world history 1 :C Flashcards

Question

Ways the leaders tried to promote unity in the Mauryan Empire?

Answer 1

To promote unity: Maurya rulers used a well-organized government. Emperor’s advisors: (a council of advisors whose work helped to keep the government effective & focused on things that needed to be addressed) Emperor’s power: (a secret service and a large army that could impose the Emperor’s will & resist foreign incursions) 65,000 soldiers, 9,000 war elephants Emperor’s administration: A bureaucracy that focused the efforts of day to day governing within each of the four main provinces of India. This worked well for the Mauryan Empire for almost 150 years.

Answer 2

Mountains: North & West & Southwest & central: Deserts:North & West: Jungles: The Southern Border to the region around Vietnam, Laos, Thailand & Myanmar. Sea: East & Southeast: South China Sea, Yellow Sea, China Sea (Pacific Ocean)

Answer 3

Fine windblown yellow soil that gave the Yellow River (Huang He) it’s name

Answer 4

China’s first dynasty - about 3800 years ago. (identified through archaeological evidence).

Answer 5

While the Shang controlled a small amount of land, they had the loyalty of local princes who were most likely the leaders of powerful local clans. Clans are kinship groups who identify with a common ancestor and are in many ways the basis of Chinese social organization

Answer 6

Nobles lived well in stone or wood houses, they owned land. They were warriors. They used bronze weapons & used horse drawn chariots.

Answer 7

Artisans & merchants produced goods (bronze, silk, jade) organized trade. They played a critical role in the economy & production of goods.

Answer 8

The vast majority of people were peasants who worked in agriculture. (planting, harvesting & maintaining the dykes. They lived in dug out thatched roof homes. They fought along with their lords at times of war.

Answer 9

The belief that, when the rulers have become weak or corrupt, it will lose the support of heaven and lose power. (The group that overthrew the Shang used this to justify their rebellion.)

Answer 10

The idea that all dynasties have a life cycle. They rise and they fall - when they lose the mandate of heaven, they fall.

Answer 11

A social organization where local lords rule their own lands but owe military service to the ruler. Powerful local lords with a lot of land will have lesser lords on their lands that owe loyalty to them. (Simply put: military service in exchange for control of land)

Answer 12

The highest god during the Shang dynasty, seen as a supreme being and venerated in traditional Chinese belief. The Shang king was seen as the most direct link to this god. The king was needed in order to make the prayers to reach this god.

Answer 13

And, this extended over the generations. The descendants of the king - the kings in future generations, would need to send prayers to their ancestors who could connect the future generations with Shang Di. As such, the importance of each generation in maintaining this link was critical.

Answer 14

Confucius was born in 551 B. C. E. The name Confucius is the Western form of the name Kong Fuzi, or Master Kong. According to tradition, he belonged to a noble but poor family. A brilliant scholar, he hoped to become an adviser to a local ruler. As his reputation for wisdom grew, he attracted many students.

Answer 15

Confucianism also introduced a long-lasting Chinese belief that the universe reflected a delicate balance between two forces, yin and yang. Yin was linked to Earth, darkness, and female forces, Yang stood for heaven, light, and male forces. To the Chinese. the well-being of the universe depended on harmony between yin and yang. People could play a role in maintaining this harmony. For example, the king had to make the proper sacrifices to heaven, while at the same time taking practical steps to rule well.

Answer 16

Unlike Confucianism, Daoism was not concerned with bringing order to human affairs. Instead, Daoists sought to live in harmony with nature.

Answer 17

The founder of Daoism was a mysterious figure known as Laozi (low dzee), or “Old Master.” He is said to have "lived without leaving any traces" at the time of Confucius. credited with writing the The Way of Virtue, a book that had enormous influence on Chinese life.

Answer 18

the Dao, = “the way” of the universe. the Dao, = hard to understand fully or put into words. “Those who know the Dao do not speak of it," said Laozi . "Those who speak of it do not know it.” Daoists often gave such seemingly puzzling answers to show the conflict between human desires and the simple ways of nature.

Answer 19

Daoists rejected the world of conflict and strife. Instead, they emphasized the virtue of yielding. Water, they pointed out, does not resist, but rather yields to outside pressure—yet it is an unstoppable force. In the same way Daoists might give way in a conflict, only to return again, like water, to their natural course.

Answer 20

Daoist priests searched for a substance to bring immortality, or everlasting life. They experimented with alchemy (AHL kuh mee), trying to transform ordinary metals into gold.