3 - Ancient History Pt 2

Ancient India, Dynasties of India, Ancient China, Dynasties of China, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and Maya/Inca/Aztec

Indus Valley Civilization

~3300-1300 BCE (Bronze Age)
flourished along Indus River (modern Pakistan/northwest India) with careful urban centers(/key cities like Harappa) and drainage system engineering; understood/”conquered” monsoon challenges with preparation, understanding schedule/seasons
AKA Harappan

Vedic Period

~1500-500 BCE
formative era of ancient India marked by composition of (oldest) sacred texts of Hinduism (the Vedas) and Indo-Aryan migration into the subcontinent

settled agricultural

from the Vedic Period emerged Sanskrit writing, the varna system (firm social hierarchy), and transitioning from semi-nomadic to _________ __________ lifestyles

Hindu

Vedic religion was centric on fire sacrifices (yajnas) and worship of deities (representing natural forces [Agni, Indra, etc.])
Later evolved philosophically with emergence of foundational ______ concepts like karma, moksha, and Brahman, laying the groundwork for major religious and cultural tradition.

Buddhism

Indian culture— influenced by two main religions:
1- Hinduism, gradually developed into an organized religion (~2300-1500 BCE)
2- ________, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the first “enlightened one” (developed ~500 BCE); found little support in India at first but exploded in Southeast Asia, Tibet, China, and Japan after brought by traders and missionaries

nirvana

Guatama, born upper-class, shunned his possessions/wealth and sought answers to the hardships he saw in the world; founded Buddhism on belief that suffering is universal, caused by desire/attachment, and happiness comes from the life’s path following/seeking enlightenment, known as ________, through spiritual study and material renouncement

Golden Age

dominated by a series of empires, most notably the Gupta (~320-550 CE); brought relative political stability via scientific/social advancements; known as the ________ _____ of India

Islam

Indian political-cultural void/opening was left by the decline of the Gupta Empire, filled by the spread of _______ and subsequent reorganization into city-states

Gandhara Kingdom

~600 BCE-1100 CE, India
Central-South Asian diverse society, ruled by several major powers across its long duration BUT consistently fusing Indian-Hellenistic (Greek) traditions artistry (sculpturally/architecturally), its cultural synthesis allowing Buddhism to flourish (pivotal to its regional spread)

Silk Road

Gandharan Kingdom formed intricate/decentralized political structures and benefitted economically from Central-South Asian crossroads location— became vital East-West trade hub, the ancient ______ ______

Mauryan Empire

(~321-85 BCE)
under leadership of Chandragupta Maurya, first empire covering majority of Indian region enhanced by structure, connectivity of road systems, and trading
diverse society with social hierarchies shaped by caste system, agricultural/trade economy, and centralized government with organized bureaucracy

officials

Mauryan bureaucratic/administrative _______ were responsible for taxation, law enforcement, and governance, effectively controlling empire's diverse regions

Emperor Ashoka

~300 BCE
first Brahmanism(Hinduism precursor)-based, the Mauryan Empire transformed culturally under _______ _______’s embrace of Buddhism, moral governance, and religious tolerance
his messages, significantly, were inscribed on pillars/rocks/caves across the empire, historical records of transformative leadership

Gupta Empire

~300-543 CE
founded by King Sri Gupta, flourishing in the Golden Age with creation of many Sanskrit literary classics (Kama Sutra), academic (math + “zero”, heliocentrism) and art/architecture (sculpture/painting) innovations, and trade (silk, ivory, iron, pepper, culture)

Hinduism

main/most popular religion of Gupta Empire, though other religions (Buddhism, Jainism) were tolerable

Alchon Huns

~480 CE
Attacked Gupta Empire, weakening them and turning them to local rulership. Ultimately resulted in Gupta falling + dissolving into local dynasties across the region.

Yellow River

the “Mother River/Cradle of Chinese Civilization”, supporting farming and nomadic-to-permanent civilizations in its ancient history with accessibility and fertility; without it, arid/non-fertile climates kept Western Chinese civilizations nomadic

nomadic Chinese

interacting with settled/farming Chinese, these communities together built strong trade within China (without need for global trade, combined w/ natural barriers [Himalayas, Gobi Desert] led to isolation)

Ancient Chinese

most notable innovations: silk, tea, paper/block printing, gunpowder, the compass

Xia Dynasty

~2070-1600 BCE
oldest known Ancient Chinese ruling dynasty

Shang Dynasty

~1600-1046 BCE
early Chinese dynasty with hierarchical political structures and societies: led by political-religious warrior-kings, socially organized into classes
produced millet, wheat, barley, rice (agricultural econ.), and oracle bone script (earliest Chinese writing) & mastered bronze casting (valuable in trade/diplomatic relations, contributing to prosperity and cultural influencing)

Aristocracy

at the top of the social class system in the Shang Dynasty; followed immediately by artisans + craftsmen (reflected importance of land/production ownership and skill specialization)

Zhou Dynasty

1045-256 BCE
Chinese dynasty introducing the Mandate of Heaven, emphasizing divine legitimacy of rulers + creating lasting political foundations (centralized structures)

Feudalism

In this Zhou Dynasty system, land was granted in exchange for loyalty. Economically, under this system, agricultural innovations such as advanced irrigation systems led to increased food production, fostering population growth and trade expansion.

Literature and Philosophy

Cultural aspects that thrived under the Zhou’s development of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism (each advocating different methods for social harmony) contributing to rich intellectual landscape of ancient China.

Confucianism

~600 BCE, China
humanist philosophy centered around ren (altruism/collectivism), ancestral reverence, and continuation of cultural values
Became increasingly central to culture in response/defense to stresses of constant conflict and political upheaval (Warring Sates Period), taking hold as students carried on teachings after founder’s death

Confucius

551-479 BCE
founded his philosophy (spiritual and political) off of studying the Zhou dynasty leader and the practices that allowed his kingdom to prosper, using cultural values and social norms to ethically rule
determined that political stability and happy states/kingdoms came from positive families, communities, and schools

Warring States

~403-221 BCE
name for period of Ancient China where the seven states were vying for ultimate control of China (Qin, Han, Zhao, Yan, Wei, Chu, and Qi— warring began in late Zhou Era)

Prince Ying Zheng

(of Qin Dynasty) aspired to unify all of the states under his control, beginning by annexing Han and triumphing over Zhao + Yan through strategic campaigns
known for innovative tactics— rerouting Yellow River to flood enemy capitals, surprise attacks, etc.

Qin Dynasty

~221-206 BCE
conquering each of the rival states, Prince Ying Zheng successfully unified them under the first central Chinese empire out of the fragmented rulings
out of it grew Confucianism and Legalism in response to the damages of war/political upheaval

Han Dynasty

sought to continue the unification efforts of the Qin Dynasty and expand South (southern China/North Vietnam); solidified and spread Confucianist values, compiling and teaching The Five Classics
135 BCE - marked their move into Yue tribe territory, subsequently annexing kingdoms of Minyue, Nanyue (111 BCE), and Dian (109 BCE)

Yues

were assimilated by the Han dynasty after they began to settle into their conquered territory, adopting their cultural/religious ideals of Confucianism (with trad. wife values) and innovations of ceramics, metalwork, coinage, etc.

Silk Road

emerged out of Han trade routes through Southeast Asia + Indian Ocean, enabling their art/culture to spread to Persia, Mediterranean, and indirectly facilitate Roman Empire trade

Song Dynasty

~960-1279 CE, Chinese dynasty
known for political stability and merit-based bureaucracy, driven by the civil service examination system. Grew new cities from urbanization and a thriving merchant class.

Foot-binding

Economically, the Song Dynasty thrived through trade, agriculture, and technological advancements like paper money. Marked high point in Chinese culture, science, and governance, influencing later periods in Chinese history… ex: ______-__________ became a symbol of social status among women, illustrating complex social dynamics.

Neo-Confucianism

Gained prominence with the intellectual flourishing of Song Dynasty; emphasized personal morality to benefit society.

Daoism

Chinese philosophy (religious/spiritual affiliated, having temples and priests) underlying many areas of societies, famously conceptualizing yin and yang/living in balance with the Dao (“The Way”), Martial arts, and feng shui architectural/design practices

Genghis Khan

~1279-1368 CE, Mongolia
leader of the nomadic desert group (North Chinese) Mongols; with skilled horseback combat (saddles/stirrups technologies and superior composite bows), they swiftly conquered land from China to Eastern Europe

Civil War

despite ruling ~9 mil. sq miles (size of Canada) administratively with meticulous record-keeping and laws supporting religious freedom/international trade, disputes over succession/unequal power distribution led to their fall in a Mongolian…

Ming Dynasty

~1368 CE
overthrew/succeeded Mongols, achieving architectural feats like the Great Wall and beginning the Forbidden City

Ancient Greece

~800-300 BCE, Southeast Europe (based around Mediterranean Sea)
emerged despite mountainous/infertile land and lack of significant river systems; economy/structure evolved around sea instead, with natural border protection and trade harbors (from which spread Hellenistic culture, language, arts, food, and science)

city-state

term for a sovereign Ancient Greek city and its dependent territories; relatively isolated between themselves, holding citizen’s primary loyalty (second followed by loyalty to Greece as a whole)

direct democracy

system that flourished in Ancient Greece with equal ease of participation among citizens, allowing debates of government matters; foundational ideas of general democratic governance is considered one of Greece's greatest contributions to modern Western society.

Athens

city-state widely credited as the first known democracy.

Golden Age of Athens

~450 BCE
Under Pericles (political/military leader), this became Ancient Grecian city-state’s peak era
the high hills’ citadel, Acropolis (high point area), housed/produced the Parthenon and other achievements— during this age, they were considered most technologically advanced group in the known world

Peloponnesian War

~431-404 BCE
Sparta, known for militaristic culture and expansionist policies, vied against Athens for dominance in this decades-long conflict
(with Sparta emerging victorious as most powerful Greek city-state)
accounts authored by Thucydides

Socrates Plato, Aristotle

line of Greek philosophical masters and pupils, respectively, from the Father of Western Philosophy to The Republic to tutoring Alexander the Great
influenced political sciences and philosophers from their time through to the Renaissance-modern times

Euclid

“Father of Geometry”, part of the great string of Greek innovation in math/science

Eratosthenes

Greek mathematician, geographer, and astronomer that made the first measurement of the circumference of the Earth

Alexander the Great

(Greek) Macedonian military leader conquering much of known world in ~12yrs; spread Hellenistic culture widely, giving common cultural characteristics and language to modern-day Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, Middle East, and parts of India

Ancient Rome

formed ~800 BCE
developed around Mediterranean Sea into a republic with representative government, rising into a dominant empire over two centuries of violent civil wars
heavily influenced by Greek neighbors in philosophy/science/religion and also used sea for protection and trade (economically supporting military strength)

Empire

Rome transitioned from Republic to ________ in 27 BCE, with its subsequent ~200 years of peace dubbed the Pax Romana

Alps and Apennine

Mountains that provided Ancient Rome protection (deterring European invaders) and protection + natural resources, respectively

Po and Tiber

Roman River Valleys producing extremely fertile soil, allowing agricultural growth and surplus for trade + exchange w/ other societies

Punic Wars

264-146 BCE, Ancient Rome
the series of THREE Carthaginian VS Phoenician wars over Mediterranean Sea control

Julius Caesar

44 BCE
Killed after being named consul and dictator of Rome, assassinated by Roman Senators fearing his power consolidation and succeeded by Octavian (Augustus)

Augustus Caesar

27 BCE
(Julius’ nephew) took power as heir and established the Roman Empire/beginning the Pax Romana

Constantine

~272-337 CE
first Christian Roman Emperor, officially establishing religious tolerance of Christianity with the Edict of Milan

Edict of Thessalonica

380 CE
Following the Edict of Milan, this decree adopted Christianity as Rome’s official religion, solidifying the religion’s influence/importance in European thinking and establishing the Catholic Church as an important governing body (becoming a powerful cultural force through the Middle Ages)

highways

out of Ancient Rome came many military/structural innovations such as __________ and pontoon bridges & catapults and large standing armies

political science

Ancient Rome’s lasting influences on ________ _________ are exhibited with codified law, republicanism, citizenship defined, and influences are seen on the U.S. Constitution and Western democracies/republics

Colleseum

this famous/lasting amphitheater was among many of Ancient Rome’s architectural/engineering innovations, including other amphitheaters, Hellenistic columns/arches/domes, aqueducts, and national road networks

Latin

Ancient Roman language still used in Roman Catholic tradition; served as basis of MANY European languages

Maya

pre-Columbian Native American civilization in Central-South America

750-900 CE
composed of multiple interlinked city-states (without a strong central govt) that were incredibly sophisticated
monumental architecture and temples, highly developed system of trade, complex agricultural system feeding large populations, calendrical systems, astronomical understanding, and one of the world's first systems of writing.

Spanish

at the arrival of the _________, Mayan civilizations had already rapidly fallen (unknown direct causes) into distinct/warring small kingdoms/cities; though many cities still thrived, they were easily conquered

Aztecs

pre-Columbian Native American civilization in Central-South America

1428 CE
Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan formed a triple alliance to rule their valley, building this empire over most of central Mexico (with strength based primarily on military might), conquering other cities by force.

soldiers

Aztec’s loose administration allowed all the local leaders to maintain power conditional on annual tributes to the alliance, contributing _______ to conquests, and formal worship of imperial God Huitzilopochtli (alongside each local god[s])

Hernan Cortes

1521 CE
after two years of conflict and a massive smallpox epidemic, he conquered the Aztecs on behalf of the Spanish Empire

Incas

pre-Columbian Native American civilization in Central-South America

~1300-1527 CE
highly centralized empire organized around capital of Cusco (modern Peru) and ruled by a single god-king (descendant of the sun god)
After initial expansion period, most subsequent conquest was peaceful, resistance was rare, and many areas maintained local customs/practices.

complex messenger system

Incan conquered areas paid (mandatory) tribute to Cusco (capital), remaining connected by complex road systems (for trade/communication). Without a common writing system, a ______ _________ ______ communicated information across the large area

Francisco Pizarro

1532
After weakened by smallpox outbreaks and internal political conflicts, the Inca were conquered by _________ _______ on behalf of the Spanish Crown

Spanish conquest

seeking to find/exploit gold and other valuable resources in their lands, disease, massive casualties of battle, destruction of cities and infrastructure, and, ultimately, the decimation of the population and destruction of culture was brought to the three large South American native civilizations

colonization

Though Spanish conquistadors seized gold from these civilizations, they never found the fabled cities of gold that they sought
The few descendants of the Maya/Aztec/Inca empires living today retain the language/cultural elements; however, the trajectory of these civilizations was forever altered by Spanish __________