1. THE CLASSICAL ERA IN THE EAST
UNIT 3
THE CLASSICAL ERA IN THE EAST

2. UNIT 3 VOCABULARY Caste system Dynasty Nirvana Inferior Superior
Reincarnation
Hinduism
Mandate of Heaven
Confucianism
Buddhism

3. IDENTIFY Buddha Emperor Asoka Mauryan Empire Gupta Empire Zhou Dynasty
Confucius
Qin Dynasty
Shih Huang-ti
Han Dynasty

4. The Big Questions
What were the major accomplishments of the civilizations of India and China during the “Classical Era”?
How did these civilizations compare with the ones in the West?
What factors contributed to the rise and fall of empires and dynasties in the East?
READ PAGES 74 TO 86 IN YOUR TEXTBOOK

5. Introduction
In the centuries when Persia, Greece, and Rome dominated the West, a different series of empires and dynasties flourished in the east.
India witnessed a flowering of Hindu and Buddhist cultures, influencing all of South and Southeast Asia
China saw the emergence of great philosophers, who set the tone for much of Chinese thought and tradition.

6. THE ARYAN INVASION
After the collapse of Harappan civilization, the Dravidian people living in western India were conquered by the Aryan invaders (c.1500 B.C.)
Some people believe they came from central Asia
Others believe Aryan culture developed locally

7. THE ARYAN CULTURE Nomadic herders and warriors
Developed iron weapons and horse-drawn chariots
They continued to push native peoples farther south as they moved into the Ganges River valley
By 900 B.C., they had formed city-states (each ruled by its own ruler)
Developed Sanskrit writing (only taught to members of higher castes)
Introduced Hinduism
Developed a caste system (rigid social order)

8. Warriors (Kshatriyas)
Left Side
The mixing of Aryan and native peoples led to a new social order
The new rules allowed only Aryans to occupy the higher social classes
There were 5 castes
Caste lines were rigid and based on birth
DRAW A DIAGRAM OF THE CASTE SYSTEM
Priests (Brahmins)
Warriors (Kshatriyas)
Landowners (Vaisyas)
Peasants (Sudras)
Untouchables

9. Activity Fill in the hinduism section of your religions chart
Major beliefs: believe in many deities, but each of these gods is a manifestation of one Supreme Being. Reincarnation – the belief that at death a person’s soul is reborn as another living thing. Karma refers to a person’s behavior in life which determines one’s form in the next life.
Sacred places and objects: The Ganges River – has the power to wash away sin and evil. Temples – places of worship. The cow – sacred and religious…Hindus do not eat beef.

10. The Spread of Buddhism A new religion, Buddhism, began around 500 B.C.
Spread quickly and attracted many followers
Missionaries helped it spread throughout India and other Southeast Asian countries (Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Indochina)
It also spread to central Asia, China, Japan, and Korea
It was popular among many groups because it rejected the caste system

11. Activity FILL IN THE BUDDHISM SECTION OF YOUR RELIGIONS CHART
Basic philosophy: based on the idea of self-denial and meditation
Gods: do not believe in a supreme being
Holy books: no major holy book, but teachings can be found in the Sutras
Major beliefs: Four Noble Truths – explain life’s meaning. Eightfold Path – must be followed to achieve Nirvana. Nirvana – a state of eternal peace and bliss and release from the soul’s endless reincarnation.

12. Left Side
Create a venn diagram showing what beliefs Buddhism borrowed from Hinduism (pgs )
Create a chart comparing the spread of Buddhism with the spread of Christianity (pg &172)
Hinduism
Buddhism
Religion
How & Why it for spread
Buddhism
Christianity

13. The Mauryan Empire (321 B.C. – 232 B.C.)
Stretched from Afghanistan to the Ganges River
Begun by King Chandragupta who challenged the Greeks
His grandson, Asoka was the next great ruler of India
Fought a series of wars to enlarge the empire
After 8 years of warfare, he renounced violence and converted to Buddhism
Won his people’s loyalty by acts of kindness and promoting welfare and happiness
Promoted religious freedom
Improved roads, built hospitals and promoted education
Built Buddhist shrines and sent missionaries to other lands
After his death, the empire began to fall apart

14. The Gupta Empire (320 A.D. – 535 A.D.)
United the territory around the Ganges
Emperors encouraged peace, prosperity, and trade with foreign lands, especially China
Had a “Golden Age” of Hindu Culture for nearly two centuries
Built universities
Supported learning, the arts (colorful murals), and literature (poems and plays written in Sanskrit)
Scholars excelled in math (concept of zero, idea of infinity, a decimal system, Arabic numerals)
Astronomy (Earth was round and rotated on its axis, solar year, movement of heavenly bodies)
Medicine (set bones, skin grafts)
Declined when invaded by the Huns

15. CHINA

16. CHINA
Chinese history is generally divided into periods based upon the dynasty that governed China at the time
From 1027 B.C. to 220 A.D., China was ruled by three main dynasties
Like the flowering of Greek and Roman culture, China also witnessed some of its greatest cultural achievements in these centuries
READ PAGES IN YOUR TEXTBOOK

17. Zhou Dynasty (1027 B.C. – 221 B.C) Conquered the Shang dynasty
Justified rule as the Mandate of Heaven (ruler chosen by heaven and heaven would overthrow bad rulers)
Gave land to nobles in exchange for military service
Conquered neighboring peoples
6th century B.C., local nobles became too powerful and China was plunged into civil war
Greatest legacy of Zhou was the work of two philosophers, Confucius and Lao Tzu.

18. Activity Add Confucianism and Daoism to your Religions chart
Confucius – taught ideas he believed were the basic order of the universe. Stressed following traditional ways to achieve peace and harmony. All was based on social obligations.
Obedience and order
Importance of family
Family served as model for society (duty, good deeds, civilized way of life)
Lao Tzu (Daoism or Taoism) – believed that nature has a “way” in which it moves. People should accept the way rather than to try to resist it.
Respect for nature and harmony
Use contemplation and abandon earthly concerns

19. QIN DYNASTY (221 B.C. – 206 B.C. )
Unified under the lord of Qin (Shih Huang-ti)
First to call himself emperor
All power should be in the hands of a single, absolute ruler
Strong government was needed to punish bad acts
Harsh ruler, rejected Confucianism (burned books and persecuted scholars)
Accomplishments
Divided China into districts
Constructed roads and canals (uniting distant parts of China)
Uniform system of writing and measurement
Joined a number of protective walls to create the Great Wall of China

20. Left Side
Create a cartoon about an accomplishment of the Qin or Zhou dynasties

21. DYNASTIC CYCLE IN CHINA
Strong dynasty establishes peace
Dynasty declines, corruption, high taxes, etc.
Disasters – floods, famines, revolts, invasions
Old dynasty loses Mandate of Heaven
(rebellion is justified)
Dynasty overthrown (rebellion and bloodshed)
New dynasty gains power, restores peace and order

22. HAN DYNASTY (206 B.C. – 220 A.D.)
Unified China for over 400 years following years of civil war
Political achievements
Established civil service examinations based on Confucian ideas
Strengthened the power of the emperor by weakening the independence of nobles
Commoners could move up the social ladder
Spread Confucian ideals
Innovations
Paper
Lead-glazed ceramics
Improved silk-weaving

23. Continued… Economy Social and cultural
Established overland trade routes, the Silk Road, connecting trade with the Roman Empire and other regions
Exported silk, iron, and bronze for gold, linen cloth, glass, ivory, animal hides, horses and cattle
Social and cultural
Buddhism was introduced
Wealthy families had many children (sons served in government and daughters married into other wealthy families)
Marriages were arranged
Women were subordinate to men
Boys went to public schools
Old people were well taken care of by their families

24. FALL OF THE HAN DYANSTY Ruled an immense empire for 400 years
Han emperors were weakened by a series of rebellions
Provincial governors raised taxes and raised their own armies (some became local warlords)
Economic hardship and population growth
Emperor turned over power to a warlord and Han China collapsed into a series of civil wars and split into separate states

25. LEFT SIDE
Create a diagram for the reasons for the decline of the Han Dynasty describing political, economic, and military weaknesses. Ex.
Fall of the Han Dynasty