Chapter 4 Flashcards
What happened in 1900 BCE in Ancient India?
Mohenjo Daro and Harappa thrived.
What happened between 1900 and 1500 BCE in Ancient India?
Aryan invasions.
What happened in 1500 BCE in Ancient India?
The Vedas composed.
What happened in 500 BCE in Ancient India?
Sanskrit was first written.
What happened in 563 - 483 BCE in Ancient India?
Siddhartha Gautama originated Buddhism.
What happened in 326 BCE in Ancient India?
Alexander invades and departs the Indus River Valley.
What happened in 321 BCE in Ancient India?
Mauryan Empire unites India
What happened in 320 CE in Ancient India?
Guptan Empire rules India.
Between 321 BCE and 320 CE, how long of disunity and regional rule was there?
500 years
How long did Ashoka rule?
269 - 232
Caste systems were first described as…
Rig Veda
The caste system is about how old?
300 years
One of the main manuscripts of the Verdic Period is…
1500 - 1000 BCE
The Caste System is based on….of the world?
Religious understanding
What is the primary God of ancient India?
Brahma
A caste system is…
A division of people into segregated social groups different from another by professional occupation as well as rights and obligations.
Brahmins were…
Priests and teachers
Kshatriyas were…
Warriors and rulers
Vaishyas were…
Farmers, traders, and merchants
Shudras were…
Laborers
Dalits were…
Outcasts, streetgoers
What did Brahmins do?
They advised the rulers, rituals of serving to the Gods, praying, and were known with a white color code.
What did Kshatriyas do?
They educated, powerful, war and government, protection of Brahmins, woman and the weak, and known for their red color.
What did Vaishyas do?
They farmed or commenced, wealthy, ancient “middle class,” had their own houses, and known for their yellow (golden) color.
What did Shudras do?
They weren’t educated, labour workers, servents, didn’t own houses, lower caste, know for their black color.
What did Untouchables do?
They had “dirty work,” living outside of the settlements, no access to water sources, no access to temples.
What does the caste system do?
Sustain the hierarchy and power as well as social and economic inequality.
India’s political history during the classical period could be characterized as what?
Fragmented with intermittent empires.
When did the first empire unite with many small kingdoms?
Around 600 BCE.
Around 600 BCE, the first empire united with many small kingdoms. What was this kingdom called?
The Mauryan Empire.
Empires were centered on what river?
Ganges
The Mauryan Empire was led by who?
Chandragupta Mauryan
How long did the Mauryan Empire span?
More than 2000 miles.
How did Chandragupta build his empire?
Conquest
How large of an army did Chandragupta have?
60,000
Chandragupta, with his army, defeated who?
Alexander the Great’s successor
Who was Chandragupta’s advisor?
Kautilya
What did Kautilya write?
Arthasastra
What is the Arthasastra about?
How to keep a vast empire together.
What did the book urge rulers to do?
Conquer neighboring kingdoms that are weak and maintain an army of spies.
Who is Chandragupta’s grandson?
Asoka
What happened in 301 BCE?
Asoka assumed the throne under Asoka.
Asoka lost how many soldiers in the Battle of Kalinga?
100,000
Why did Asoka start to study Buddhism?
By the loss of life and suffering in battle
What are Asoka’s Edicts?
Huge pillars with Buddhist teachings throughout his empire.
What did Asoka do to the empire?
Improved roads, created public wells, built hospitals and veterinary clinics, and built rest shops throughout his kingdom.
When did Asoka die?
232 BCE
What happened to the Mauryan Empire after Asoka died?
It fell apart.
What happened in 320 CE with Chandra Gupta?
United India into its second empire called the Gupta Empire.
The Gupta empire brought what?
Advancements in math and science.
Who wrote Shakuntala?
Kaidasa
What is Shakuntala?
A classic love story.
Indian astronomers proved what?
Earth was round by observing a lunar eclipse.
What isolated China?
Geographic barriers such as deserts, high mountain ranges, rainforests in the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.
Civilization emerged where in China?
Huang River Valley “River of Sorrows”
What was the first dynasty to be recorded in China?
Shang Dynasty
When was the Shang Dynasty around?
1766 BCE
What were the social classes in Shang Dynasty?
King and Princesses rule
Royal family and noble warriors at the top
Most were peasents
Who overthrew Shang Dynasty?
Zhou
When was the Shang Dynasty overthrown?
1766 BCE
Dynasties needed what?
Mandate of Heaven
Who was Confucius?
A brilliant scholar and teacher and taught relationships shape behavior
Confucianism influenced what percent of the world’s popuation?
1/3
What is Filial Piety?
Respect for your parents
Li
Rite, rules, ritual decorum (binding force of an enduring stable society)
Ren
Humanness, benevolence, humanity
Shu
Reciprocity, empathy
Yi
Righteousness
Xiao
Respect your elders
