1.3 AMSCO and Lecture

Question 1

Vijayanagara Empire (Southern India)

Answer 1

• 1336 to 1646
• name means “victorious city”
• Harihara and Bukka founded empire coming from the Delhi Sultanate
• made kingdom Hindu since it was their original religion, even though they converted to Islam
• overthrown by Muslim kingdoms

Question 2

Rajput Kingdoms (North India)

Answer 2

• Hindu kingdoms led by leaders of numerous clans who were often at war with one another
• no centralized government, so were vulnerable to Muslim attacks coming from the northwest

Question 3

Delhi Sultanate

Answer 3

• reigned from 1200s to 1500s
• made up of Hindus and people who converted to Islam; caused controversy
• resentment grew when the jizya (tax all non-Muslims had to pay) was placed
• only had a sultan and no organized bureaucracy
• stopped Mongols from conquering South Asia, but lost power to the Mughals in 1526

Question 4

Srivijaya Empire (Sumatra)

Answer 4

• ruled from 670 to 1025
• a Hindu kingdom based in Sumatra
• built up navy and prospered by charging fees for ships traveling between India and China

Question 5

Majahapit Kingdom (Java)

Answer 5

• ruled from 1293 to 1520
• based in Java and had 98 tributaries
• Buddhist and sustained power from controlling sea routes

Question 6

Sinhala Dynasties (Sri Lanka)

Answer 6

• land based kingdom that drew power from land control
• established by early immigrants (merchants) from North India
• Buddhists arrived in 200s BCE and made the island a center of Buddhist study
• men and women found simple life, monasteries, and nunneries

Question 7

Khmer Empire (Cambodia)

Answer 7

• also known as the Angkor Kingdom (802-1431)
• near the Mekong River, but didn’t depend on trade for power
• economic prosperity came from irrigation and drainage systems (the most prosperous kingdom in Southeast Asia)
• systems allowed farmers to harvest rice crops multiple times a year and reduced the impact of heavy monsoon rains

Question 8

Sukhothai Kingdom (Thailand)

Answer 8

• Thais who invaded Angkor Kingdom in 1431
• forced Khmers out of the area

Question 9

Proselytize

Answer 9

• when a religious group actively seeks converts
• system Muslims wanted to use but then realized it was difficult to change the minds of Hindus and Buddhists (people came voluntarily or married Muslim merchants who made them convert)

Question 10

Bhakti Movement

Answer 10

• began in 1100s in Southern India
• movement that focused on developing a strong attachment to a particular deity instead of just studying texts or performing rituals
• didn’t discriminate against women or people of low social status
• Mira Bai: Bhakti Movement female poet
• similar to Sufi Muslims even though they were Hindu (mystical movements, less traditional)

Question 11

Qutub Minar

Answer 11

• a gigantic leaning tower built towering the Delhi Sultanate mosque
• tallest structure in India
• symbolized Islamic influence and their dominance

Question 12

Urdu

Answer 12

• language that mixed Hindi, Arabic, and Farsi
• developed under Muslims
• official language of Pakistan

Question 13

Chola Dynasty

Answer 13

• ruled from 850 to 1267 in Southern India
• Extended their rule to Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka) in the 1000s

Question 14

Religion in South Asia

Answer 14

• Mostly Hinduism (small amount of Buddhism) when Islam arrived; many differences between Islam and Hinduism include monotheism, visual representation, equality/social system, sacred texts
• Islam wanted to actively proselytize (seek converts) but found struggles in converting Hindus and Buddhists (converts came to them)
• Low caste Hindus were attracted to the equality system of Islam
• Buddhists converted also to avoid the corruption among the monk and monastery raids from Muslims

Question 15

Social Structures in South Asia

Answer 15

• The caste system was part of Indian religion and society (Muslims could easily fit in by their occupation)
• If someone was in low status, it was hard to go up the system without more education of a better job
• Muslims changed the way they spread Islam in order to respect the old traditions of their converts (people had Muslim traditions and their own)

Question 16

Cultural Achievements in South Asia

Answer 16

• Astronomy, algebra, and geometry were spread all around South Asia
• Major buildings were being developed, such as the Qutub Minar mosque in the Delhi Sultanate
• The Urdu language developed, which is the official language of Pakistan
• Bhakti Movement began by valuing the importance of emotion; treated women and people of low social status like any other (very similar to the Sufi Muslims)

Question 17

Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Indonesia: Buddhist elements

Answer 17

In the Borobudur temple there are three main levels that represent human development. The first level, Kamadhatu, represents humanity not being able to control their desires and being destructive. The second level, Rupadhatu, showcases how humanity is aware of their desires and they have a stronger control on them. The last level, Arupadhatu, means ‘without form’ and symbolizes balance in humanity where people have full control of their desires and have become ‘one’ with the Creator.

Question 18

Borobudur Temple: Southeast Asian Architectural Influence

Answer 18

I noticed the precise sculptures on the tops, sides, and ends of the temples and how specific and detailed every inch of the temples were. The geometric patterns were also easy to spot, which are derived from Islamic and Hindu culture.

Question 19

Angkor Wat Temple in Khmer Empire, Cambodia: Southeast Asian Architecture

Answer 19

Since it was at first a Hindu Temple, there are many tall towers. This indicates Southeast Asian culture since that’s where Hinduism first developed. There were also intricate and precise geometric shapes, coming from the Islamic influence around Southeast Asia. Islamic culture is also showcased from the flat parts around the temple.