Empires of India and China

Chapter 4 Sections 1, 4, 5

Hinduism and Buddhism

Chapter 4 Section 1

Beliefs of Hinduism

• No single founder or text– Thus is a very complex religion

• The universe plays a vital and key role– Brahman– kind of like a many faced god– Vedas and the Upanishads are sacred texts

• Also the Bhagavad-Gita

• Goals of life– Atman is Brahman– Goals are to be one with the god or Brahman – Belief in many lives and afterlives– All focused on reaching Brahman

Beliefs of Hinduism cont…

• Karma and Dharma– Actions that affect his or her fate• Life is ranked from humans downward

– To escape life’s wheel one must obtain or practice Dharma• Religious and moral duties• Obey Dharma=better next life

• Also believe in Ahimsa or nonviolence

Gautama Buddha: The Enlightened One

• The story of Gautama Buddha…– Found out what life is all about and became just the

Buddha• Established the 4 noble truths– All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow– Cause of suffering is desire– Cure suffering=overcome desires– Overcome desire is done by following the Enlightened

Path– Final goal is Nirvana

Comparing Buddhism and Hinduism

• Both– Stress nonviolence, karma, dharma, etc.

• Buddhism rejects– Priests, rituals and many gods of Hindus– Caste system• Meaning one can reach enlightenment regardless of

birthright

Spread of Buddhism

• Mostly done by word of mouth but also..– The Tripitika or Three Baskets of Learning

• Eventually 2 sects developed– Theraveda– focused more on Buddha’s original teachings

• Spread to Shri Lanka and SE Asia

– Mahayana• Broke down the religion, made it easier to grasp• Spread to China, Tibet, Korea, Japan

• Eventually declined in India due to Hindu’s absorbing the religion

Philosophy and Religion in China

Chapter 4 Section 4

The Wisdom of Confucius

• Wisest man to live?– Maybe but remember Buddha and Socrates– Never wrote down his sayings• Were collected post death in the Analects

• Focused more on government than religion– Everyone has duties and responsibilities • Superiors and inferiors• Women and men

– Fitial piety is number 1

The Wisdom of Confucius cont…

• Government– Ruler was supposed to provide good government– In return people would respect him– Necessity for rulers to be well educated

• Spread of Confucianism– Very popular in China• Basis of government for many years

– Eventually would spread to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

The Harsh Words of Legalism

• From Hanfeizi (we can call him Han)– Believed that man was bound to be bad

• Fed by greed and desires

– Also taught strict and harsh punishments• Emphasized laws• Strength not goodness is greatness virtue

• Pushed in some areas of China– Was eventually hated by the people– However still is the basis of much governmental

thoughts

Daoism: The Unspoken Way

• Laozi is the founder– Wrote the way of Virtue– Believed in seeking harmony with nature

• Turned focus to the Dao or way of the universe– Tried to end fighting between cultures– Didn’t like traditional governments (too harsh)

• Eventually people would blend Daoism and Confucianism

Buddhism in China

• Eventually reached China by 100 A.D.– Became more popular during times of crisis– Prayer and good works meant salivation• For all people– regardless of standing

• By 400 A.D. Chinese Buddhism had emerged– Included some ideas of Confucian and Daoism

Strong Rulers Unite China

Chapter 4 Section 5

Shi Huangdi

• Was seen as a brutal but effective dictator– United the once broken Zhou sections of China– Used military districts to keep power

• Also heavily punished those against him

• Strengthened infrastructure– Canals, roads, coins

• Also led to a more unified system

• Biggest accomplishment?– Building of the Great wall

• Was it successful?

Han Dynasty

• Overtakes the Shi Haungdi dynasty upon his death– Wudi is the leader• Known for his monopolies on salt and iron• Also for his expansionism

• Opened the Silk Road– Huge trade route

• Rulers determined by passing tests– Focused and based on Confucian ideals

Han Dynasty-- Collapses

• As time went on control was an issue…– Over strong warlords– Worn out peasants– Lack of control

• Also…– Outsiders started to invade China– Would become a split empire again

Han Dynasty- Achievements

• Sciences– All areas flourished but didn’t accept new ideas without proof– New medicines were also developed

• As well as acupuncture

• Technology– Furthest along for their time period– Paper, ship building, rudders, iron and bronze work, fishing

reels etc. • Arts

– Were ahead of their time– thanks to the technology available

Ancient Greece

Chapter 5

The Rise of Greek City-States

Chapter 2

Geography of the Greek Homeland

• Mountains and Valleys– Used to divide the peninsula– Built many city-states• Lots of rivals=lots of wars

• The Seas– Many safe harbors– Ships were their lifelines• Also used for increased trade

Governing the City-States

• Polis aka the city-state– Acropolis and the main walled city– Fairly small populations

• Early Governments– Monarchs, then aristocrats, eventually an

oligarchy• Changes in warfare– Iron weapons and the phalanx

Sparta: A Nation of Soldiers

• The Helots• The Rigors of Citizenship– Started at childhood, to a barracks, marry,

specialized training• Women– Tough upbringing too, to bear tough children, also

can inherit land

Athens: A Limited Democracy

• Demands for Change– Slowly moved to democracy

• Solon’s Reforms– Outlawed debt slavery, opened more high offices,

and gave some citizenship to foreigners – Economic reforms too– mostly exports– Still tyrants came to power

Athens: A Limited Democracy

• Later Reforms– Pisistratus comes to power• Helped by the farmers

– Cleisthenes also brought a legislature as well• Limited Rights– Males, slaves, and women

• Education– Boys attended schools, military training,

Forces of Unity

• Religious Beliefs– Polytheistic– Many festivals and temples– Oracles too

• Non-Greeks– Greeks felt strongly superior– Called the rest barbarians– Would help them in the future…

Victory and Defeat in the Greek World

Chapter 3

The Persian Wars

• Victory at Marathon– Rebels were struggling– Athens was trying to help• Darius didn’t care for that too much!

– Mad at the fact the Greeks were helping• Darius sent his forces near Athens• However they lost there…

The Persian Wars

• Renewed Attacks– Darius would keep trying but eventually die…– Xerxes takes his place

• Sent his troops to Sparta– 300 anyone?– Spartans eventually lost

• Xerxes would also be a loser…– Tried to attack Athens, but no one was home– Eventually lost his whole fleet and the war too

The Persian Wars

• Results!– Greeks are feeling pretty good about themselves– Athens becomes the most powerful city-state• Formed many alliances as well• Called the Delian League

– Eventually took control of the whole league

Athens in the Age of Pericles

• Political Life– A direct democracy• About 6,000 members– not always rich either• Paid these men a stipend• Had juries• Ostracism too

• The Funeral Oration– Famous speech, focused on the greatness of his

people• Still considered to be a great speech

Athens in the Age of Pericles

• Economic and Cultural Life– Best architects and sculptors to rebuild the

Acropolis – Focused on how strong they were– Athens also becomes the cultural center of Greece

The Peloponnesian War

• The Greeks have a split– Peloponnesians and Athens

• The two sides go to war– Lasted 27 years– Sparta has the advantage• And with Persia’s help they win!

• Even though their economy comes back– Eventually broke down– Lost to Thebes

The Glory That Was Greece

Section 4

Greek Philosophers

• Lovers of wisdom?– Focused on reason and observation

• Ethical issues– Debated many issues such as…• Government, rhetoric• Away from traditional values

Greek Philosophers

• Socrates– Wrote no books– Question and answer method– Looks to accept truth and self-knowledge• Challenged normal thinking

– Led to his trial and eventually his death

Plato

• Left to carry on the traditions of his teacher– Set up an academy

• Rejected the ideas of democracy– Because it killed his teacher– Believed government should take care of all

citizens– Ideal society had 3 classes• Workers, soldiers, and philosophers

– Allowed women to have some say…

Aristotle

• Student of Plato• Analyzed all forms of government– Was skeptical of democracy– Believed a strong single leader was the best

• Promoted reason • Set up his own school– Left behind many writings and his own research– Used by universities for years

Architecture and Art

• Architecture – Looked to balance harmony and the universe– Also built the Parthenon• A temple to the goddess Athena

– Still admired today• Sculpture and Painting– Focused on natural poses– Paintings on vases and other poetry

Poetry and Drama

• The beginnings– Started with religious plays– Used stylized masks to emphasize their art

• Developed into Tragedies– Human suffering coupled with desire

• Comedy– Focused obviously on humor

The Writing of History

• Applied a lot to history– Reason, observation, logic

• Herodotus contributed in many ways– Often noted bias and conflicting accounts– Wrote the Persian Wars

Alexander and the Hellenistic Age

Section 5

Alexander the Great

• Philip’s Dream– Wanted to conquer city-states to the South– Had a huge army– Athens and Thebes join up vs. Chaeronea• Philip bring it all under his control• However was assassinated before all of his dreams

could come true

– Olympias (wife) and Alexander rise to the throne

Alexander the Great

• Alexander was pretty young – But a great soldier!– Was making huge strides…– Defeated Persia!

• Wanted to keep going but…– His soldiers had another plan– So he set up his empire• Sadly a fever had its say too…

The Legacy of Alexander

• Blending of Cultures– People started to assimilate with the Greeks– Married a Persian woman– Adopted other customs as well

• Alexandria– Huge museums, statues, and other items all from

other countries– Increased scholars work as well

• Women got some opportunities as well!

Hellenistic Civilization

• Emphasis on architecture and art• The idea that all people are equal and deserve

rights…– From Stoics

• Also made large strides in the following– Math, astronomy, medicine, and physics