Asian and African Civilizations

Mauryan Empire

Had a strong central government, well organized bureaucracy, had secret police to quash dissent, had female warriors guarding the palace and emperor. The empire had prosperous economy, huge capital city, and huge palaces, schools, libraries, and temples.

Chandagupta Maurya

Founder of the Mauryan Empire, Overthrew the Nanda Empire, Unifies parts of Northern India

His grandson, Ashoka ruled the largest Indian empire.

Kautilya

political philosopher, economist, strategist, and advisor to Chandra Gupta

Argued rulers should not have principles, but do whatever is necessary

Machiavelli before Machiavelli

Dissent

Speaking out against/criticizing the government

Ashoka

chandragupta’s grandson

Ruled the largest Indian empire ever

Conquered most of the kings of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan

Gupta Empire

A very powerful Indian empire that had a golden age which made advances in mathematics, sciences, and literature.

Golden Age

An era of peace and prosperity

Caste system

A social system that divides people into social classes

Untouchables

The lowest class in the caste system

Laws of Manu

India’s most famous early legal code. Laws demonstrated how women’s legal independence were restricted.

Confucius

Founder of Confucianism

Confucianism

A philosophical and religious tradition where the key to maintaining society is through traditional social relationships.

Lao Tzu

Founder of Daoism

Daoism

a philosophical and religious tradition that promotes harmony and unity with nature. Teaches people to live calmly and peacefully. Intervening in life’s events causes conflict and destruction.

Yin Yang

Oposites fit together and depend on each other for harmony. (Darkness and light, life and death)

Legalism

philosophy that people only obey strong rulers who can force obedience.

Warring States Period

Era of intense conflict in china in which powerful states warred to unify the country after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty. Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism came out of this.

Qin Shi Huangdi

First emperor of china

Standardized: weights and measures, currency, and writing

Built infrastructures like roads, bridges, canals, etc.

Ruled by the philosophy of legalism

Great Wall of China

A wall built my many dynasties including the Qin, Han, and Ming. Its purpose was to protect China from any foreign invaders. It was also used to protect the Silk Road trade route.

Han Dynasty

Created by Liu Bang after the Qin dynasty. Ruled on the philosophy of Confucianism.

Expanded China’s territory

Opened the Silk Road

Had a golden age that had innovations in sciences, medicine, and inventions.

Pax Sinica

Han Dynasty’s period of peace, prosperity, and economic growth.

Civil Service exam

Exams to figure out who was qualified for government positions.

Silk Road

A series of trade routes that stretched for more than 4000 miles connecting China and the West.

Belt and Road Initative

“Modern day Silk Road”

It involves a network of roads, railways, ports and other projects to connect china with other countries and continents.

Kush

An African civilization south of Egypt that was very powerful in combat being able to conquer Egypt and defeat Roman troops that were stationed in Egypt after they conquered it.

Aksum

Modern day Ethiopia

Had a golden age

Had a port called Adulis that was used for trade all over the world

Queen Sheba

Connected and traded with Israel and King Solomon

King Ezana

spread Christianity

Which empire went with India

Mauryan and Gupta Empire

which empire went with china

Qin and Han dynasties

which empire went with Africa

Nubia/Kush and Aksum

how did chandrgupta rule? What role did women play?

He had a well organized bureaucracy, and court system

Secret police to squash dissent

Women warriors guarded the palace and the emperor

how did Ashoka rule? What major religion did he promote?

rules by moral example and kindness

Promotes and spreads Buddhism

Renounces the use of force, secret police, and conquest

Successfully created peace, prosperity, and unity in India

What is the general pattern of Indian history?

India’s divided into rival kingdoms

Something unites them, usually involves and invasion

Period of peace and prosperity

Empire becomes corrupt

Breaks down

Repeat

Which empires had a golden age

Gupta, Han

What were some of the mathematical, scientific, and literary accomplishments of the Gupta Empire?

Math: Concept of zero, first base 10 system, decimal system, concept of pi.

Science: Identified the 7 primary planets, engaged in the study of eclipses, explored the concept of gravity, had advanced study and use of surgery, vaccinated against smallpox.

Who was the Gupta golden age NOT golden for? Why?

Untouchables, poor families, women.

Untouchables discriminated against, poor children can’t go to school, women are inferior to men (laws of manu)

Were women always treated below men’s status for all of Indian history? Did india always have a rigid caste system?

Why do Confucianism, Danish, and Legalism come out of the Warring states period in china?

As a desperate need to create new political and social order

which did Qin Shi Huangdi listen to: Confucianism, daoism, or legalism? Which did the Han use?

Legalism, Confucianism

What were Qin’s important accomplishments?

ending dissent through force

Standardized weights and measures, currency, and writing

Built infrastructure like roads, bridges, canals, etc

what/who is china named after? Why?

Qin Shi Hunagdi because he unified and standardized the country creating a lasting legacy that is still running today.

Roughly how long did the Han dynasty rule China?

414 years

206 BCE to 220 CE  

What was the role of women in Han China?

Managing the house, educating children, making silk

(Confucianism beliefs of women)

Under which Chinese Dynasty did the Silk Road start?

Han dynasty

why was the Silk Road important? What goods/ideas did it spread? What bad things did it spread?

Connecting china to the western part of the world

Enabled countries to get goods they can’t make

Traded spices, beads, silk, animal furs and other things

Many beliefs and religions spread-mainly Buddhism

Spread the Black Death plague

why was queen Sheba important in Aksumite history?

because of her connection with Israel and King Solomon

what religion did king ezana convert to and make the official religion of Aksum?

christianity

how important was trade to china, India, and Aksum?

Critically important as it was a driving force of wealth, power, and cultural exchange.

Ren

main principle of Confucianism which describes people should behave in a loving, selfless, and moral way.

li

actions that are right becasue of the needs of society.

Found in Confucianism 

Yi

In Confucianism

Describes the actions that are inherently right, good, and moral

Hsiao

The principle that children should respect their parents

dao

Main principle of daoism

All things in the universe are connected together through the Dao

Wu Wei

method of following the dao. Living in harmony and letting things take their natural course without influence.