River

• 2nd longest river in China after the Yangtze

• Known as the ‘Cradle of Chinese Civilisation’ as this is where the early kingdoms of China were located.

• Both and blessing and a curse as it provided fertile plains, but devastating floods occurred on a regular basis.

• Estimates range to 1,500 floods over the last 4000 years with 5 large scale changes of its course since 602 BCE.

The Yellow RiverLoess Soil

• Wind blown sediment that has compacted over a long period of time.

• Very fertile, drains well

• Easy to work with tools

• Highly stable – caves can be dug easily

• Loess Plateau is in China is one the world’s biggest deposits, 640 000 km2

• The Yellow River flows through this and picks up sediment.

The Yellow River• The Yellow River takes its

name from the loess suspended in it.

• As it travels along its course the loess is deposited on the river bed – raising the river bed up to 10 metres above the flood plain.

• Historically levees have been maintained to prevent flooding.

• Management of the river may have lead to centralisation of authority

• 1887 flood killed between 800,000 and 2,000,000 people

• 1931 Huang He flood killed between 1 and 4 million people

• 1.4 billion tons of sediment are discharged annually.

• 34 kilograms of silt for every cubic metre.

• The north China plain is extremely flat and has no natural valleys.

Other Elements of China’s Geography to Consider.

Roles of key groups in Chinese society in this period (such as kings, scholars, craftsmen, women), including the influence of law and religion.

Thought needs to be given to which order the depth study themes are studied in. While it makes sense to look at physical features first, it perhaps more practical to consider ‘significant beliefs, values and practices’ prior to the ‘roles of key groups’.

The significant beliefs, values and practices of Chinese society, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: everyday life, warfare, or death and funerary customs

Religion and Beliefs

The spread of philosophies and beliefs This mainly occurred during the Warring States Period (475 – 221BCE)The anarchy of this period seems to have been partly responsible for a creative dynamic of thought that was known as ‘The Hundred Schools of Thought.’

Many philosophers and thinkers wandered from ruler to ruler advising them on how to govern, conduct war, and deal with neighbouring rulers.

This period coincides with a high point in human wisdom and thinking. Some other ancient contemporaries included Buddha, Pythagoras, Herodotus, Sophocles, Aristotle and Plato.

The most enduring and influential of the Chinese philosophers were Confucius, Lao Tzu and Sun Tzu.

The significant beliefs, values and practices of Chinese society, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: everyday life, warfare, or death and funerary customs

Suggested activities

Acquire copies of the Confucian Analects, The Art of War and the Tao Te Ching

Select passages and have students analyse them in the context of

Everyday life, warfare, death and funerary customs.

The roles of kings, women, craftsmen, scholars, craftsmen and women.

How they influenced law and religion.

The Significant Dynasties

Xia Dynasty 2070–1600 BCE Shang Dynasty 1600–1029 BCE

Western Zhou 1029–771 BCE

Eastern Zhou 770–256 BCE Traditionally divided intoSpring and Autumn Period 722–476 BCWarring States Period 475–221 BC

Qin Dynasty 221–206 BCE

Han Dynasty 206-220 CE

Three Kingdom 220 – 265 CE

Western Jin 265–317 CE

Eastern Jin 317–420 CE

Southern and Northern 420–589 CE

Sui Dynasty 581–618 CE

Tang Dynasty 618–907 CE

The Role of WomenChinese Character Translation Symbols in the character

女 woman Position of deference and respect

男 man Strength, rice field

Peace Woman under a roof

妻 wife Woman with a broom

The Admonitions for Women – Ban Zhao (45–116 CE)Let a woman modestly yield to others; let her respect others; let her put others first, herself last. Should she do something good, let her not mention it; should she do something bad let her not deny it. Let her bear disgrace; let her even endure when others speak or do evil to her. Always let her seem to tremble and to fear

The Role of WomenConfucius developed a philosophy based on looking back to the Zhou dynasty as the perfect system of government and society. From this he developed a philosophy that formalized every relationship in society. Under this system everyone understood what their role and place in society was. He also stated that kings must act with virtue in order to rule effectively.

Despite this there were a number of women who were active in public life. The excavation of the tomb of Shang-dynasty Fu Hao, who died in 1195BCE, contained 1,600 relics including 755 jade pieces. From oracle bone inscriptions we know that she was the consort of King Wu Ding. She had her own estates, led armies into battle and oversaw important religious ceremonies.

Empress Dou, who died in 135BEC, is remembered for being a strong positive influence on both her husband, Emperor Wen; and her son Emperor Jing. She was a strong believer in Taoist teachings, which sought harmony with nature. Both her husband and son also shared her views and Taoist teachings became the official beliefs of government.

Jade Mask from Fu Hao’s tomb

Everyday LifeCrime and Punishment

Ancient China had a highly detailed legal code.

It was based on the moral principles that great thinkers such as Confucius took from the everyday experiences of life.

Instead of claiming to be inspired by god, Chinese law was a reflected the way people lived their lives.

This included different penalties and punishments depending on one’s social or family status.

Everyday LifeCrime and Punishment

Unlike our legal system the law in Ancient China did not operate independently of government, it was seen as an aid to government – not as a way of challenging its authority.

As a result there was no independent legal profession of lawyers. In fact those who gave advice to people in trouble with the law were viewed with suspicion.

A significant IndividualWhat are some of the choices?

The First Emperor - Qin Shi Huang

Among his more positive achievements was the building of the first great northern wall, the building of the Lingqu canal that connected southern and northern rivers, the building of a national system of roads, and the standardization of weights, measures, currency, and the Chinese script.

Some of his less positive achievements included the burning of non-official books, harsh punishments for those that did not obey the very strict laws he introduced, and the killing hundreds of scholars who criticized him.

He is probably best recalled for his tomb, known popularly as the tomb of the Terracotta Warriors.

A significant IndividualSima Qian’s description of the first emperor’s tomb“Replicas of palaces, scenic towers, and the hundreds of officials, as well as rare utensils and wondrous objects, were brought to fill the tomb. Craftsmen were ordered to set up cross-bows and arrows, rigged so that they would immediately shoot down anyone attempting to break in. Mercury was used to fashion imitations of the hundred rivers, the Yellow River and the Yangzi, and the seas, constructed in such a way that they seemed to flow. Above were representations of all the heavenly bodies, below, the features of the earth.”

A Significant Individual

Sima Qian – China’s Herodotus?

Regarded as the father of Chinese historiography largely for his opus Records of the Grand Historian.

Endured castration and became a palace eunuch in order to complete his work.

His style of writing has influenced Chinese history, writing and scholarship for 2000 years.

A significant IndividualThe Duke of Zhou

The Duke of Zhou is remembered in Chinese history being one of the most fairest and just rulers. At the end of the Shang dynasty and the turmoil and disorder that were created the Duke of Zhou emerged as someone who could rule in a just manner.

He also established the principle of ‘Heaven’s Mandate’ that remained at the heart of Chinese imperial rule for hundreds of years. Thinkers such as Confucius looked back on the Duke of Zhou as an idealized ruling figure that all rulers should try and emulate.

As regent the Duke of Zhou was responsible in not only establishing the Zhou dynasty, which was one of China’s greatest and longest, but also putting in place the process for determining the right of kings to rule.

After seven years the Duke of Zhou stood down from the regency and handed over power to King Cheng. It was this act of handing over power, and by this time the new Zhou state had completely defeated the Shang rulers and established very strong rule, that has been seen throughout Chinese history as one of the most noble and virtuous acts by a ruler.

Angkor/Khmer Empire (c.802 – c.1327)

How should we refer to it?

The word ‘Angkor’ is a modern Khmer name of recent times.

It can refer to Angkor city, its vicinity or the empire as a whole.

The word is often used interchangeably and can potentially cause confusion for students

Those that lived there referred to the city as Yaśodharapura (Sanskrit for ‘Holy City)

Angkor Area 160km elevation

Angkor Area 24km Elevation

The Khmer EmpireThe way of life in the Khmer Empire, including, social, cultural, economic and political features (including the role of the king ).

The reasons for Angkor’s rise to prominence, including wealth from trade and agriculture.

The cultural achievements of the Khmer civilisation, including its system of water management and the building of the temples of Angkor.

Theories of the decline of Angkor, such as the overuse of water resources, neglect of public works as a result of ongoing war, and the effects of climate change.

The Khmer Empire

Where is “The physical features of China (Cambodia) (such as the Yellow River(Mekong/Tonle Sap) and how they influenced the civilisation that developed there.”?

The Khmer Empire can be no less explained without its environment than Egypt can without the Nile.

The Great Lake and the Tonle Sap

• The Mekong discharge is 475 cubic kilometres of water a year.

• This is too much for the delta, which acts as a brake.

• The water backs up, reversing the flow of the Tole Sap River.

• Before the reversal of the Tonle Sap the lake covers about 2700 square kilometres which expands up to 16000 square kilometres at its peak.

• The depth increases from one meter to nine.

• The flood leaves behind a fertile blanket of mineral and vegetable material which is capable of supporting intense rice cultivation.

• Fish from the lake provides 60 % of Cambodian’s protein intake.

Cambodia and Geography

Most of Cambodia is at an elevation below 100 meters, with the exception of the mountain ranges that border Thailand to the west and north, and Vietnam and Laos to the northeast.

Cambodia is a large depressed basin, with isolated hills, or phnoms, scattered throughout the plain. Much of the plain is flooded each year by the reversal of the Tonle Sap and the swelling of the Great Lake.

In prehistory the central plain of Cambodia was under water and waves broke against the Dangrek Mountains. As the Mekong cascaded over the Khong falls it brought with it sediments that gradually emerged from under the sea floor forming the present-day plains of Cambodia. All that remains of this sea is the Great Lake

Khmer Empire and Rice

As the waters of the Great Lake receded water was trapped a rice was grown with levees placed in the retreating waters.

This apparently permitted up to three crops or rice a year resulting in the transformation of rice into temples.

Added to this was a sophisticated irrigation system of canals and reservoirs known as barays.

The way of life in the Khmer Empire, including, social, cultural, economic and political features (including the role of the king ).

Describing the way of life in the Khmer Empire through the stone carvings and the writings of the Chinese Ambassador Zhou Daguan (for example in relation to fishing, trading in markets, temple construction.

Zhou Daguan was a Chinese envoy who visited in 1296-97

He describes the royal palace, sacred buildings, the role of women, traders, slaves, hill people, animals, landscapes and everyday life.

Much of the original text has been lost

Readers need to aware of Zhou’s cultural chauvinism

Other Historical Sources

The only written sources by Khmers that remain are inscribed on temples

These were often written centuries after the events they speak of

In some ways this is like reconstructing contemporary events from funeral notices and wills

Temple friezes provide detail about daily life and belief – especially Angkor Wat and the Bayon.

The Bayon

The reasons for Angkor’s rise to prominence, including wealth from trade and agriculture.

Explaining how being revered to as the ‘god-king or ‘deva-raja’ enabled the Khmer kings to rule over the empire with absolute authority, thereby enhancing their ability to mobilise manpower to defend the empire as well as to invade neighbours.

The fist step to understanding this is to examine the process known as ‘Indianisation’

Transmission of Indian ideas from about 200BCE

Process occurred over many centuries

Trade and religious missionaries were probably the main agents

No evidence of any direct Indian colonisation

The reasons for Angkor’s rise to prominence, including wealth from trade and agriculture.

India Southeast AsiaThe use of milk in diet No

Vegetarianism No

Caste system Only in Bali

Religion, cosmology and ritual Yes

Arts including statues representing gods, kings and Buddha

Yes

Political models Yes

Sanskrit language Yes

Money, coinage None at Angkor, but present elsewhere

The practice of stone inscription and palm leaf books

Yes

The Hindu temple complex Yes

Cremation burial Yes

Town and city planning Yes

Artificial water systems Yes

Wheel-made pottery Yes

Explaining how being revered to as the ‘god-king or ‘deva-raja’ enabled the Khmer kings to rule over the empire with absolute authority, thereby enhancing

their ability to mobilise manpower to defend the empire as well as to invade neighbours.

In 802 Jayavarman II declares himself ‘universal monarch.’ In doing so he unites what had been a series of kingdoms that had been at war with both themselves and external enemies such as the Champa.

Not content with being supreme king of kings, Jayavarman had conducted a ceremony which involved a cult known as devarajas, or “god-kings” which linked Jayavarman with the Hindu god Shiva.

Thus, a royal family was created that took its authority and right to rule from the gods.

Building program begins whereby successive kings undertook a trinity of works including, barays, the other two were the establishment of state and ancestral temples.

The Sdok Koh Thom stele

Neither Jayavarman II, nor his son Jayavarman III left any written record or account of their accomplishments. Most of what is known has come by way of the Sdok Kak Thom inscription from an 11th Century temple of the same name in present day Southeast Thailand.

The inscription recounts two and a half centuries of royal service by the temple’s owners to the Angkorian court. It describes twelve Khmer kings as well as many of the ceremonies that took place. Historians have questioned some of the claims about the rituals that linked Khmer kings to the gods that the inscription makes.

The cultural achievements of the Khmer civilisation, including its system of water management and the building of the temples of Angkor.

The debate over the us of water has been resolved in recent years due to remote sensing archeology. It has now been demonstrated that the barays were part of a system of reservoirs used for irrigation purposes.

The West Baray is 8 by 2 kilometres with an average depth of 7 metres

Held approximately 123 millions cubic litres of water

Suryavarman II and Angkor Wat

He attacked Champa in the east, defeated its king and sacked its capital, Vijaya.

He was also the first Angkorian king to establish diplomatic relations with China. The Chinese may have also encouraged him to attack the Viet in the north of modern day Vietnam.

These achievements alone would have been enough for Suryavarman to be remembered as one of the great kings of Angkor. Suryavarman also sought to make his rule stand out from those that came before him by linking himself to the god Vishnu. But it was what he achieved when he arrived at Yasodharapura that he is most remembered for today.

Prior to Suryavarman II becoming king in 1113CE Cambodia had experienced a period of turmoil that saw rival kings contending for power.

After Suryavarman established himself as a universal monarch, after battling a rival prince, he set out to expand and strengthen the empire.

Suryavarman II and Angkor WatThese achievements alone would have been enough for Suryavarman to be remembered as one of the great kings of Angkor. Suryavarman also sought to make his rule stand out from those that came before him by linking himself to the god Vishnu. But it was what he achieved when he arrived at Yasodharapura that he is most remembered for today.

It covers an area of 2 square kilometres and at its highest point is 65 metres

Largest religious structure in the world

It is surrounded by a 200 metre wide moat on all four sides

the wall of the terraces bas-relief depict scenes from Indian mythology and military and court scenes from the time of Suryavarman. The reliefs are about 2 metres high and all up add up to about 700 metres and are the longest continuous bas-reliefs in the world.

Theories of the decline of Angkor, such as the overuse of water resources, neglect of public works as a result of ongoing war, and the effects of climate change.

Outlining theories about the decline of the Khmer civilisation (for example the development of an unstable climate such as drought and monsoons, the rise of Theravada Buddhism; the arrival of the Black Death and the breakdown of Angkor’s water management system)

Most plausible explanation are:

The rise of the Tai kingdom of Ayutthaya who launched a series of destructive raids culminating with their placing a Ayudhyan prince in the throne in 1431

A succession of droughts damaged the irrigation system in addition to excessive silting

Changes in trade saw a return to the Mekong Delta as viable trading area

Emphasis should not be placed on religious conversion or excessive temple building as causes.

Sources

Sources