Chapter 4: Empires of India & China Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism Section 2: Powerful Empires of India Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
Jan 13, 2016
Chapter 4: Empires of India & China
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
Summary: India was the birthplace of two major religions:
1.) Hinduism 2.) Buddhism
Hinduism and Buddhism are two very important religions that developed in ancient India They both influenced Indian civilization
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
Hinduism is one of the most complex religions in the world Unlike most major
religions, Hinduism has no single founder
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
Hinduism also has many sacred texts, instead of just one Hinduism has developed and changed for
over 3,500 years Many different groups have added their own
beliefs and gods
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
To a Hindu, different gods are forms of an all-powerful spiritual force The goal of life is to become one with this
force Hindus believe that it is hard to achieve this goal
in one lifetime, therefore, people are reincarnated many times
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul in another bodily form Hinduism is the most widely practiced
religion in India today
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism The founder of Buddhism,
Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, was born about 566 B.C. After studying and reflecting,
he believed he had found the cure for human suffering
Buddha taught that people must free themselves from desires
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
Buddha urged people to live a moral life and avoid evil words and actions Through meditation, a person might achieve
enlightenment, or understanding
Four Noble Truths1. All of life is suffering.2. Suffering is caused by desire 3. Suffering can be eliminated.4. Suffering is eliminated by following the Noble Eightfold Path.
Noble Eightfold Path1. Right beliefs2. Right aspirations3. Right speech4. Right conduct5. Right livelihood6. Right effort7. Right mindfulness8. Right meditation
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
Buddha attracted many followers After his death, missionaries spread his
teachings across many parts of Asia Although Buddhism took root in other parts of Asia,
it slowly declined in India
Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism
Hinduism Buddhism
-No 1 founder
-Supported Caste System
-Developed over 3,500 years
-Important in India today
-Told people to live moral lives
-Accepted reincarnation
-Goal was union with an all-powerful spiritual force
-Founded by Buddha
-Rejected Caste System
-Important in Asia, but few followers in India today
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
Summary: Two great empires,
the Maurya and the Gupta, flourished in Ancient India
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
In 321 B.C., the Mauryas conquered most of northern and southern India They built the first Indian empire
The Maurya Dynasty set up a strong government
Officials collected taxes and managed road building People sought justice in royal courts
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
Maurya rule was often harsh, and brutal secret police reported problems to the emperor After almost 150 years, the empire declined
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
Fierce rivalries, geography, and distance made it difficult to keep India united In spite of conflicts, by 100 B.C. India had
become a center of world trade Merchants traded in fine cloth, jewels, and spices
with faraway civilizations such as China and Egypt
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
About 500 years after the Mauryas, the Gupta Dynasty again united much of India This empire
also had a strong government
The Gupta period was a Golden Age, a time of peace and prosperity, or wealth Under the Guptas, advances were made in the arts
and sciences Building, painting, and literature flourished
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
Mathematicians invented the number system we use today as well as the decimal system
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
Gupta doctors used herbs to cure sick people They performed plastic surgery and
vaccinated people against small pox The Gupta empire lasted for over 200
years, then it too declined
Section 2: Powerful Empires of India
Empire Maurya Gupta
Dates 321 B.C.-185 B.C. A.D. 320-550
Location Northern & Southern India Northern India
Government -Harsh rule
-Organized Gov.
-Officials collected Taxes
-Mild rule
-Organized Gov.
Learning -Schools & Libraries in capital
-Missionaries spread Buddhism
-Golden Age of learning
-Number system we use today
-Decimal system
-Plastic surgery
-Vaccines
Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life
Summary: The three important parts of Indian life were
the Caste system, villages, and the family
The Caste System began in early Aryan times By Gupta times,
there were many castes
Caste was linked to Hindu beliefs
People in different castes were considered different types of beings
Caste rules developed to prevent mixing among groups These rules
determined where people lived, what they ate, and what jobs they did
High castes had more status than low castes
Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life
People believed that Karma determined their caste Karma refers to all of the actions of a
person’s life that affect his or her next life
Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life
Living by caste rules meant that a person would be born into a higher caste in his or her next life Although the Caste System might seem
unfair to us, it created a stable society
In India, the village was the center of everyday life A village was made up of a group of homes
surrounded by fields Most people farmed and depended on summer
monsoons for waterTogether, farmers built irrigation systems to
control monsoon rains
Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life
A village was left alone as long as it paid taxes to the rulers of the region A local headman and council made decisions
and led the village
Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life
In the village people lived in joint families Parents, children, and grandparents lived
together Joint families created unity and security
Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life
The oldest male was head of the household, but property belonged to the whole family Every family member had certain duties
according to caste values
Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life
The Caste System:Karma determines Caste
In this life In next life
Higher Caste
Lower Caste
A person is born into a
Caste
If good & obeys Caste rules
If bad & breaks Caste rules
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
Summary: Three schools of thought:
1.) Confucianism 2.) Legalism 3.) Daoism
Influenced the Chinese people
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
The late Zhou Dynasty was a troubled time in China There were many wars, and economic and
social changes disrupted everyday life Thinkers looked for way to make society better
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
China’s most important thinker was Confucius Confucius taught people to
accept their place in society He said that older people
were superior to younger people
Husbands were superior to wives
Respect for parents was the most important duty
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
Confucius taught that people were good Honesty, hard work, and caring promoted
harmony He believed a ruler should set a good example for
the people Rulers should take advice from educated men
Thus, education became a way to advance in Chinese society
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
Another thinker, Hanfeizi, believed that people were bad He taught that a good ruler
should use strict laws and harsh punishments
The teachings of Hanfeizi are called Legalism
Many rulers used the ideas of Legalism to help them rule
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
A third Chinese ruler was Laozi His teachings were called
Daoism Daoists wanted to live in
harmony with nature To Daoists the best
government was the one that governed least
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
The ideas of these three thinkers influenced Chinese life Confucianism taught people how to behave Legalism punished those who would not do
their duty Daoism affected people’s view of nature
Chinese ideas and beliefs were spread to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam
Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China
Superior
Ruler, father, husband, elder brother
Inferior
Subject, wife, son, younger brother
Owes loyalty & obedience to
Takes care of and sets example for
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
Summary:Powerful emperors made China the
most advanced civilization of its time
By 221 B.C., the ruler of the Qin [Chin] people had conquered the Zhou He called himself Shi
Huangdi, or first emperor
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
Shi Huangdi used cruel methods to control China He tortured, jailed, and killed those who did
not support him However, he made measurements standard,
created national coins, and repaired canals and roads
The greatest achievement of the Qin was creating the Great Wall to keep out invaders Thousands of workers
labored for years to build the wall
When Shi Huangdi died, the people revolted, or rebelled They replaced the Qin
with the Han dynasty The Han changed the
harsh rules of the Qin and reduced taxes
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
The Han developed a civil service system Exams based on the teachings of Confucius,
not family influence, decided who would get government jobs
This system was used for nearly 2,000 years
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
Han China was the most advanced civilization of its time The Han learned to make paper out of wood
pulp They invented the wheelbarrow, the fishing
wheel, and the rudder, a device used to steer ships
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
In medicine, the Han used acupuncture, or treatment with needles, to reduce pain
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
The Han built beautiful temples and palaces
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
Artists carved jade and ivory
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
The Han opened a trade route called the Silk Road The Silk Road connected China with lands as
far west as Mesopotamia
Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China
220 165 110 55
B.C.
221 B.C.
Qin ruler Shi Huangdi unifies China; begins building the Great Wall
206 B.C.
Liu Bang becomes first Han Emperor
210 B.C.
Shi Huangdi dies
141 B.C.
Wudi, most famous Han emperor, begins his rule; he opens the Silk Road
87 B.C.
Wudi dies