Unit 1 Test Review: Eastern Faiths, China, and the Silk Road

Aryans

-nomadic herdsman and raiders who invaded India in around 1500 BCE

-they conquered dark skinned, indigenous Indians

-were from the near east (Turkey, Armenia, Persia)

-light skinned, light eyed

-sanskrit speaking

Brahmanism

Early form of Hinduism centered around the worship of Brahman, the universal soul

The Vedas

-A collection of Aryan hymns

-oldest versions were written in sanskrit

-compiled between 1500-500 BCE

-dead language

Caste system

-introduced by the aryans

-created rigid social class divisions

-established order over large population

Brahman

-made up of priests

-the highest of the four varnas/categories

Kshatriya

-made up of warriors

-2nd highest varna

Vaishya

-made up of merchants and artisans

-3rd highest varna

Shudra

-made up of peasants and laborers

- lowest varna

Dalit/ outcaste

-known as the untouchables

- had jobs which were deemed impure

-not included (they are below the shudra)

varna

the caste or level on the pyramid

-you are born into a caste

karma

- ones rebirth in a next life is determined by one's actions in this life

-you are responsible for your destiny

samsara

reincarnation

dharma

-a law regulating human behavior, it imposes different requirements on different individuals depending on their status in society

-Moral duty and righteousness, governing individual conduct

-the right way of living, fulfill your caste duties (so you can move up in your next life)

moksha

liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth and reach enlightenment

Bhagavad-Gita

Hindu scripture that is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna, discussing duty and righteousness

Silk Road

-a system of roads that provided a network of exchange

-helped unify parts of Eurasia and connected people and their cultures/religions/way of life

-silk was the most famous commodity exchanged

Siddhartha Gautama

-Founder of Buddhism, also known as the Buddha

-was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher

asceticism

severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons

meditation

the focusing of attention to clear one's mind and produce relaxation

middle path

seek a middle path between asceticism (self-discipline and avoidance) and hedonism (pleasure, luxury, self-indulgence)

dukkha

-human life includes suffering, stress, or "off-centerdness"

-one of the four noble truths of Buddhism

trishna

-Suffering/stress has a source and it is internal NOT external; attachment

-one of the four noble truths of Buddhism

nirvana

-resting in each moment leads to an end of suffering

-one of the four noble truths of Buddhism

8-Fold path

-8 key steps to being good and living right; get your life in order so that you can rest in the moment

-one of the four noble truths of Buddhism

Bodhisattva

enlightened beings who have put off entering paradise in order to help others attain enlightenment

Emperor Qin

first emperor of China

Han Fei

-Emperor Qin's advisor

Qin Dynasty

China's first unified state

legalism

-the belief that people were bad by nature and needed to be controlled

-Chinese philosophy emphasizing strict laws and harsh punishments to maintain order

-standardized weights, measures, money, etc.

-built the Great Wall of China

-elimination of social ranks

Two Handles

chastisement (a severe criticism or punishment) and commendation (praise)

authoritarian

-a government in which one leader or group of people holds absolute power

-laws imposed by a ruler

Confucius

-A Chinese philosopher who invented Confucianism

-his themes and values were adopted only after his death

Analects

a philosophical text composed of Confucius's ideas and sayings

Han Dynasty

-Second imperial dynasty of China known for its cultural achievements and expansion

ren

-perfect goodness, humaneness, the "golden rule"

-one of the Confucian virtues

filial piety

the virtue of exhibiting love and respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors in Confucianism

propriety

doing what is proper or right

junzi

gentlemanly conduct, perfect gentleman, role model

5 cardinal relationships

father-son, ruler-subject, husband-wife, elder-younger, friend-friend

silk

a valuable cloth, originally made only in China from threads spun by caterpillars called silkworms

relay trade

On the silk roads (sand too) goods were passed down the line of many people, and often prices would rise as it went from person to person because of travel fee. Example with silk

commodities

economic goods or products before they are processed and/or given a brand name, such as a product of agriculture (a raw product)

steppe

a large area of flat unforested grassland in southeastern Europe or Siberia

dynasty

-a line of hereditary rulers of a country

-begins with a strong emperor

-thought ot be endorsed by the mandate of heaven

mandate of heaven

-heaven grants the emperor to rule

-the emperor's virtue determines his right to rule, which prompted them to act responsibly

examination system

-individuals could earn government jobs and upper class social status by taking tests

-education and merit (being worthy) were more important than birth in determining jobs and status, which means less favoritism and privilege

-challenge to established aristocratic families grip on the government

foot binding

Chinese practice of binding women's feet to modify their shape, symbolizing beauty and social status

Hangzhou

China's capital during the Song dynasty, with a population of more than a million people. One of the biggest and most modern cities in the world at the time

nomad

a person who moves from place to place

yurt

a portable, round tent covered and insulated with skins or felt

polytheistic

Belief in many gods

Genghis Khan

-Founder of the Mongol Empire

-one of the greatest military innovators in history

yam

-messenger and supply system; postal system

-food, shelter, and spare horses

-news got around very quickly

-messengers traveled over 200 miles a day

-very well organized, this is how they controlled such a vast empire

Marco Polo

Venetian merchant and explorer who traveled to China and served in the court of Kublai Khan

Kublai Khan

-(1215-1294) Grandson of Genghis Khan and founder of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in China.

-conquered southern china, moved capital to Beijing, and became emperor of China

-opened china to major cultural diffusion, mostly from the west

-he was interested and open to other religions

Taklamakan

which of the following deserts was one of the most dangerous spots along the silk roads? it's name means "he who enters does not come back out"?

Rustichello

famous writer who met Marco Polo in a Genoese prison and wrote, "The Travel's of Marco Polo"

cultural diffusion

The spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one people to another