Kevin’s Cards about Civilization Ideas Flashcards
The Great Wall of China was one of the world’s what
Most massive building projects
When did the Great Wall of China begin
The wall was begun in ancient times, but most of it was constructed during later centuries
Even as people in different lands and civilizations set their sights on new goals, they seem to chose paths surprisingly consistent with what
Their past
Different people at different times and places have cherished different things. They’ve had different what
Ideas about what’s important
What happened during the period between 1800 and 400 B.C.
The rise of ideas with long-lasting effects, ideas still with us today
What ideas did they have in China
The scholar Confucius, through his writing and teachings, influenced Chinese civilization for centuries to come
What ideas did they have in India
The great religions of Hinduism and Buddhism emerged. These faiths are followed by more than a billion people today
What ideas did the Hebrews have
They broke tradition and started to follow not many gods but one god. They left the world of unpredictable nature gods behind. (Middle East)
What ideas did they have in Greece
People developed a new appreciation for the human person, human reason, and human dignity
What was the environment in China like when Confucius first began to teach
China was in trouble. Peace and unity had given way to warring among small provinces. Government was corrupt. The rich lived in great houses while the poor lacked even the basic of life, like food
How was Confucius like
Confucius was honest honest, fair, and loved learning. He gave China a philosophy that eventually transformed society
Shang Dynasty: China’s first dynasty, the Shang Dynasty, ruled more than how many years
600 years
Shang Dynasty: The ambitious Shang rulers did what
United the Chinese people
Shang Dynasty: They kept thousands of workers busy doing what
Building cities with huge stamped- earth walls
Shang Dynasty: In the cities, 100s of skilled craftsmen casted what
Bronze goblets, cups, and bowls. Meanwhile, scribes perfected a beautiful system of writing
Shang Dynasty: Under the Shang Dynasty, Chinese civilization did what
Flourished and spread
Zhou Dynasty: A 2nd family of rulers, called the Zhou (djoh) dynasty, came to power when
Around the year 1050 B.C.
Zhou Dynasty: How did the Zhou dynasty fall and rise
For a while China remained unified and peaceful , but then the Zhou empire began to break down as rival lords vied for power
Zhou Dynasty: What did the country break into
The country broke into multiple independent, unwary states
Zhou Dynasty: How was the power for kings
A king still ruled the country, but had very little power and most power was in the states
Zhou Dynasty: How was the environment in States
States fought all the time
Zhou Dynasty: What was the countryside of China like
The countryside of China was filled with rich lords who kept their own armies and acted like tyrants. They attacked each other and taxed the people to pay for their wars and fine houses
Zhou Dynasty: What were rulers actions and characteristics during the break up of the states
Rulers at this time were cruel and indifferent , and Rulers cared little about the common people, and justice was almost nowhere to be found
Confucius: When and Where was Confucius born
Confucius was born in the time of turmoil around the year 551 B.C and his home state is in Lu
Confucius: What is Confucius’ stories
According to tradition, Confucius’ father was a soldier and his mother was a young peasant woman. When he was just 3yrs old his father died. So Confucius started life in humble conditions. Nevertheless, at an early age Confucius made up his mind to become a scholar. “At 15, I set my heart on learning,” he said. He studied all the ancient writings he could get his hands on. He spent his time absorbing the history of China’s glorious past, and traveled state to state. In time, he gained a reputation as a learned man, and a group of young men began gathering around him discuss ideas and listen to what he had to say
Confucius: How was Confucius’ behavior to teaching
Confucius welcomed all students who came to learn, even those so poor they had nothing to offer as payment except a package of dried meat
Confucius: What was Confucius’ one requirement to teach
A pupil had to show eagerness to learn
Confucius: What was Confucius’ real name
Confucius’ real name was Kong Qiu (KWANG choo). In China he came to be known as Kongfuzi (KWANG FOO-dzuh), which meant “Great Master Kong”. Most people,in the west know him as Confucius, which is Latin for Kongfuzi
Confucius: What were the conditions Confucius lived in
He lived in a time of chaos
What was happening in Rome in the 6th century B.C
Rome is declared a republic
What was happening in Maya in the 6th century B.C
Maya civilization is flourishing in Mexico
What were the Hebrews doing in the 6th century B.C
Many books of the Old Testament are first written down in Hebrew
What was Pythagoras doing in the 6th century B.C
Pythagoras influences mathematics and philosophy in Greece
What was Siddhartha Gautama doing in the 6th century B.C
Siddhartha founds Buddhism in India
Confucius Teachings: What did Confucius say about living a good life
“The secret to a peaceful land and a good life was good character”
Confucius Teachings: What did Confucius say about living well
“To live well, a person must be a gentleman”
Confucius Teaching: What did Confucius say a gentleman was
“The gentleman was not one who was born rich or high position. The gentleman was one who fulfilled his duties and thought of others. He was loyal to friends. He brought rest and comfort to old people, and was kind and loving toward the young”
Confucius Teaching: What did Confucius say about good behavior
“Right behavior led to a good life, and every person must try to lead a good life, for only then would all people be happy”
Confucius Teaching: What did he say about family
Families, the countries’ littlest communities, could be an example for the larger community of China
What did Confucius urged his students to do what
To disagree with him if they thought he was wrong, and he was never afraid to make a mistake
What were Confucius’ standards for his behavior
Confucius set high standards for his behavior and said he often failed but never stopped trying
What did Confucius long to about the injustice
Confucius longed to do something about the injustice and warfare in China and wanted to bring back the days of the early Zhou Kings
What did Confucius call the golden age of government
When kings acted with virtue and respect
What did Corrupt Officials fear about Confucius
Corrupt officials feared that if Confucius’ ideas of virtuous leaders took hold, they would soon be out of their jobs
Why did Nobles ignore Confucius’s ideas
Nobles didn’t want to be bothered with having to live up to high standards, so they can usually ignored Confucius’ ideas
Why did Confucius mainly focus on young boys
Confucius focused on young boys since his students were male and men served in the government
What did Confucius say about the “Five Relationships”
Confucius said there are five different kinds of relationships between people. In each of these relationships, he said, there is a proper way to behave. His plan for an orderly society with a good environment was based on these relationships
The 5 Relationships: What is the first and most important relationship
The relationship between parent and child is the most important of all, Confucius said. That’s because during childhood, children learn the proper way to live from their parents. According to Confucius, a person becomes a good man by first learning to be a good son, and then remaining good as he grows up
What did Confucius say as a response to one of his students asking how to show respect
“Let your parents’ only worry be that you may fall sick.”
The 5 Relationships: What is the second relationship
Elder Brother and younger brother
The 5 Relationships: What is the third relationship
Husband and Wife
The 5 Relationships: What is the fourth relationship
Ruler and Subject
The 5 Relationships: What is the fifth relationship
Between friends
What are all the relationships in order
Parent and child, elder brother and a younger brother, husband and wife, ruler and subject, and between friends
What was “The Golden Rule” Confucius said
“Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you”
What was most important to Confucius
Learning how to live with others
What did Confucius say was a wise man and a good man
“A wise man is one who understands others. A good man is someone who loves others”
What did Confucius talk addressing religion
Confucius didn’t talk about any gods but talked about heaven, but didn’t explain it for he thought it couldn’t be put in words
Confucius spent much of his career talking about what
Government
What did Confucius believe about bad government
He believed if government was bad, people would find it hard to live good lives
Confucius died believing what
He had failed
What was the book that Confucius’ followers write about his teachings
Analects of Confucius
Who was the first emperor of China
Qin Shi Huangdi
What was Qin Shi Huangdi known as
The “Tiger of China”
What did Qin Shi Huangdi want for the government
He wanted direct control of a centralized government
What are 2 of Qin Shi Huangdi’s most famous monuments
The Great Wall of China and his tomb filled with clay warriors
Confucius passed away without seeing what in the government
The upright ruler he sought
How was life for China when Confucius was alive and when he died
Confucius lived during troubled times, and he died just as China was entering a time of even greater turmoil
What was the era of China with feuding between rival kingdoms called
“The Period of Warring States”
How did Qin Shi Huangdi come to power
By the year 221 B.C., a powerful warrior prince emerged in the western state of Qin. Ambitious and ruthless, he defeated neighboring warlords and seized control or all the warring Chinese states. The man took the title Qin Shi Huangdi, meaning “First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty”. The old title king, wasn’t grand enough for him
Qin Shi Huangdi: What was something he did that was successful in his rule
He succeeded in uniting China and bringing order to the land
How did Qin Shi Huangdi rule
Qin Shi Huangdi had very little regards to the teachings of Confucius and ruled harshly and had mighty feats earning him the title “Tiger of China”
Qin Shi Huangdi: How much land did the emperor rule
The 1st emperor ruled a land that stretched from the East China Sea to the foothills of the Himalaya, north to the edges of Mongolia, and south to present-day Vietnam
What did Qin Shi Huangdi do about the nobles who still had power
Even though Huangdi wanted all the power, nobles remained powerful which Huangdi knew was a threat to his supreme rule. So he forced them to leave their states and move to the imperial capital, where he could keep a close watch on them
Qin Shi Huangdi: What did he succeed with government
Qin succeeded in setting up a centralized government in China, that is, a government which most of the power lay in the hands of the emperor and his court
What was the saying that the Chinese used to describe the rule of the first emperor
“Strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches”
What were problems Qin Shi Huangdi identified
The emperor liked nothing better than touring his realm. As he did so, he discovered other problems. He saw his subjects used many different units to weigh and measure things. He saw that people in different places used different forms of writing. The emperor realized how confusing this all was. A bag of rice weighed in one village might be given a different weight in another. Currencies were different, too. The coins of the old sates were still in use- and they were all different. Cast in bronze, they had various shapes. One was a spade and another looked like a knife, and another a cowrie shell. Money in one region couldn’t be spent in another
How did Qin Shi Huangdi solve all the problems he saw in his empire
Qin Shi Huangdi ordered that everyone in the empire should use the same weights, measures, and writing. To motivate people to change from their old habits, he declared that anyone who clung on to the old ways would be guilty of treason. He also imposed a unified currency. The new imperial coins were round with a hole in the middle so they could be strung together and suspended from belts. The emperor even made a standard width for carts
Qin Shi Huangdi: What were the origins of the first emperor
The first Emperor was born Prince Zheng in the state of Qin in 259 B.C. His name meant “upright” which people disagreed with
Qin Shi Huangdi: What did the first emperor think building would do for his empire
The first emperor was a great builder and constructed roads and canals all across China. These, he believed, would knit together the distant corners of his realm and bring all under his control. China was looking like an empire
Qin Shi Huangdi: What was a problem that the emperor say outside the empire
Another problem the emperor saw was that for centuries, nomadic northern invaders had attacked the Chinese. Riding swift horses, these fierce raiders from the area we know as Mongolia today
In which dynasty was calligraphy created
The Han Dynasty
What does calligraphy mean
“Beautiful Writing”
Why has the Great Wall of China been called the “longest cemetery in the world”
They worked high in the mountains through 7 bitter winters and as many blistering summers. Hunger, exhaustion, and overwork killed many. For these reasons, the wall has been called “the longest cemetery in the world”
What is the longest man made structure
The Great Wall of China
What was the natural boundary of the Qin empire to the south? To the north
To the south was the South China Sea and to the north the Gobi
Approximately how many miles did the Qin empire extend from north to south? From East to west
About 1,400 miles from north to south; about 1,200 miles East to west
What is the latitude and longitude of the westernmost point of the Great Wall? Of the easternmost point
40 degrees north and 94 degrees east for the westernmost point; 40 degrees north and 125 degrees east for the easternmost
How does the location of the Great Wall reflect the function of the wall
The wall is up north since it was used to protect China from the Mongolians in the north
What do historians look in societies
Historians look for changes over time in societies. But, they also look for continuity - - things that stay the same
What did the Han do when they came to the government
In China, people welcomed the change from the Qin to the Han dynasty. The Han kept the good features of the Qin dynasty - - such as a unified central government - - but they instituted many needed reforms. The 400 years of Han rule heralded great advances in technology, commerce, and education. Even today, most Chinese refer t9 themselves as “the people of the Han”
How long did Qin Shi Huangdi think his dynasty would last
Qin Shi Huangdi thought he had founded a dynasty that would last for 10,000 generations, but less than 5 years after his death, it was replaced by the Han dynasty
How did the Han dynasty come to power
Only 4 years after the 1st emperor’s death in 210 B.C., his dynasty fell in a bloody civil war. The victors in that war founded a dynasty called Han. This dynasty lasted more than 400 years
For guidance, what did the Han dynasty ruler’s use for guidance of how to rule
The teachings of Confucius
What did Confucius teach for rulers to follow
The role of rulers is to bring happiness to their subjects - a lesson that the Tiger of China, Qin Shi Huangdi, didn’t care to learn
During the Han Dynasty what was the tone for public life
The Analects of Confucius and the great teacher’s ideas
Han Dynasty: What lives did the emperors live
Some emperors lived relatively simple lives
Han Dynasty: Rulers sought advice from who
They sought the advice of scholars as they governed their empire
What did the Han dynasty do with the first emperor’s achievements
They built on what the first Emperor achieved and made it better
Han Dynasty: Who became the elite of China
The officials of the civil service became the elite of China. These were the men who ran the empire, some in the imperial capital, some in the outlying districts
Han Dynasty: What were their major break from the past
The Han made one important break from the past. They thought the conduct of powerful officials should be guided by the ideas of Confucius
Who were allowed to be in the government
The Han emperors sought smart, virtuous men to help administer the government. No longer would family ties be qualification enough. A rich uncle wouldn’t be able to get a nephew a job in the government. Those who served the state should do so on merit- on the basis of their intelligence and skills. To find these gifted men, the Han emperors established a system of recommendations. All over China, local officials nominated promising young men of virtue and talent
How were young men selected
Young men went to the central government to be interviewed. To be selected, they had to show the Confucian virtues of honesty, sincerity, and respect for their elders. They also had to know how to read and write
Who sought out Confucian teachers in hope that they would gain reputation for the Confucian virtues
Ambitious Young men
Han Dynasty: What did Han rulers do in 124 B.C.
In 124 B.C., they set up the Imperial University to teach the Confucian classics to future government officials. Later, the Confucian classics were carved in stone in the capital city. Scholars journeyed from the empire’s distant provinces to make copies of them
What is China’s largest ethnic group
The Han
What did the Han Dynasty do with territory
The Han dynasty didn’t wish to give up any territory gained by the Tiger. They extended the empire west toward Central Asia
The Han Dynasty’s influences traveled farther west do to what
The Silk Road
What was the Silk Road
The Silk Road was the most famous overland trade route of ancient times stretching across western China and Central Asia, it linked for the first time the land of Confucius with the west
When did silk start begin to clutter along the Silk Road toward Persia
By 100 B.C.
What did the Aryans do to the Indus people
The Aryans conquered the Indus River Valley people and introduced their own ideas on how society should be organized
What was most likely founded in the ancient Indus River Valley
The Indus River peoples left thousands of soapstone seals that showed not just zebus and elephants, but a cross-legged man apparently meditating. No one knows exactly what happened to the people of the cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, but the modern religion of Hinduism may have been born there
How many followers does Hinduism have
800 to 900 million followers
What are Hindu beliefs like
Hinduism incorporates a vast range of beliefs- a belief in many gods, as well as in one universal essence. Hindus have written great works of literature and built ornately covered temples
How did the tradition of Hinduism emerge
The tradition of Hinduism emerged out of the mixing of peoples and cultures of the Indus Valley with those of Aryan- language speakers who gradually migrated into India from Central Asia and settled on the Ganges plain
What happened after the Indus Valley River Civilization declined
In about 1500 B.C., the ancient civilization of the Indus Valley declined. After this, many groups of nomadic horse men and herders crossed the banks of the Indus into northern India. These tribesmen from Central Asia had no fear of war. They called themselves “Aryas”
Where did the Aryas’ language come from
The Aryas’ language came from an old language at the root of many modern languages, including Persian, most European languages, and English
Who were the Aryans
The Aryans were cattlemen and the lush green pastures seemed to guarantee to future for their herds, which was worth fighting for
How were the Aryans on the battle field
Aryans were skilled with the bow and arrow and masters of the horse drawn chariot. On light spoke- wheeled chariots, they charged into battle
Aryans: What happened by 1200 B.C.
Aryan- dominated cultures had over spread the top of the diamond that is the Indian subcontinent. They brought a new language, Sanskrit. They also brought ideas about society and religion that would last a very long time
How did power change between the Aryan communities
Led by warrior chiefs, these wandering people settled in villages and established Sanskrit as the dominant tongue. Once settled in their new land, they turned for leadership less and less to the warrior chieftains who had led them in combat and more and more to their priest called Brahmans
What does the name Arya say tell about the Central Asians
The name Arya (which means “of noble birth”) tell us, these Central Asians looked down on the other peoples and cultures of northern India
What does the Sanskrit word for Caste say about the Aryans
The Sanskrit word for caste, varna, actually meant “color”. It’s possible that the faired-skinned Aryans believed themselves superior to the darker skinned aboriginal people of the Indus
What were Castes
Castes were religious and social groupings, and over time, each caste kept more and more separate from the others
What is the highest Hindu Caste
Brahmans, which are priests
What is the second highest Hindu Caste
Kshatriyas, which are warriors or nobility
What is the third highest Hindu Caste
Vaishyas, which are merchants and farmers
What is the fourth highest Hindu Caste
Shudras, which are servants and ordinary workers
Which class were most of the original Indus people
The lowest caste
What is the lowest Hindu Caste
The Untouchables or Outcastes
How was life for Untouchables
Untouchables had the lowliest jobs, such as sweeping the streets, and were excluded by Brahmans from the rest of society. They couldn’t drink from the same wells or live in the same neighborhoods of higher castes
What were subcastes known as
Jatis
What is the Hindu Nature God Indra
The thunder-armed god of storms and war
What is the Hindu Nature God Agni
The hungry fire god and god of the hearth
What is the Hindu Nature God Varuna
The four headed god of the skies and controller of rivers and seas
More than 30 Hindu deities are honored where
In early Sanskrit hymns
How did gods behave in Hinduism
Some gods were stern and vengeful while others were good-natured
Early Aryans poets wrote hymns to their gods where
In the bulk of the Vedas, the oldest Hindu texts, were composed between 1400 and 800 B.C. They sing the praises of these gods and are the first sacred writings of Hinduism
Where did Aryan settlers add ideas about caste and how to reach spiritual perfection
In new sacred writings, such as the Upanishads
Hindu Teachings: What did they say about the essential self
The essential self of a living being, called Atman, never dies
Hindu Teachings: What did they say about reincarnation
Reincarnation- the idea that when the body dies, the self is reborn, either as human or an animal
Hindu Teachings: What did they say about the connection between life now and the next life
What one did in this determined one’s caste or position in the next life. If people weren’t faithful to their duty and failed to live nobly, they would be reborn in a lower caste or as an animal
What mountain range forced the Aryans to migrate in a southeasterly direction
The Himalaya
On what plain did the Aryans settle
The Ganges Plain
In what direction did the Indus River Valley people flee from the Aryan conquers
South
Give both the absolute and relative location of the easternmost point of the Aryan migration
26 degrees north and 83 degrees east; South of the Himalaya
Hinduism blended the beliefs of what
Hinduism blended the beliefs of the Aryans with those of the people of the Indus Valley
Many Hindu beliefs are spelled out in which Hindu epic poem
The Ramayana
What are the three main gods of the Hindu religion
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
What religions do Indians celebrate: What percent of the population practice Hinduism
82%
What religions do Indians celebrate: What percent of the population practice Islam
12.12%
What religions do Indians celebrate: What percent of the population practice Christianity
2.34%
What religions do Indians celebrate: What percent of the population practice Sikhism
1.94%
What religion do Indians celebrate: What percent of the population practice Buddhism
0.76%
What religion do Indians celebrate: What percent of the population practice Jain
0.40%
Brahma is the Hindu god of what
He is a four-headed creator god
Vishnu is the Hindu god of what
The blue-skinned preserver of the world
Shiva is the Hindu god of what
The god of destruction, is often shown dancing in a fire ring
How far did the Ganges River flow from the Himalaya to the Bay of Bengal
1,500 miles
According to Hindu tradition, what is the divine source of the Ganges River
The god Shiva’s hair
Hindus believe worshippers can be purified by doing what
Worshippers can be purified by bathing in the waters of the Ganges
Who is the Hindu monkey god
Hanuman
Who is the Hindu god with an elephant head
Ganesha
What does the Hindu god Ganesha do
Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, who helps people get started in new enterprises
What does Ganesha’s fat belly resemble
Ganesha’s fat belly symbolizes the prosperity he brings to those who worship him
What is the legend of how Ganesha came to have an elephant head
Ganesha was created by Parvati, wife of Shiva. One day, while her husband was away from home, the goddess made a baby boy out of clay and named it Ganesha. She dried it in the sun, and Ganesha came to life. When Shiva returned, he found a boy guarding the house, refusing to let him in. Shiva grew angry. In a rage he chopped off Ganesha’s head. Parvati was very upset. She made Shiva promise to replace the head with the head of the first creature he could find. This was an elephant so Ganesha had an elephant head for life
Hinduism: The lessons of the Gods nearly always stress what
The virtue of adherence to duty
Hinduism: What is the most famous example of gods in human form to teach
The epic poem Ramayana
Hinduism: What is the Ramayana epic about
The Ramayana tells the story of virtuous Prince Rama. He is said to be a form of the preserver god, Vishnu, so Rama is often pictured as having blue blue skin like Vishnu. The prince’s heroic adventures illustrate the triumph of good over evil. They also show human beings how to live a life faithful to duty by caste and gender. Around the 3rd century B.C., Hindus in ancient India were listening to the Ramayana
Hinduism: Who is Ravana
Ruler of demons
Name the 3 gods that became very important to Hindus during the first millennium B.C.
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
When did the Ganges become sacred
When more and more Aryans settled on plains near the river
Siddhartha Gautama was born as what
A prince
What did Siddhartha Gautama do at the age 29
He abandoned his privileged life to practice asceticism, or self denial, with other holy men
What did Siddhartha Gautama do at the age 35
He got tired of practicing self denial with holy men and began a search for another way to find the truth. During this time, he cleared his mind with meditating and thought he finally understood the truth about life
What does Buddha mean
“The Enlightened One”
Asceticism Definition
The practice of self denial for spiritual understanding
When and where did Buddhism appear
Buddhism began in India at about the same time most people there practiced early forms of Hinduism
What is a believe that both Hindus and Buddhist believe in
The on going chain of reincarnation
How many people practice Buddhism
360 million
Where is Buddhism mainly practiced
Asia
Where did the story of Buddhism begin
In the foothills of the Himalaya in about 500 B.C.
Which religion did the Buddha grow up with
He was born a Hindu in a tiny kingdom, near the sacred Ganges, in northern India
What kind of lifestyle did the young prince Siddhartha Gautama have
He had a comfortable life style in the palace of his father, the king, and was often spoiled
